Hockey Day in Riyadh

Canadian Embassy, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Thursday, April 4th, 2013

Finding things to keep busy here in Riyadh is not always that easy but last fall luckily we got invited out to the Canadian Embassy to join hockey night. Every Wednesday evening (well Friday afternoons in the winter) for the last few years, a group of guys have gotten together to play some ball hockey. In September a group of girls from King Faisal managed to garner an invite...not to play with the boys but to actually stage our own game after the boys. It's turned into a really fun activity. We get to play some hockey and then enjoy a few beers. For me it's as close to being at home as I could possibly get here in the desert.

In the Spring the guys actually host a day long hockey tournament. Guys come in from all corners of Saudi to play (just for information sake, there is a ice hockey rink in Damman where Aramco has a big compound. Lots of those guys come out for the tournament). As it got close to the tournament they were in need of about 4 extra players so a few of us girls got an invite. I was happy to say I made the cut and was more than happy to head to the tournament for the day.

The tournament started at 1000 and went until about 1700.  All the teams were named after Canadian beers (very clever of the boys....I was on teem Kokanee) We played a full round robin and on a goals for and against tie breaker, my team made the playoffs. We did hit a bit of a wall and finished 4th.....but that's nothing to be ashamed of since there were like 16 teams.....and it was a long hot day.

The tournament was followed by some food and drinks....and a limbo contest (don't ask) and in the end was a really great event.

Of course hockey continues throughout the year. The days are getting hot so we'll move back to Wednesday nights soon. It's a great evening and like I said, a little bit of Canada while so obviously not in Canada.

Of course it is an Embassy function which means no cameras allowed so you'll just have to use your imagination

Julie