Cohabitation in the Garden (Kumpul Kebo di Riyadh)

Portuguese Football mega star Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro GOIH [Grande Officer Infante dom Henrique] ComM finalized his deal to join the Saudi club based in the capital city of Saudi, Riyadh (Garden) Al Nassr FC last month, making him by far the biggest name in the Saudi Pro League. Between the contract and another deal to be an ambassador for Saudi Arabia’s 2030 World Cup bid, Ronaldo is reportedly set to earn more than $400 million in the kingdom. Saudi has a gargantuan dream: to be host 100 years of World Cup (for world Cup 2030 bid). Lionel Andres Messi Cuccittini was first promoted as a tourism ambassador for the kingdom when he visited Jeddah in May 2022.

Ronaldo arrived in Saudi Arabia last week along with his children and longtime girlfriend and Spanish supermodel Georgina Rodríguez Hernández. But Ronaldo and Rodriguez are not married, and their arrival in the Gulf state prompted numerous reports in international media that Saudi authorities are expected to allow them to live together in violation of Saudi law. 

Saudi Arabia, like many other Muslim-majority countries, does not allow men and women to live together unless they are “mahram” — an Arabic term referring to close family members or spouses. 

(But) Saudi Arabia wants to turn hundreds of kilometers of its Red Sea coastline into a global tourism destination governed by laws “on par with international standards” as part of its plan to transform the economy and reduce its reliance on oil. Bringing sun-seekers to Saudi beaches could transform a tourism industry that relies almost solely on Muslim pilgrims visiting holy shrines in Mecca and Medina. But while the announcement emphasized the economic benefits, past mega-projects to diversify the economy have struggled to get off the ground, and questions are likely to be raised over how acceptable the plan is to the kingdom’s influential religious establishment.

For example, at least 2 airports, The Mammoth - Lavish airports. First, Red Sea Airport, in Umluj Tabuk. The new Red Sea Airport has been inspired by the forms of the desert, the green oasis and the sea, removing the usual hassle associated with travel by providing a tranquil and memorable experience for passengers from the moment they arrive.

The design of the terminal aims to bring the experience of a private aircraft terminal to every traveller by providing smaller, intimate spaces that feel luxurious and personalised. The form of the roof shells cantilevers on the landside and airside to provide shade to the passengers. An internal green oasis with an indigenously planted garden forms a green focus, creating a relaxed, resort-like atmosphere within the airport terminal. The airport will be powered by 100 percent renewable energy.

The arrival experience is about speed of processing passengers, while welcoming them to their destination along with giving them a first impression of the Red Sea Experience. Upon arrival, passengers follow the natural spatial flow down through the lush oasis landscape towards the Welcome Centre, where they are met and welcomed to the Red Sea Resort. All security and immigration checks are dealt with speedily and the checked-in baggage is sent to the resorts directly. The centre offers an immersive experience of the highlights at the resort, giving visitors a flavour of what is to come.

The departure sequence is generally longer than the arrival experience, so the spaces are designed for longer waiting times with larger, more relaxed spaces. The five departure suites are arranged as a series of pods to allow an easy transition from their cars to the plane. Passengers are dropped off outside the terminal and quickly enter one of the departure pods which feature spas and restaurants enveloped in a relaxed atmosphere. The baggage is loaded onto the aircraft directly after being checked-in at the resort.

British architecture studio Foster + Partners is designing the six-runway King Salman International Airport in Riyadh, which is set to become one of the world's largest airports.

Named after Saudi Arabia's king Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the King Salman International Airport will be designed by Foster + Partners and incorporate the existing terminals named after former king Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Back to Cohabitation. The rule is rooted in Islamic law. The prophet of Islam, Muhammad, said a man should not be in a private setting with a woman who he is not mahram to, unless her mahram is present, according to Egypt’s Islamic legal center Dar al-Ifta. 

Tourists, or Superstar like Ronaldo (and his girlfriend) will either not require a visa or will be able to obtain one online. One of the documents referred to the project as a “semi-autonomous” area governed “by independent laws and a regulatory framework developed and managed by a private committee,” a sign that it could ease strict rules applied elsewhere in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom’s austere interpretation of Sunni Islam bans alcohol, imposes a dress code, limits gender mixing and prevents women from driving cars.

This rule is commonly applied in hotels throughout the region. However, in 2019, Saudi Arabia decided to allow unmarried foreign visitors to share hotel rooms. 

The law specified “foreign tourists,”. It is unclear whether the law applies to foreign residents of Saudi Arabia. 

The “Life in Saudi Arabia” website said that unmarried foreigners living in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to share a house nor hotel room, but that authorities do not closely monitor them as they would unmarried Saudi couples. 

Mohammed bin Salman’s blueprint to prepare the biggest Arab economy for the post-oil era. Authorities are already relaxing rules on entertainment, and by 2030, they aim to double household spending on recreation to 6 percent. Concerts, dance shows and even film screenings have drawn thousands of people over the past year.

The idea of creating separate areas for foreigners with looser rules also isn’t entirely new to Saudi Arabia. The most famous, the Saudi Aramco compound in Dhahran, is designed like an American suburb. On the gender-mixed campus of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, attended by Saudis, women can drive and wear what they want.

And while alcohol is illegal, with authorities often busting homemade distilleries and distributors, it’s quietly consumed in many private homes and compounds dominated by wealthy expatriates.

The reports that Saudi authorities will allow Ronaldo and Rodriguez to live together appear to originate from the Spanish news agency EFE, which interviewed two Saudi lawyers. One said that Saudi authorities recently have turned a blind eye to unmarried couples living together, though they may bring up the law in the event of a problem or crime. The other lawyer said that authorities do not apply the law to foreigners. 

EFE’s report was widely cited in Spanish and English-language media. 

A high-profile foreigner such as Ronaldo living with his girlfriend could be a further sign of the gradual societal changes in Saudi Arabia. In 2018, the kingdom granted women the right to drive and also removed the requirement that women cover their hair in public. In 2019, Saudi Arabia relaxed some aspects of the male guardianship system. 

Various forms of legal discrimination against women continue in Saudi Arabia, however, according to a December report from Amnesty International.