The Middle East is proving to be the mad-architect's dream come true. Saudi Arabia has announced the launch of a new cultural center, and this is what it's going to look like:



Just out of this world. It will have a library, museum, theater and cinema. When a country has an unimaginable amount of money to spend, anything is possible. This project is being sponsored by Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company.

In the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait -- the money is ample, the vision is extraordinary, but the reality is hollow. I suppose, as an increasingly higher caliber of people get recruited from all over the world to execute the Middle East's vision, the reality will soon be seen.

I heard part of an interview with Morgan Spurlock, the creator of the documentary, "Where in the World is Osama bin Laden" yesterday. The film, which opens today, sounds as if it might be more travelogue with a twist of the Middle East. Spurlock visits places as varied as Morocco, Pakistan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan and chats with a variety of those countries' citizens along the way in order to sort of find Osama bin Laden and take a look-see in the countries where he has been.

Spurlock's interview comments about wresting reminded me of one of my husband's encounters with Tibetan monks in Nepal. The interviewer and Spurlock talked about how people everywhere, no matter which country, know that championship wrestling is serious business. My husband, who wrestled in high school, attracts wrestling type fans wherever he travels.

As a rather large man with huge feet--size 14, he is unable to escape notice. People, particularly in countries like Vietnam, like to poke and prod him. Because he wears Red Wing work boots, his shoes gain notice. Fill one with cement and you'd have quite the doorstop. Even without the cement, it's a doorstop. Anyway, when we were in Nepal and stopped by a Tibetan monastery outside of Pokhara, like always, my husband left his shoes outside the door while we went inside. When he came out, he saw a group of monks gathered around his boots.

One of the monks reached down to pick one up and seemed to be testing its weight, marveling. Another, who knew English, said, "Can we ask you a question?"

My husband leaned in thinking he might learn a bit about enlightenment,"Yes?" He waited for the pearl.

"Hulk Hogan? Is he real?"

"Sure," said my husband, which produced a round of beaming smiles, nods and back slapping, as if my husband and Hulk are best buds. As for the pearl of wisdom? Here's what I think. Sometimes, it doesn't take much to please.

If Saudi flights are anything like those in Pakistan, they probably begin with a prayer. Though it's, of course, always good to have Allah on your side, having the flight attendants lead a prayer before taking off does not inspire confidence. But maybe it helped in this case...

A Saudi airliner flying into Dhaka, Bangladesh's capital, caught fire while landing yesterday, though none of the 307 passengers or crew on board were seriously injured.

Apparently one of the engines of the plane, a Boeing 747, caught fire as the plane touched down, but the fire thankfully did not spread to the fuel reservoirs. After landing, the pilot reportedly opened the emergency exit doors and the passengers left the plane via the big yellow playground slide. Fun!

More here.

What strange things have been found on planes?

Click the image to read the bizarre story...

Cultural changes in Saudi Arabia have been a frequent topic on Gadling. We've talked about advancements such as: Saudi women being allowed to drive, controversial books being permitted distribution, bans on photography being lifted, and restrictions such as men imprisoned for flirting and the banning of red roses for Valentines day.

The latest, and what might be the most significant cultural change in the works is the possibility of building churches in the country. According to the BBC, the talks are the result of Saudi King Abdullah's meeting with the Pope last November. Allowing churches to be built would give 1.5 million Christians who live there a place to worship -- something that they can do only privately at the moment. The last Christian priest was expelled from the kingdom in 1985.

These talks were spurred after Doha allowed for a Catholic church to be built where the first mass was held earlier this year, attended by 15,000 people. Doha has now given the go ahead for Anglican, Orthodox and Coptic churches to be built.

According to the UK Times: "Saudi Arabia adheres to a hard-line Wahhabi version of Sunni Islam and is home to Mecca and Medina, the most holy sites of the religion -- no faith other than Islam may be practiced." If churches do come around to being built in the kingdom, it will be a huge feat in Muslim-Christian relations.

It annoys me to think that I will probably never be able to go to Saudi Arabia unless I marry an Arab. Saudi Arabia is not on my priority list of places to visit, but other than the Levant (Jordan, Syria, Lebanon), it's the country that calls my attention the most.

Having lived in Dubai for about 8 years, I'm familiar with both the wild and the discreet nature of Arab culture -- but I still think Saudi Arabia would blast buttons of culture shock if I ever visited, which is exactly why I'd like to go! I have some local friends in the country; one of them is a DJ and is known to host the hottest underground parties in Jeddah. Basis what is portrayed about the country, I found this unfathomable.

To add to the contradictions of Saudi Arabia: one minute I read that the country has banned red roses for Valentine's Day, the next I read in Time Magazine that controversial book Girls of Riyadh, is now being allowed free distribution in the country. The book talks about the romantic intrigues of four young girls in one of the most closed societies in the world -- it exposes typical intimate family matters including arranged marriages and even sex.

According to the author (Rajaa Alsanea) in Time Magazine: "We have a Minister of Culture who believes that such controversial books should be permitted in the society to allow for a healthy dialog of change by the young generation." She also says that the Internet has allowed the exchange of communication between youth in Saudi Arabia and has opened a perspective on a world that the older generation has never been exposed to.

I think that government support of this book alongside the other recent development of Saudi Arabia planning to lift the ban on driving for women, are baby steps towards creating a new realm of possibilities for the development of women and the opening of the society in the country.

Maybe one day (in my lifetime!) they will be open enough to allow single women to travel there!?

Now that woman can finally drive and stay in hotels alone in Saudi Arabia, it seems the men who call the largest country in Arabia home think they too can loosen up a bit. They're wrong.

The country's "religious police" interrogated 57 men today for "for flirting with women in front of a shopping mall in the holy city of Mecca." It's reported that the men were also wearing inappropriate clothing (T-shirts with English writing) and dancing to pop music -- both punishable offenses. AP reports,


No word on what punishment the men face if convicted.

The U.S. Department of State has a currently-running travel warning which urges Americans who wish to travel to Saudi Arabia "to avoid staying in hotels or housing compounds that do not apply stringent security measures and are also advised to maintain good situational awareness when visiting commercial establishments frequented by Westerners." And of course, no dancing.

As a woman I am always partial to questions of global women's issues. Tackling the world on your own as a woman definitely has its struggles and delights, but most importantly, it makes you more aware of the treatment of women across the globe. Fortunately I am happy to announce a change in policy from one of the countries where the everyday life of a woman is under strict regulation: Saudi Arabia.

According to the AP, today the Saudi daily newspaper Ali-Watan reported that the government has made a policy decision allowing women traveling on their own to stay in hotels or furnished apartments without a male companion. Hotels will now accept lone women travelers, as long as their information is sent to the local police.

Although it may seem like a small step to us Westerners, it is a big advance in a country where women are under strict Islamic law. Everyday life for a Saudi women entails everything from not being able to drive to needing the permission of a male guardian to travel abroad.

The international community has voiced its opinion on the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia, insisting on the necessity for change. Beyond women's issues, as a travel destination Saudi Arabia isn't on the top list for the U.S. government; it was placed on the State Department Travel Advisory website, last summer and again during the holidays.

See also: Saudi women may finally be allowed to drive

If Saudi Arabia is on your list of places to see this year, note that as a woman, you might actually be allowed--for the first time ever--to drive a car. Well, that might actually only be true if you are a Saudi citizen. I assume that if you got your driver's license elsewhere, they wouldn't put you in jail for actually using it there. But I wouldn't bet on it.

Saudi Arabia is one of the most conservative countries, when it comes to separation of gender roles outside the home. An unaccompanied woman, for example, must shop behind curtains and cannot hail a taxi.

Needless to say, talking about something as progressive as allowing women to drive is already raising concerns. A woman would have to remove the traditional abaya robe to get a clear view behind the wheel. "Allowing women to drive will only bring sin," a letter to Al-Watan newspaper declared last year, according to the Telegraph. "The evils it would bring - mixing between the genders, temptations, and tarnishing the reputation of devout Muslim women - outweigh the benefits."

Folks, if you must go to Saudi Arabia, I suggest you take public transport.

If you're looking to spend some cash on a status symbol, don't even bother with yesterday's Jaguar and Concord -- instead be the first on your block to own the new Airbus 380. Having one of these jumbo jets is on par with owning your own island, and probably about as expensive.

Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal spent an undisclosed amount (though companies spend more than $300 million) to be the first person to own an A380. Bin Talal is the 13th richest person in the world according to Forbes, with assets adding up to more than $20 billion.

Bin Talal hasn't disclosed any plans for the jet, but really the sky is the limit. Dubbed the "Flying Palace," the A380 has 5,930 sq. ft of floor space and can be outfitted with cocktail bars, casinos, showers and sleeping quarters.

What would you do with a jet this large?

The campy movie "Snakes on a Plane" played up a common phobia of many people -- that's right; snakes. But it was just a movie, right? Surely with modern airport security no one could get on a plane with a suitcase full of reptiles, right?

Right -- so far. But a 22-year-old Saudi passenger in Cairo, Egypt made it all the way to his departure gate before officials stopped him to check his suspect suitcase. Inside, they found baby crocodiles, chameleons, and several snakes, including "at least one cobra, squirming to escape." The man claimed not to know about any rules disallowing reptiles, and that he was transporting them to a Saudi university for research.

In May, another Saudi was caught at the airport with 700 live snakes in his carry-on luggage.

Samuel L. Jackson, this is not a dress rehearsal.