[LakeCleElum]

Been there, visited both 7 star hotels....Thought it was a great place until I spent a day with a friend from England who is there long-term as an advisor to the AE Police.

Consider:
1) Last year, a German couple were jailed for 3 months for kissing in public
2) Men and women attend almost all functions in separate groups - even weddings
3) All magazines, internet and even emails are checked and censored...
4) Some AE states insist hotels put hidden cameras in the televisions to monitor activity in the room you rent!
5) Some AE states allow no alcohol what-so-ever. You can be arrested for bring a bottle of wine to your hotel room.
6) The weather, heat to 130 and constant haze.
7) Working conditions - Construction workers are brought in from India. Low pay, no safety procedures, and they are bussed out of town at night and housed in tents.
8) I was there during "Ramadan" - Can't find a place to eat anywhere. Cannot be seen eating in public!
9) Citizens pay no taxes - How does this attract me to vacation there????
10) Drivers are crazy and the Police are Lazy!!!!!

After 2 days, I had seen most of 2 states and was ready to leave.....Leaders want this to be a tourist destination. They will have to drastically change their culture to get my tourist dollars!