Al-Khobar is one of the three main cities in the Eastern Province, the others being Dammam and Dhahran. These three cities form a closely joined triangle which has existed for centuries. In the past, Al-Khobar was a small port on the Arabian Gulf, inhabited mainly by fishermen. With the discovery of oil, it was transformed into an industrial port. In time, it has become the commercial hub of the Eastern Province. Based on a city plan dating back to 1942 (1361H), the city is neatly divided into residential squares evenly transected by roads. Such careful organization is indicative of its important role in the national economy. Along with its industrial port, the city still serves small ships carrying passengers and goods. It is the center of the area's export-import activity, and is a transit point for goods that are distributed throughout the Kingdom. It contains branches of all the country's major banks as well as fine hotels, some along its picturesque Corniche. It is developing into an important industrial city, with factories turning out industrial gas, dairy products, carbonated water, tissue paper and ready-made garments.

Al Khobar is the favored residential area for expatriates. The shopping area is mainly confined to the area around King Khaled Street and there is an extensive selection of goods and materials available. Many expatriate compounds are located near to AI Khobar varying in sizes from a few hundred houses to 6 or 8 houses.

Although a relatively new city, Al-Khobar's strategic location has resulted in its emergence as a leading business and residential center in the Province. Situated between Dammam and Dhahran, Al-Khobar caters to the needs of all expatriates, from various day-to-day needs through major shopping of international goods. In addition to first-class shopping malls, plazas and supermarkets, Al-Khobar boasts exquisite tourist spots, entertainment centers, and a lush, widespread beach.

The municipality of Al Khobar was founded in 1942, prompted by the discovery of oil and the ensuing development of commercial activity.

The modern city of Al Khobar is a flourishing centre of international trade, with many examples of both contemporary Arabic and western architecture.

Al Khobar has developed to become one of the most beautiful cities in the Kingdom, with exceptional recreation and leisure facilities.

Desertic, very hot and humid. Saudi summer is one of the worst climates: in the country the months of June, July and August are called "the 90 days of the Devil". Summer starts in the month of March, when the daily temperature is around 35°; April and May can get as hot as 40°; in July and August I saw the thermometer reach 52° and at night it never went below 42/43°. From November to February temperatures are milder and it rains sporadically: this is the best period to live outdoors and enjoy the sea. The humidity of the coast makes the heat even more unbearable: during the 90 days of the devil people live indoor with air conditioning, similar to what happens during the toughest periods of winters in Europe.

The Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia is a low desert plain with an area of approximately 778,500 sq km. and has common borders with Kuwait in the north, Qatar and Bahrain in the East and UAE and Oman in the South. Evidence of early settlement of the Eastern Province can be traced back approximately 5000 years, to the influence of the Ubaids. Subsequently the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was influenced by the Mesopotamians, Indus Valley civilization, Greek, Hellenistic, Persian and more recently the Ottoman cultures, which still retain a mute presence in the culture of the Eastern Province through jewelry designs, ancient stone structures and more modern statues and architectural remnants.

On the 8th May 1913 His Majesty King Abdulaziz Ibn Abdul Rehman Al Saud captured the Ottoman garrison at Al Hasa, which surrendered the following day. King Abdulaziz subsequently recaptured Qatif and having guaranteed their safe passage deported the Ottoman Governor and occupying forces.

The modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was born and has flourished under the wise and benevolent rule of His Majesty King Abdulaziz Ibn Abdul Rehman Al Saud and his heirs.
Oil discovery operations date back to 1935 when Standard Oil of California (then SOCAL now Chevron) started to drill the Dammam No.1 well. On the 3rd of March 1938 Dammam well No.7 struck oil at a depth of 1441m.

His Majesty King Abdulaziz during his visit to the Eastern Province on the occasion of the loading of the first shipment of crude oil on 1st May 1939 from Ras Tanura.

Health services in Al-Khobar The city has numerous hospitals, the most prominent being King Fahad University Hospital (500 beds) and the Al-Khobar General Hospital (50 beds). It is also served by private hospitals, government hospitals and quarantine centers.

Tourism in Al-Khobar With its gardens, picnic spots and kilometers of beaches, Al-Khobar has become a vacation center. Among its attractions are Half Moon Bay, Sunset Beach, and Al-Azizia beach, five kilometers from the city center. The King Fahad Coastal Town consists of gardens, amusement halls, zoological gardens, and a manicured Corniche.

Probably the most spectacular road construction project of all has been the building of the King Fahd Causeway, connecting the Saudi Arabian mainland with the island of Bahrain. On 11th November, 1982, the cornerstone of the bridge was jointly placed by King Fahd and the then ruler of Bahrain, Sheikh Isa Bin Salman Al-Khalifa. This is a four-lane highway, 25 meters (82 feet) wide and about 16 miles (26 kilometers) long. Building works, costing US $ 1.2 billion, financed entirely by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, were completed in 1986 (1406/07 AH) and the Causeway was opened to traffic at the end of that year. It is one of the most expensive bridges in the world. A man-made island at the midway point of the causeway provides fantastic views of the surrounding ocean. In 2001, 2.7 million cars, carrying over 10 million passengers, had used this causeway. The Ministry of Communications is currently completing a number of dual carriageways linking various cities. Equipped with all necessary facilities, the causeway serves to facilitate the flow of traffic between the two countries and to strengthen relations between them.

Alrashid Mall is the biggest mall in Saudi Arabia in the city of Alkhobar. A commercial mall designed to typify traditional Saudi palaces from the exterior. It offers modern comfort and commercial services for 380 shops and department stores with parking for 3,000 vehicles.

Thank you for reading!

Good Morning/ Evening / afternoon to my fellow bloggers outhere (whatever time you might be reading this blog). I was in Bohol last 2006 and can't ignore the feeling of being there. It was a pleasant and relaxing moment for me because I saw my brother after 5 years since I left Philippines to work in Saudi Arabia. He was assigned in Bohol for his pastoral ministry.

Bohol is a little island paradise in the southern Philippines. The most notable among the tourist attractions in Bohol is Chocolate Hills. However, there are more reasons why one should visit Bohol. The many activities and places to see is enough to make visitors see the place as a sanctuary for a lot of nature's beauty.

I've only seen the hills in pictures and in books as a young child in the Philippines and never had the chance to see them until this past January 2006. My family and I had an excursion in the island of Bohol courtesy of SVD family in there. From the airport, we drove 45 mins. to reach Chocolate Hills. In order to view the hills in its entirely, you need to climb almost a hundred steps on top of one of the highest hills designated to have a vista. The climb up may be hard and effortful, but the view from the top was spectacular. You can see more than a hundred of these hills scattered all over. It's truly worth the trip to visit Bohol for this natural site. One more thing I loved about my bohol trip was our boat trip to Balicasag Island. The island was such a great spot for snorkeling and diving. I definitely recommend travelers to visit Bohol and Balicasag.

This church was one of the stops in a typical Bohol tour that travelers can easily arrange from the airport. Coming to Bohol, I was excited about the popular sites such as the Chocolate Hills and Panglao Island . I had no high expectations about this church since the Philippines has tons of spectacular churches. So, imagine my disbelief when I stepped into this stunning structure. The church was very well preserved and so beautiful inside. The altar, with multiple levels , was unbelievable. My family and I were speechless when we laid our eyes into the towering altar that seemed to radiate an inexplicable glow that illuminated the whole church. This church , I believe was contructed in the 1500's , and was considered to be one of the oldest churches in the entire Philippines . I am just impressed with how the parishioners and priest have preserved the integrity of this church for people of this generation to enjoy. The church was made up of solid huge rocks (I'm not sure if it's lime stone), and it shows travelers how advanced and inventive the people from 4-5 centuries ago were. Kudos to the people responsible for cleaning the sorroundings of the complex, there' s a beautiful garden at the back , and the restrooms, although not free(10pesos in January 2006), were spotless! This is a must see in Bohol.

We didn't stay overnight in Bee Farm Hotel but was able to do 2 hours tour of the area for free of cost. It was nice to see and learn about bees and honey harvesting. The place was beautiful, especially the viewing deck below. It was too windy so we didn't go there take pictures but it seemed fun to lounge where by the strong waves of the ocean.

The food was the best we've had in Bohol. For 420 pesos per head for the lunch buffet, it was worth every peso. Salad was delicious! The rest of the food was yummy too. The waitress offered to serve our food so we didn't have to go all the way to the buffet table (it meant a lot since the dinning was huge and we sat quite far from the table). We got our pasalubong treats in bee farm too.

Blood Compact monument is worth a lenthy stop if you are Filipino and a shorter a shorter stop if you are not. I spent about 25 mins there which for me was enough. It was reasonbly well explained in tourist literature and at the site, so I will not repeat those points.

There are the souvenirs stands adjacent to the site. Parking is reasonably easy although I was not there during the late december-early January peak season, when it could well be more chaotic.

Unless you are staying in a resort on Alona Beach, the dinning choices for travelers are generally limited to what is offered by the resort you're staying in. Alona Beach resort offers varied international fare, owing to the many foriegners who stay on this trip of beach. Nightlife, though not as bustling as Boracay is found on the beach as well, with some dancing and small parties.

The Loboc River Cruise offers lunch to its patron. Wether buffet style or sit down, lunch is served over a leisurely trip down Loboc River while being serenaded by a live band.

Don't miss these sites whenever you are planning to visit southern part of the Philippines!

God bless everyone!