Saudi Arabia...

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After a few days to recover from the Ivory Coast trip in Istanbul, it was back to the airport to head to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to join another Explore group. It was snowing in Istanbul and I never expected that the plane would have to be de-iced before departure, but it was (temperature was about -1C). I think was nearly 3am before we left Istanbul, but the pilots made up time in the air, so we landed only about 45 minutes late into Riyadh, where it was sunny and much warmer!

As part of their Vision 2030 project, Saudi Arabia opened to non-Muslim tourists in September 2019, only a few months before COVID hit. Their e-visa process wins the prize for the quickest issued. It took longer to resize the digital photo to an acceptable size than it did to complete the rest of the visa application on-line and pay the fee. In a couple of minutes, I had the e-visa by email, payment receipt and an invitation to complete a survey on the process. Pretty seamless. The visa fee was nearly CA$200, so not inexpensive – approximately one third of the fee was for medical coverage while present in Saudi, which I have never encountered elsewhere. Immigration on arrival was easy – fingerprints and a picture at one of the many kiosks, then baggage claim and exit. I was happy to see my name on a placard for the transfer to the hotel, which took over an hour in the busy morning traffic. Fortunately, the hotel was able to have my room ready about 30 minutes after I arrived, so I wasn’t stranded in the hotel lobby, loitering for hours.

I didn’t accomplish much on arrival day (February 7), aside from finding an ATM so I had riyals to spend (1 CAD = 2.7 SAR). You never know how an ATM visit is going to go in a foreign country but my card didn’t get eaten by the machine, unlike fellow traveller Ashok. Fortunately, he managed to retrieve it the next day after a visit to the bank with our tour leader Emmanuel. The next challenge was breaking the 500 SAR note that the bank machine gave me but a visit to one of the local supermarkets took care of that.

February 8 - In Riyadh (Riyadh - Wikipedia)

There were 12 in our group, mainly from the UK, three Americans and myself. Emmanuel, the trip leader, is originally from Lebanon, lives in Paris but has spent much of the last year leading Saudi tours – we were his last tour of the season. We had a 40 passenger tour bus so we each had plenty of room to spread our things about in the bus. Our driver, Salameh, is from Egypt – he did a great job keeping us safe!

The first “real” day of the tour included a visit to the historic Masmak Fort (Masmak Fort - Wikipedia) with a local guide named Abdul. While the Arab peninsula has a long and storied history, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia only came into being in September 1932 (the “third” Saudi state) with the Al Saud family in and out of power twice in the previous 150 years before that. The Fort, made of clay and mud brick, is now a museum. After the Fort tour, we were introduced to “proper” Arabian coffee (Arabic coffee - Wikipedia), prepared with cardamom and usually served with dates (which may or may not be dipped in tahini). Dates and tahini were delicious, not so much a fan of the coffee.

We only had time for a quick visit to the National Museum (I wish I’d gone the day before as it deserved a longer visit), then we headed to the Sky Bridge (Kingdom Centre - Wikipedia), on the 99^th floor of the Kingdom Centre. There were expansive views of Riyadh, partly obscured by pollution and sand in the air. After a late lunch, we met another local for a wander in one of the older souks and had more coffee! Dinner was at a very local restaurant near the hotel – too many lamb dishes for me but great pita and lentil soup.

February 9 - Riyadh to Burraidah (via Ushaiger) – 407 km

One of my lasting memories of the Saudi trip will be Emmanuel’s terrible time estimates to get anywhere. It wasn’t always his fault – today, the local guide didn’t show up where/when as planned, so we left Riyadh without him, which put us behind schedule. The second memory will be of toilet stops at mosques. You will always find toilets (of varying quality, squat usually, occasionally western-style) at a roadside mosque. The guide caught up to us at one of these stops, then we continued on Ushaiger, a Heritage village being restored by descendants of families who used to live there (Ushaiger - Wikipedia) . Restoration is on-going but we could get a sense of the style of the homes and the mosque as we wandered through the narrow lanes and passages. A late arrival into Buraidah made for a long day.

February 10 - Buraidah to Ha’il via Jubbah - 495 km

It was an early departure for the camel market outside Buraidah, which turned out to be only a few cattle sales because it was a Friday. There were camels on site that we fed (they love arugula), as they were being held for future sales in large pens. Underwhelming visit as this is meant to be one of the largest camel markets in the world. Strangely enough, this was one of the two places I wore my abaya and head covering, though I’m really not sure why because there were so few people and we obviously stood out from the crowd regardless of our attire.

After a late breakfast back at the hotel, we left for Jubbah, to see the neolithic petroglyphs, some dating back to 5,500 BC. We had a brief visit here, as the site wasn’t open yet when we arrived (because it was Friday). Too bad, because there were far more petroglyphs to seem than the few we managed. Rock Art in the Ha'il Region - Wikipedia; Jubbah, Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia . After retracing our steps back to Ha’il, we visited the Airif Fort, a mud-brick building which had great views of the surrounding town and area. It was built as a military observation post in the 1800’s. The Qishlah Fortress in downtown Ha’il was closed for renovation so we weren’t able to visit it. Ḥaʼil - Wikipedia

February 11 - Ha’il to Al Ula - 430km + drive to desert camp

Al Ula is one of the areas in Saudi Arabia that the government is spending time and money developing for mass tourism. We had an afternoon tour of the mud brick old town, abandoned in 1983, which is gradually being restored. From the fortress, there are expansive views of the surrounding valley and oasis. Al-'Ula - Wikipedia

Our accommodation in Al Ula was actually a unique desert camp many kilometers from the town. We stayed in Bedouin-style tents but with AC/heat and attached toilets. Very comfortable but chilly in the morning when it was only 7 or 8C. There were some cute cats in residence!

February 12 - Al Ula – Dedan Tombs, Hegra & Elephant Rock

It was a busy day! Access to some of the Al Ula sites is controlled, first by requiring timed entry tickets; and second, by being driven around in separate bus. The first stop was in Dedan to see Lion Tombs and nearby archeological site, where they continue to excavate. Lion tombs of Dedan - Wikipedia; Lihyan - Wikipedia . We then headed to see the rock carvings at Jabal Ikmah, a few kilometers away. The rock carvings and inscriptions were plentiful this area so it was neat to visit. They have set up an interactive rock carving activity here, where people can try their hand a carving.

After lunch in Al Ula, it was off to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Hegra (Hegra (Mada'in Salih) - Wikipedia). This site operates as a hop-on, hop-off bus (every 10-15 minutesor so) so you can go at your own pace visiting the 4 sites that are currently open to the public. It looks like they are developing further sites here, so I’m sure more of the tombs will be open to the public in the future. These sites (tombs primarily) were built by the Nabateans in the first century AD and Hegra was second only to Petra (in Jordan) in size and influence. Nabataeans - Wikipedia. Two of the sites are monolithic sandstone formations with numerous tombs carved into the stone. The highlight (for me) was the freestanding Tomb of Lihyan, a single, unfinished tomb. Also open was the Jabal Ithlib, a meeting place carved from the stone with a small siq similar to the one at Petra.

The final stop of the day, just before sunset, was to what is known as “Elephant Rock”. It has been developed as a gathering spot for locals and tourists alike, with a couple of refreshment kiosks, a boardwalk, comfortable seating areas and music.

February 13 - Al Ula to Medina - 330km + drive from desert camp

We arrived in Medina by mid afternoon. Our guide met us near Mount Uhud, site of an important battle in the evolution of Islam. (Mount Uhud - Wikipedia). Then we headed into the city center to learn more about the Prophet’s Mosque (Al-Masjid an-Nabawi - Wikipedia) and Medina (Medina - Wikipedia) as the second most holy city for Muslims. As non-Muslims, we couldn’t enter the mosque area itself but could see the roof of the tomb of Muhammad, around which the mosque is built. The visit to Medina was my second opportunity to wear my abaya and head scarf. It was fascinating to watch the thousands of pilgrims visiting the mosque, from all over the world. We ended the day with a home-cooked, traditional meal at a local home, which was very tasty!

February 14 – Medina to Ta’if – 475 km

Another long drive day…but new scenery, as we transitioned from the desert to more mountainous landscape. At one of the toilet stops, during a near sandstorm, we parked beside a truck carrying nine or ten adolescent camels in the back. They were so cute and pretty easy going, considering they were crammed in the back of this truck. We broke up the drive with a lunch stop at the Al Wahbah Crater, a massive volcanic crater in the middle of nowhere. (Al Wahbah crater - Wikipedia.) After finally getting into Ta’if about 5:30, we headed directly to the souk for a walkabout. Such friendly people who didn’t mind us taking photos. It’s known for its honey and cheese, as well as all the other useful household items one finds in a souk. Valentine’s Day is not a “thing” in Saudi Arabia, so we had no problem getting into a local restaurant for dinner.

February 15 – Ta’if to Baljurashi – 260 km

Ta’if is an important agricultural area in Saudi Arabia( Taif - Wikipedia). We visited a small family-owned rose distillery outside Ta’if, where they grow roses and distill into rose water and rose oil. The original roses were imported from Damascus many years ago. It is also city w ca (less here Saudi’s have their summer homes, as the climate is much more palatable there than in the desert or Red Sea coast. We headed to a scenic viewpoint to potentially see the minarets in Mecca than 100 km away) but no luck as the fog rolled in to obscure any kind of view! Our final stop in Ta’if was Shareef Heritage Museum, one of the most eclectic private museums I’ve ever been to. The gentleman who owns and curates the collection has broad interests and there were lots of interesting and unique pieces to browse.

After lunch, the bus broke down as we were leaving Ta’if. Fortunately, we weren’t very far out of town and could pull over. There were two options, neither of which turned out to be very timely. The mechanic engaged by the bus service was based out of Mecca and took over four hours to get to the bus with the part needed for the brakes. Emmanuel coaxed another bus service in Ta’if to bring a bus to transfer us to Baljurashi but that also took about four hours. Needless to say, a wasted afternoon waiting. We finally arrived at the hotel at about 10:30 pm.

February 16 – Thee Ain Village / Hanging with a Baboon Troop

Happily, Salameh and the mechanic fixed the brake problem and he drove to meet us, arriving late in the evening but able to drive our regular bus the next day. The switchback road over the pass from Al Baha to Thee Ain has 25 tunnels and lovely views. Not a road I would like to drive! Thee Ain is a small village perched above the valley and has been reconstructed in hopes that it will develop into a tourist site (Thee Ain - Wikipedia). We had lunch prepared by a local chef and enjoyed al fresco below the village.

I opted out of the Shada Mountain visit in the afternoon as I wasn’t up for any more winding, narrow roads after the morning’s drive. I napped in the bus, then discovered a troop of baboons hanging out in the park nearby. A local family came over to see the photos I was taking, so we took a few selfies and had a few laughs at the baboons. A late afternoon tea with Salameh passed time as we waited for the rest of the group to return from the mountain.

February 17 - Baljurashi to Jeddah – 400 km

Final drive day of the tour – yay! It definitely got hotter and more humid as we headed for Jeddah, the historic gateway for Muslims on their way to Mecca (Jeddah - Wikipedia). The middle corniche area was near our hotel so I went for a long walk after we arrived. Because it was Friday, there were many families and friends out enjoying time with each other in the parks. It was a beautiful sunset over the water.

February 18 - Jeddah

Our final day together was busy. We had our first female guide of trip, Bdoor, in Jeddah. She was a wealth of local knowledge. Our first stop was the Jeddah Fish Market, near the port. We didn’t see any of the fish auction action (that occurs very early in the morning) but the retail market was busy with restaurants and individuals out buying the catch of the day. Lots of colourful fish (and characters!) here. The second part of the market is where you can pay to have your fish cleaned and dressed to your specifications – the workers are incredibly efficient at scaling, then cleaning the fish for you and their knives move very quickly. In the third area of the market, you can get your catch cooked in a variety of ways if you don’t want to cook at home. Outside the market proper are stalls for the fisherman – fishing line, nets and all types of fishing gear is available.

Driving to north Jeddah was like entering a different world. Lots of high-rise hotels and apartments along the Corniche. The F1 race will run here in March, so there were already street closures and work being done for the festivities.

After lunch, it was off to Al Balad, the old city of Jeddah (Al-Balad, Jeddah - Wikipedia). There are remnants of the old city walls and gates that have been reconstructed. The Heritage/Cultural Commission is doing extensive work in this area to rehabilitate it – already a few homes are open to the public and we visited a small local library. The most notable thing about the buildings are the roshan screens (Mashrabiya - Wikipedia) – intricate wooden screens in a variety of patterns, designed to facilitate airflow in the homes as well as make them attractive. It was an enjoyable few hours wandering in the old city.

Our final dinner was at a seafood restaurant near the hotel, along the Corniche. It was quite a feast: grilled fish and prawns, salad, rice, bread and appetizers. Most from the group go home tomorrow, with a few like myself off to other adventures.

February 19 - Jeddah to Dubai

I decompressed in Dubai for a few days. No sightseeing this time, as I saw most things I wanted to see when I visited in 2017. Landed in Johannesburg late this afternoon to start a new tour tomorrow for 10 days.

Final Thoughts on Saudi Arabia:

· People are friendly and generally happy talk to us

· The Saudi Arabian government is investing heavily in tourism infrastructure in certain places. I'm sure it will be very different in 5 years time

· The women still tend to dress traditionally, in abayas/burkas with the niqab and hijab even though the law has been relaxed

· Saudis love their vehicles! So many cars on the road with just the driver. And I didn't see many women drivers, even though they are now allowed to drive

· The food is typical Middle Eastern fare - lamb, chicken, rice, bread, hummus etc. but there are many Western food chains too

· Locals were more receptive to having their photos taken than I expected

Other Wiki References:

Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia

King of Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia

Overview - Vision 2030

List of World Heritage Sites in Saudi Arabia - Wikipedia

Zamzam Well - Wikipedia

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Comments

[Maria]

Interesting
Another great update, from an interesting part of the World. Thank you for sharing.