Foto: The beautiful oasis (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Saudi Arabia - We get into the car with Abu. He introduces himself with a longer name but is fine with us just calling him Abu. A cheerful older man. He doesn’t speak a word of English, but that doesn't dampen his enthusiasm one bit. He drives the car through a deep puddle and follows a sandy dirt track. On both sides, the rocks appear increasingly beautiful and rugged. It’s remarkable how erosion has shaped the rock formations. Thanks to the water in the valley, the area is lush and green. Abu takes a path through the reeds. The car pushes aside the two-meter-tall stalks. At a flat rock, Abu stops and gestures for us to get out. He leads us up the rock. From the top, we have a stunning view over the valley and the surrounding rock formations. We continue driving for a few more minutes to the end of the valley. Abu then takes us on foot to show us several special spots—a rock with a natural window and some carved basins. We drive back through the valley. It’s still early in the afternoon when we get out again. We think it would be nice to explore the valley on foot for a bit longer. The only question is how to get across the first deep puddle without getting wet. Abu points out a path through the bushes that goes around it. Using this path, we keep our feet dry. The wadi is also a popular recreation spot for many Saudis. They drive into the gorge with their cars for a picnic. We are waved over by a group of men at the foot of a steep rock. Would we like some Arabic coffee? Not long after, we are sitting with them on a carpet, drinking coffee. We share some dried dates we were previously given. The men look at them a bit disapprovingly but accept them out of politeness. They offer us their fresh dates in return. Our small coffee cups are refilled several times. Later, someone also offers us tea. The men are from Tabuk. Some are family, but most of them are just friends.
Al Masmak Fort in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia - We continue on to the Al Masmak Fort. Parking here is easier. There’s a parking lot where we can leave the car for a fee. The citadel, made of clay and mud, was built in 1865. In 1902, King Abdul Aziz captured the fort and took control of Riyadh. At ...
Madain Saleh
Saudi Arabia - This morning, we visit the magnificent tombs of the Nabataeans in Madain Saleh. Just before the start of the Common Era, the Nabataeans expanded trade routes from Petra in Jordan. In Hegra—the other name for Madain Saleh—they carved tombs with beautiful ...
The 300meter high Kingdom Tower
Saudi Arabia - From the platform at 200 meters, we have a view over the entire city. We can see our hotel, the fort, the mosque on the edge of town, and directly in front of us, the Kingdom Tower. This skyscraper, shaped like a bottle opener, is the tallest building ...
The historic old town of Jeddah
Saudi Arabia - In the historic old town of Jeddah, many old Ottoman houses still remain—characteristic white buildings with wooden balconies. Some are heavily dilapidated, while others are being restored. The old town of Jeddah has been on the UNESCO World Heritage ...
The rock carvings of Jibal Umm Sinman
Saudi Arabia - Around 12:30, we arrive at the rock carvings of Jibal Umm Sinman. The parking lot is empty—could it be closed? We walk through the entrance into the visitor center. In one of the rooms, two men are sitting on a carpet. “Come in, come in.” As they ...
The traditional houses of Abha
Saudi Arabia - Just outside the center of Abha lies the Al Nasb district. In this neighborhood, a few houses built using traditional mud-and-stone construction methods still remain. Most of the historical houses are abandoned, and therefore deteriorating quickly. We ...