Friday, May 17th, 2013
This morning a bunch of us got up and headed to the Ritz Carlton for brunch. Many of the large hotels here hold brunch or dinner buffets. I'd never had a chance to check one out yet but my friend Shadia is preparing to leave the country (back to Canada she goes) so she decided to organise a little outing.
It was my first trip to brunch at the Ritz and I have to say it was fantastic. Some may say it was a little pricey (about 80CAD......but it is the lifestyle we live) but it was all you can eat and all you can drink mocktails (they tasted like the real thing.....sans alcohol). And the food really was fantastic. They had a little bit of everything; breakfast foods including waffles and pancakes and cinnamon buns, and tons of salads and vegetables, and spring rolls and samosas and all the meat you can eat (except pork of course). And of course there was a wonderful dessert selection including 2 chocolate fountains (one was milk chocolate and one was white chocolate).
So much food.....so little time. It was really important to take a little bit of a break between plates.....so that you could eat more.
The white chocolate fountain.
Shadia learning a new skill.
After we finished eating (which took a while) we took a little wander around and then were given a tour of a few of the rooms. It really is a pretty fabulous hotel.
One of the many chandeliers in the hotel. I've been told that the hotel was originally a palace built for one of the many Princes, however when it was complete, he decided he didn't like it so it was sold and turned into a hotel.
The beautiful pool area. But if you stay here don't get exited....this pool is for men only. No women allowed.
Some very pretty flowers. They were everywhere. They smelled wonderful.
The group of us squeezing into the elevator.
For some reason I didn't think to bring my camera so I took all these with my Ipod. They aren't the best photos but I think you get the idea.
Not much of a view but I guess it could be worse.
The master bedroom in the Royal Suite. This suite has a bunch of rooms including a dining room large enough for about 30 people, a large sitting area, an extra bedroom for security guards, and an office. It also comes with butler service if you want it. Foreign dignitaries including Hilary Clinton stay in The Royal Suites. This one is just for show and I have no doubt the ones that people actually stay in are a bit grander.
Can't have butler service without a butler call button.
In the pantry. Need to know which room is calling.
One of the large rooms in the Wedding venue. Of course there are 2 similar rooms for weddings, one for men and one for women. Weddings here are of course strictly segregated affairs.
Looking at the ceiling in the female reception room. Very pretty.....maybe a little over the top, but to be expected when you combine The Ritz Carlton with Saudi Arabia.
The fountains out front.
Enjoying the sunshine out front while waiting for our driver. Always amazes me how green they manage to keep the grass. Manage to forget we live in the desert for a few moments.
Another enjoyable afternoon for sure. Although it's a lot different than back home, if you look hard enough there are a ton of things to do.
The Ritz also has a bowling alley so we should probably check that out sometime soon.
Of course this was also a bit of a sad day as it means Shadia will be leaving us soon (just a few weeks to go) and like everyone who comes and goes from this place she will be missed. But we look forward to a reunion somewhere else in the world in the near future.
Julie
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