On a warm September evening, I find myself inside a gorgeous home in Al Yasmin neighbourhood of northern Riyadh.
The majlis is elegantly furnished with cyan blue sofas and silver chandeliers. The air is redolent with the aroma of saffron and cardamom rising from a brass dallah in a corner, slowly brewing gahwa. An irresistible platter of fresh, plump dates and basbousa (baked semolina cake soaked in sugar syrup) is placed in front of me as I exchange pleasantries with my host for the evening, Fatima Oliyan.
Clad in a beautiful white abaya with gold embroidery, Oliyan is one of many Riyadh locals who have opened their homes to tourists and expats, a trend that has taken off in recent years with the help of online platforms such as HiHome, which allows visitors to sign up for experiential tours providing insights into local culture and traditions. These tours, which typically last two to three hours, include visiting Saudi homes and farms, taking cooking classes with the host, trying on ethnic clothing, exploring regional art and interacting with the local community.
HiHome was founded in 2019 by Nourah AlSadoun, a young entrepreneur from Riyadh whose main aim was to showcase the richness of Saudi culture. “During my travels around the world, I realised that my most memorable moments weren’t in hotels or landmarks – they were always in people’s homes while sharing meals, stories and traditions,” says AlSadoun. “I wanted to create a platform that would open Saudi homes to the world, allowing visitors to connect with our culture in a genuine and personal way.”
Today, HiHome is present in 24 cities and towns across Saudi Arabia, offering more than 200 authentic experiences. More than 100 local hosts have joined the platform and many more are eager to participate. According to AlSadoun, "Saudis take pride in their homes, crafts and traditions," which is why the enthusiasm is not surprising. “For them, hosting is not only an opportunity to earn an income, but also a way to celebrate and preserve their heritage.”
As Oliyan gives me a tour of her home with childlike excitement, I can’t help but agree. “I love hosting guests from all over the world and sharing our food, traditions and rituals with them,” she says. “It just gives me so much happiness.”
During the two-hour house tour, my 12-year-old son and I have interesting chats with Oliyan and her daughter, Nada. We learn how to make gahwa the Saudi way while enjoying homemade, cookie-filled dates. I try on a gold-embroidered abaya and a hama (a golden headdress with dangling coins), while my son dresses in the traditional Saudi bisht and ghutra.
Oliyan shows me her art and antique collection, which she has accumulated over decades and shares interesting stories behind them. Her home is like a museum, filled with trinkets from all across the country, including rare pieces of Najdi and Asiri art, oxidised silver lamps, Arabic coffee sets and Bedouin jewellery. Walking through her space is like leafing through the pages of a Saudi history book with plenty to learn and enjoy. “People adore my home; they love taking pictures and want to come back,” Oliyan says.
Tours of houses filled with personal collections and heritage decor are particularly popular among visitors, as are creative workshops that involve painting traditional Najdi doors and Al-Qatt Al-Asiri souvenirs. Cooking classes that include preparing classic Saudi dishes with local families and culminate in lunch or dinner are also a big hit among guests.
Our tour concludes with a delicious five-course Saudi meal, featuring lentil soup, salad, warak enab, chicken mandi, potato souffle, refreshing drinks and desserts. Oliyan even packs some vine leaves and basbousa for us to enjoy when we return home, adding: “Visitors love my food and always tell me that they cannot find this quality in any restaurant". I can confirm the veracity of the statement because the chicken mandi is excellent and the basbousa is unlike anything I have had in Riyadh in the 18 months that I've lived here.
Recalling my visit a few days later, it's not the homemade food or interesting decor that stays with me. Instead, it is Oliyan's warmth and embracing of Saudi hospitality. Sitting in her living room, listening to her stories and laughing together over a cup of gahwa feels deeply intimate. “What you experience on our tours is real – no scripts, no staged shows, just genuine Saudi families sharing their lives,” AlSadoun explains, echoing my sentiments. “This intimacy and honesty make Saudi Arabia unforgettable for our guests,” she adds.
As the Kingdom rapidly transforms with soaring skyscrapers, upscale malls and futuristic museums, immersive encounters like the one at Oliyan’s keep visitors connected to the nation’s cultural heart. Rooted in centuries of history, time-honoured recipes and a thriving arts and crafts scene, these experiences offer far more than just a glimpse of Saudi heritage. They foster genuine connections with the people themselves, allowing visitors to carry home memories that linger long after their journey ends.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Du Football Champions
The fourth season of du Football Champions was launched at Gitex on Wednesday alongside the Middle East’s first sports-tech scouting platform.“du Talents”, which enables aspiring footballers to upload their profiles and highlights reels and communicate directly with coaches, is designed to extend the reach of the programme, which has already attracted more than 21,500 players in its first three years.
How it works
Booklava works on a subscription model. On signing up you receive a free book as part of a 30-day-trial period, after which you pay US$9.99 (Dh36.70) per month to gain access to a library of books and discounts of up to 30 per cent on selected titles. You can cancel your subscription at any time. For more details go to www.booklava.com
'The Predator'
Dir: Shane Black
Starring: Olivia Munn, Boyd Holbrook, Keegan-Michael Key
Two and a half stars
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
if you go
The flights
Emirates flies to Delhi with fares starting from around Dh760 return, while Etihad fares cost about Dh783 return. From Delhi, there are connecting flights to Lucknow.
Where to stay
It is advisable to stay in Lucknow and make a day trip to Kannauj. A stay at the Lebua Lucknow hotel, a traditional Lucknowi mansion, is recommended. Prices start from Dh300 per night (excluding taxes).
RESULT
Manchester City 5 Swansea City 0
Man City: D Silva (12'), Sterling (16'), De Bruyne (54' ), B Silva (64' minutes), Jesus (88')
Start-up hopes to end Japan's love affair with cash
Across most of Asia, people pay for taxi rides, restaurant meals and merchandise with smartphone-readable barcodes — except in Japan, where cash still rules. Now, as the country’s biggest web companies race to dominate the payments market, one Tokyo-based startup says it has a fighting chance to win with its QR app.
Origami had a head start when it introduced a QR-code payment service in late 2015 and has since signed up fast-food chain KFC, Tokyo’s largest cab company Nihon Kotsu and convenience store operator Lawson. The company raised $66 million in September to expand nationwide and plans to more than double its staff of about 100 employees, says founder Yoshiki Yasui.
Origami is betting that stores, which until now relied on direct mail and email newsletters, will pay for the ability to reach customers on their smartphones. For example, a hair salon using Origami’s payment app would be able to send a message to past customers with a coupon for their next haircut.
Quick Response codes, the dotted squares that can be read by smartphone cameras, were invented in the 1990s by a unit of Toyota Motor to track automotive parts. But when the Japanese pioneered digital payments almost two decades ago with contactless cards for train fares, they chose the so-called near-field communications technology. The high cost of rolling out NFC payments, convenient ATMs and a culture where lost wallets are often returned have all been cited as reasons why cash remains king in the archipelago. In China, however, QR codes dominate.
Cashless payments, which includes credit cards, accounted for just 20 per cent of total consumer spending in Japan during 2016, compared with 60 per cent in China and 89 per cent in South Korea, according to a report by the Bank of Japan.
Liverpool 4-1 Shrewsbury
Liverpool
Gordon (34'), Fabinho (44' pen, 90' 3), Firmino (78')
Shrewsbury
Udoh (27'minutes)
Man of the Match: Kaide Gordon (Liverpool)
Squad for first two ODIs
Kohli (c), Rohit, Dhawan, Rayudu, Pandey, Dhoni (wk), Pant, Jadeja, Chahal, Kuldeep, Khaleel, Shami, Thakur, Rahul.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
The 10 Questions
- Is there a God?
- How did it all begin?
- What is inside a black hole?
- Can we predict the future?
- Is time travel possible?
- Will we survive on Earth?
- Is there other intelligent life in the universe?
- Should we colonise space?
- Will artificial intelligence outsmart us?
- How do we shape the future?
