Makkah Province

Nowadays it is getting really difficult to find some post cards. So when we were in Jeddah we got lucky and I bought 6 pieces. Unfortunately this shop did not sell any stamps and as we were in a rush we thought we get them on the way, somewhere.
In Thuwal I needed to get some fuel, so whilst I was refuelling, Jasmin went to look for a post office. She found one and sent me the location for me to meet her once I was done with the fuel.
When I arrived she had already stamped her card and sent it off.
So in I go, Salam Alaikum, and could I please have some stamps for my post cards. Yes sure and out he pulls his folder, only to find, the amount of stamps would just be enough for one card and because they are so small denominations, half of the card would be plastered with stamps. I wouldn't have minded that, would this save me a lot of writing, but the amount of stamps for one card is not enough. How can we solve this problem? What problem? There is no problem and he turns to his computer.
Okay: what is your name? my name? I want to send this card to... yes, your name. can I see your passport please? OK, one moment, my passport is in the car. Out I go, retrieving my passport from the car. He slowly punches in my name.
What is your phone number? My phone number, I grumble under my breath. Sorry, don't know my phone number, my phone is in the car, Do we really need this? Yes we do. So out I go again to the car, retrieving my phone.
What is the name of the person receiving the card? I am spelling the name and he, visibly not used to the Latin keyboard searches for the letters to type the name. And the country and the address? I spell this out to him as well, hopefully successfully hiding my growing impatience.
And with this, we are done! After what seems to be at least 10 mins, he prints out the stamp and we stick it onto the card. He thinks we are done, but there are 5 more stamps I need. We surely can just print out 5 more with this above information? NO! NO, this is not possible.
OK, next stamp: my name, my phone number, holy shmoly, this is going to take forever! But then he has an idea! He looks at me with a wide grin and he gestures to me that I should get out the door I came in, go around the building and re-enter through the staff door and then I can type this myself.
Tis is a very reasonable suggestion and so I find myself on the other side of the Postoffice counter. I take his seat in front of the computer. As he moves the mouse and makes the selections at this PO site, as this of course is in Arabic, I type in the information. Now we progress speedily through my stamps.
In the mean time the office closes, and the office manager is coming in and questioning the activities at this late office hour. He finds this situation quite amusing and serves some tea.
Jasmin is of course wondering what has happened to me, particilarly as the office has shut it's doors, it surely cannot take that long to get some stamps, and she comes searching for me trough the back door as well. I am very happy about her curiosity, because where would the proof be for this little story if she wasn't there to take a picture?
Well, as it happens, the cards still have not been sent. With everything going on since, corona and so forth, and not knowing if these traceable stamps are still valid....Read more