London 2012 Olympics: Saudis allow women to compete

By Frank Gardner BBC News

King Abdullah has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society

Saudi Arabia is to allow its women athletes to compete in the Olympics for the first time.

Officials say the country's Olympic Committee will "oversee participation of women athletes who can qualify".

The decision will end recent speculation as to whether the entire Saudi team could have been disqualified on grounds of gender discrimination.

The public participation of women in sport is still fiercely opposed by many Saudi religious conservatives.

There is almost no public tradition of women participating in sport in the country.

Saudi officials say that, if successful in qualifying, female competitors would be dressed "to preserve their dignity".

In practice this is likely to mean modest, loose-fitting garments and "a sports hijab", a scarf covering the hair but not the face.

For the desert kingdom, the decision to allow women to compete in the Olympics is a huge step, overturning deep-rooted opposition from those opposed to any public role for women.

As recently as April, the indications were that Saudi Arabia's rulers would accede to the sensitivities of the religious conservatives and maintain the ban on allowing women to take part.

But for the past six weeks there have been intense, behind-the-scenes discussions led by King Abdullah, who has long been pushing for women to play a more active role in Saudi society.
'Subtle reform'
In secret meetings in Jeddah, officials say a consensus was reached in mid-June between the king, the crown prince, the foreign minister, the leading religious cleric, the grand mufti and others, to overturn the ban.

An announcement was ready to be made but then had to be delayed as the country marked the sudden death of Crown Prince Nayef.

"It's very sensitive," a senior Saudi official told the BBC. "King Abdullah is trying to initiate reform in a subtle way, by finding the right balance between going too fast or too slow.

"For example, he allowed the participation of women in the Shura council [an advisory body] so the Olympic decision is part of an ongoing process, it's not isolated."

The official acknowledged that to refuse to let women take part would have looked bad on the international stage.

"Partly because of the mounting criticism we woke up and realised we had to deal with this. We believe Saudi society will accept this," the official said.

It is not the first time a Saudi monarch has backed a controversial reform against domestic opposition.

King Faisal, who introduced television in the 1960s and was eventually assassinated, insisted on introducing education for girls.

Today, Saudi women graduates outnumber their male counterparts.

Santorini, Greece May 2012

Santorini

Today, I visited the Geek Island of Santorini where I saw some of the most exquisite natural beauty I have ever seen.  A popular reason for coming to Santorini is for its legendary views of sunsets, some of the most spectacular in the world

Santorini, named for St Irene, contains 13 communities perched atop cliffs formed by volcanos.  All feature white-washed buildings, blue domed churches, stepped streets, and sun-drenched terraces. The lush landscape is filled with vineyards, fig trees, caves, and churches

Ships tender passengers to the port of Skala Fira, a sheer 1000 feet below the capital of Fira.  To reach the top, one has 3 choices: climb (up or down later) the 588 zigzagging steps, ride one of the hundreds of mules up,  or take the cable car, (built only in 1982).  I was on the bus to Fira and opted to take the clean and modern cable car down to the ship.

Our tour began as we were tendered to the port of Athinios where we boarded buses to begin our tour.  Our first stop was a Cliffside vineyard that gives winemaking and wine tasting tours.  Most important were the spectacular views of the caldera and turquoise Mediterranean sea.  Our ship, The Equinox, featured prominently in views of the azure sea.

Oia

Next to drove to the village of Oia made world famous by the iconic photos of the blue-domed white washed church.  It is known for its breathtaking sunsets and stunning views and sun-kissed white-washed buildings. 

Fira

Fira is the capital,  whose white cobblestone streets bustle with shops, tavernas, hotels and cafes, while clinging to the rim of the caldera nine hundred feet above the its port.

As I explored Fira, I had one of the most delectable gyros ever!

Here are some facts about Santorini I learned from our tour guide:

It has more than 400 churches, many privately owned by families who only open them for special occasions.

Santorini is small with a population of only 15,000 residents who host one million tourists per year.

Santorini’s unemployment is close to zero.

The cable car linking the port to the Capital, Fira was constructed in 1982.  Prior to that year, there were 2 methods of climbing up : walking the 588steps or riding a donkey up

Known for its prolific wine industry producing dozens of varieties, Santorini is known to produce more wine than water. 

There is beautiful countryside where tradition still survives. Cave houses (both abandoned and occupied), gardens, vineyards, small family business, and tiny churches are there to be discovered.

Perhaps on my next visit, I will be brave enough to climb the 588 zigzagging steps to the top or to ride one of the fearless donkeys.