A woman in her 80s spends 14 hours a day begging.
A source said the woman has become known for her habit. "Every day, she walks all the way from Abi Al-Thanaa Al-Bughdadi District to cross King Fahd Road right before noon prayer to head to the mosque next to the National Museum. She would sit in front of the mosque and beg until midnight. Then she would return home on foot," said the source.
The source said she would sit at a corner and beg for food, water and money.
"She was happy with whatever money she can make. She had a blue bag with the word Al-Fasaliyah written on it in Arabic and English. She always wore white slippers that have endured her trips throughout the years," said the source.
The source also said the woman never took a day off from begging.
"She never gave herself a day or a week to rest. She would stare at the food stores across the street. Waiting for a customer to be full so he would give her the rest. Hasn't anyone ever talked to her and asked her about her family? Hasn't anyone ever taken her to a care center?" said the source.
The source said the begging woman is probably the oldest enterprise in that area.
"A police station opened nearby and closed down. Restaurants have opened and run out of business. Signs and billboards have changed on that street but the woman stuck to her business. She deserves credit for the life time she dedicated to begging on that street," said the source.
The source added her footsteps are probably older than the asphalt of the streets she walks on.
"Only recently has she started begging taxi drivers to drop her off. Before that, she would walk the entire distance of over two districts by foot. She deserves the title of the marathoner of Riyadh," said the source.
