A KINGDOM'S WELCOME- Dammam and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

.......previously, a blog post from our wonderful week in Muscat, Oman........

We had heard during the last few years, that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) had made some changes in their country. Not just culturally for the local people, but also in order to encourage foreign tourists. They had brought in an e-visa and were improving tourist infrastructure. Travellers were starting to explore the country, and we wanted to join in the fun! We love exploring new places, of course, and we have always had a positive time in Middle Eastern/Islamic countries, so we looked into the options, and thought, why not?

Traditional door, Riyadh, KSA

Luckily, we had met a unique young Saudi guy, Rakan, during our experimental winter in Egypt, and he had piqued our curiosity about Saudi. It was incredibly helpful to have his help during our planning stage.

Our journey to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (or KSA for short) started with a flight from the amazing Muscat airport- we love this airport so much. It's easy and quick, because there aren't many crowds, it's clean and modern, with plenty of Duty Free shops (not that we needed them this time!). Our flight was most interesting, almost exclusively taking foreign workers to Saudi for jobs. We sat next to a group of young Philippino girls, who had never been out of the Philippines before, and really wished them well. The view out the window was a lot of desert and sand dunes, and a brilliant bird's eye view of the two "Palm" constructions out in the sea off Dubai, looking like giant palm trees in the ocean.

 View out of the window, Muscat to Dammam

Our first few days in Saudi Arabia were slightly mixed. Arriving at tiny Dammam airport and entering with our e-visas was easy, as was taking money out from the ATM and finding the airport bus. After initially being told we weren't able to travel on the bus without a bus card (and there was nowhere selling them at the airport), we ended up paying cash to a little man who appeared at the last minute, and we took the bus to the city with the many male migrant workers. 

Finding our accommodation was straight forward, but we realized immediately we had made a mistake in the area that we had chosen. On a huge busy highway, the air was thick with dust and noisy, and things were so spread out that it meant a lot of walking along unpleasant roads. Buildings were shabby and rubbish lay all over. The accommodation was OK, and was at least quiet inside. The weather didn't help. Severe spraying had been going on in the skies on the evening we had arrived and the following days were horribly cloudy and dull with an awful wind.

Our first day was spent trying to obtain a SIM card. Normally when we're travelling we don't use a local SIM, relying instead on WIFI in our accommodation and public areas. It works out for the most part. We don't want to be on our phones when we're out and about if we can help it.

But our initial research into Saudi indicated it was very hard to get on in the country without a SIM, and as we would eventually find out, it is virtually impossible to do anything at all. Accommodation, taxis, some sights and transport all needed a Saudi number. 

Our little experience of buying a SIM was limited to Australia, UK and Malaysia. It's a straightforward procedure, simply going to a shop, choosing a pre-paid plan and buying the card. Not so in Saudi. After walking the streets searching in little shops for someone who sold cards, we were advised to go to the actual phone company office. When we eventually found this place, we were told the system was down, and probably would be all day. At this point we were over slogging around an unpleasant part of town, boring, with no character, and nothing apart from giant shops lining the roads. It was quite depressing. We called it a day.

The following morning, not being able to get on a bus because we didn't have a bus card, we took a taxi to the main bus station in Dammam. This turned out to be a bus stop with a man at a little table selling bus cards. When we asked to buy one, he told us we needed a Saudi phone number in order to do that. Feeling frustrated, since we had spent the previous day trying unsuccessfully to do so, we were also disappointed we wouldn't be able to take any local buses anywhere. Another guy who worked for the bus company approached us and said if we paid him 10 SAR/£2 we could use his card and get on the bus. Everything was proving so difficult, and we wondered if we'd made the right move coming to Saudi Arabia. Anyway, the bus came quickly, and we got on with all the South Asian workers. As we moved through the city and towards the outskirts, our sinking feelings grew. The ugliness of the place was getting us down, and the fact that it was Friday and everything was shut didn't help the atmosphere. After what felt like an interminable amount of time we were finally dropped off in a neighbourhood on Tarout Island. Following our map, we walked through a desolate area that seemed to be the beginnings of a new housing complex, until we finally arrived at our destination.

Taking the bus, Dammam, KSA

We were thrilled and relieved to find a lovely town centre dominated by a huge fort and old buildings. Some effort had been made by authorities to save and restore these old buildings, and a little heritage path had been made through the neighbourhood. As we started strolling through, a car slowly drove by and a friendly man with two little boys greeted us, and said he was surprised to see foreign tourists there. He was a local doctor and waiting to pick up a fish order, and he showed us around and told us a bit of the history. Although the houses were only 150 years old, the history of the island goes back thousands of years, as a vital seaport used for trade in the Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean. Because the buildings were partially falling down, we could see the construction consisting of local palm wood, imported Indian wood and coral, with a mud coating. He offered to take us to a nearby farm, but we had yet to visit the fort, and we still had the damn SIM to deal with, so we said thanks and goodbye. 

Arriving at Tarout centre, KSA

Old Tarout detail, KSA

Central mosque, Tarout, KSA

Tearoom, old Tarout, KSA

Relaxed cat, old Tarout, KSA

Old Tarout, KSA

Alleyway, old Tarout, KSA

Our guides! Old Tarout, KSA

As we walked to the other side of the fort, a carload of niqab-wearing ladies jumped out, and showed us a good place for photos (unfortunately they were too shy to pose for a pic with Sal). There was a little entrance gate leading to a courtyard with some immediately welcoming men. They were drinking tea and looking absolutely freezing (it really wasn't that cold). One spoke some English and told us a tale about the castle. It seems the original site is as old as 5000 years, the current castle built on a Phoenician temple dedicated to a goddess named Astarte. He said he had seen many things inside the castle, but we couldn't really understand anything more.

Doorway to the castle, Tarout, KSA

Friendly, freezing guys at Tarout fort, KSA

Saying goodbye to these cheery guys, we finally resolved our SIM card problem. A phone company shop was right there in the centre. It was actually open (a miracle for a Friday), and there were no customers. The lovely man who spoke perfect English told us our options, set the card up for us in our phone and we were done! 

The contrast to the previous day couldn't have been more stark. We were so happy to have found a charming place and connected with some people, and even coming back to our side of town didn't seem so grim. We even had a nice encounter with some guys selling an unusual type of date on the side of the road. In order to preserve the huge amounts of left over dates until the next season, they are compressed together in a barrel, and the result is a delicious, moist and naturally sweet date. Many locals were enjoying them, and we were given some to try, as people keenly explained the procedure to us.

Date man on Dammam street, KSA

We weren't exactly sad to leave Dammam the following day, and looked forward to some new experiences in Riyadh.

Our route so far from Muscat to Riyadh via Dammam

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We felt sorted out and ready to go when we arrived at the very fancy and shiny train station in Dammam in order to catch the train to Riyadh. The train was full, men and women shuffled seats around slightly to be comfortable sitting with their own sex. The scenery was desert, complete with camels, sand dunes and castle-like hills, and dusty towns with their boxy housing. There are three train lines in Saudi, this one in the east, a giant long one through the centre of the country, and a smaller one in the west. Everything was smooth, easy and fast- the train only stopping once between the two cities. The only hiccup was Richard using the clean toilets and mistaking the bum spray for the flush and wetting the entire front of his trousers. The train price was 90 SAR/£19.

Our spiffy train from Dammam to Riyadh, KSA

Palatial waiting area, Dammam train station, KSA

Arriving on the dot of the ETA, Rakan picked us up in his brother's car, and we talked non-stop on the way to an incredible heritage restaurant he had planned for our first dinner. We had a lot to catch up on, after four years. The restaurant was decorated in traditional Najd style (Central Region of Saudi, including Riyadh), with bright rugs and cushions, colourful wooden doorways, and old and retro items randomly spread out around the classic building. The food specially chosen by Rakan was divine, and completely different from what we had expected or eaten before. 

A very funky retro car in restaurant grounds, Riyadh, KSA

Painted doorway of traditional restaurant, Riyadh, KSA

Clockwise from top: maqluba, gursan, jareesh, matazeez- all traditional Najd food

It turned out Riyadh was not just a huge modern metropolis, but had another side, full of culture and history, and we were shown around all the best places. It is a car city. Almost no one walks and the large, busy roads are not enticing for a wander. Luckily, Rakan had use of the family car for the duration of our stay. With petrol being 2.18 SAR/£0.40 per litre, it's an economic way to get around, but the traffic jams would drive anyone crazy after a while. Apparently Riyadh people learn to love them, and play on their phones whilst waiting. We found it interesting that almost no-one uses their horns, unless there's danger, such as someone too close.

A trip to the historic area of Diriyah was the highlight of our touring. It is a massive area of antiquity, set on Wadi Hanifah, which runs through the entire western part of Riyadh. In the centre is the original Al Turaif Palace, built in the 1700s, in a traditional mudbrick Najd style. It was the original home of the first Saudi royal family, and was the first capital during the 1700s. 

Beautiful mud palace at Al Turaif Palace, Diriyah, Riyadh

Decorative detail and door, Al Turaif Palace, Diriyah, Riyadh

*Just for quick reference: The Saudi kingdom as a nation emerged in 1727 with the Al Saud dynasty. It was to collapse and be built up again three times over during the next couple of hundred years- the Ottomans and many tribes fighting each other for dominance and independence. The modern era began with King Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman in 1932, who united the four regions of the peninsula, Hejaz (west), Najd (central), Asir ( south), and Al-Ahsa (east). It was soon after this in 1938 that oil was discovered in Saudi, and this changed the course of the country dramatically.*

Al Turaif Palace has been renovated in a careful way, with a great deal of money and the result is stunning. The attention to detail and design of the newer parts have been thought out in such a sympathetic way to combine perfectly with the original older areas. Facilities such as luxurious sitting areas, small cafes and the most immaculate public toilets ever blend in with the heritage sections. The impression is that of walking through an old city, with an occasional room open as a display on various aspects of the history. Friendly and attractive employees were stationed every now and then to welcome visitors and give information about the particular area, many speaking in English. Subtle voice recordings, music and perfume wafted out throughout the complex. We found it hard to conceive that the entrance to Al Turaif was free. 

Man displaying his Arabian horses, Al Turaif Palace, Diriyah, Riyadh

Ruined parts of Al Turaif Palace, Diriyah, Riyadh

Ladies visiting Al Turaif Palace, Riyadh

Friends of Rakan's, happen to run a cafe at Al Turaif Palace, Diriyah, Riyadh

Rich contemplating the sunset over Al Turaif Palace, Diriyah, Riyadh

We were there so long, we got to see the spectacular lights come on!

It was here that we had our first proper look at a huge crowd of people and noticed the variety of skin tones. At first we assumed many of the darker skinned people to be from another country, but were informed that Saudis come in a great variety of shades!

Free Saudi coffee and dates, welcoming staff, Al Turaif Palace, Riyadh

Next, we were taken to a unique souq, Al Zal - a kind of second hand/retro/antique market kind of place. It was fantastic to browse the old items spread all over the ground and tables, and especially to hear the old music being blared out from the second hand record stall. People really seemed to be enjoying the vibe, as were we. Whilst Rakan perused some old coins and currency, we were sat down and bought coffee by another stall holder, chatting to the educated man about family and politics. 

Al Zal souq, Riyadh, KSA

Amazingly full and interesting junk stall, Al Zal souq, Riyadh, KSA

Chilled out stall owner, Al Zal souq, Riyadh, KSA

Old Arabic records for sale, Al Zal souq, Riyadh, KSA

Retro electronics, Al Zal souq, Riyadh, KSA

This souq also included an area with people engaged in traditional crafts such as making agal (the band that holds the scarf on Saudi heads) and traditional style leather shoes. Whilst we were admiring a Corvette Stingray in the street, the lovely owner of the nearby shop (and the Corvette) approached us and began talking with Rakan. They hatched a plan for Richard.... You can see the results in the photos!! It was a fun evening. 

Corvette Stingray, one of two we saw that day! Riyadh, KSA

Rich being dressed up, Al Zal souq, Riyadh, KSA

What a great look for Rich!

A day on our own found us tackling the newly opened, modern and imaginatively designed metro system. After being helped by staff to buy a card, we travelled to some areas far away from were we were staying. The network is extensive, both above and below ground, and the distance between stops was lengthy. We spent the entire day exploring, with hours on the well organized trains. There were first class, family and singles carriages, and apparently we were OK in either of the latter. We found the women's carriages to be much more crowded for whatever reason, and it was easier to gain a seat for the long journeys in the men's carriage. During peak hours crowd control with roped off areas was put into place to let the hordes of passengers off the trains before others could get on, with everything being polite and co-ordinated. 

The bus system is also brand new and vast, linking up with metro stations, and the travel card also covers these. Each trip for either train or bus was 4 SAR/£0.85, or 2 SAR/£0.40 for over 60s. 

We wandered around the extremely contemporary KAFD area, well known for the innovative design of it's station. As we sat with a coffee and people watched, we noticed that although on first glance, women all looked alike with their black cover up outfits, there were actually quite a lot of subtle differences. Some were facially covered with a niqab, some without, and some were showing hair. Others had no scarf at all, loose open abayas, and we even saw some torn jeans and T-shirts underneath a few. One constant thing was the abaya and most were in black. Interestingly, as Sal was buying coffee from a food truck, a young woman sitting next to Richard asked him to take a photo of her, only her eyes showing. We were surprised that she would be so friendly!

Unique design, KAFD metro station, Riyadh

Modern young women with no scarves, KAFD, Riyadh

Inside the huge beautifully designed metro station, Riyadh KAFD

Rich in the concrete jungle! KAFD, Riyadh

The eyes have it, Riyadh, KSA

Palace Murabba (murabba meaning square) was King Abdul Aziz's building project starting in 1936. He wanted to make a huge complex that would house the royal household. Again, there was no entrance fee to the restored palace, and we were free to wander around the multiple floors. We loved the quite simple 20th century style, and the emphasis on photographic displays. Each room conveyed a different aspect of royal life at the time in photos, from the treasury, to the King's advisors, security, trips on ocean liners and World War Two weapons. Rich was particularly interested in a small sample of the King's collection of luxury cars.

Old picture of King Abdul Aziz and his children, Palace Murabba, Riyadh, KSA

Terrace at Palace Murabba, Riyadh, KSA

Other novel and pleasurable sights were the fish market, which rivalled Muscat's for cleanliness and variety of exotic seafood, checking out the trendy colourful cafe street in Diriyah and smoking a sheesha pipe with Rakan. Eating in Egyptian and Pakistani restaurants, continuing our interest in foreign supermarkets and generally trying to adjust to our new hours of late mornings and late nights also kept us occupied!

A stranger we ate with who turned out to be delightful

Reef fish, Riyadh fish market, KSA

Two posers in Riyadh, KSA

Traditional Najd-style plates, Diriyah, Riyadh

Cute cafe, Diriyah, Riyadh, KSA

Riyadh cafe area lit up at night

Our first taste of the hospitable Saudi culture was a bit complex for us. People are so generous, and it felt strange not to pay our way. Any attempt to contribute to costs was swiftly refused, almost as if it was offensive. We had to fight Rakan to pay for anything, and we came to realize as we stayed in the country, that this generosity was wide spread and very common. 

We had found Riyadh to be very modern and developed in many ways, but perhaps still quite traditional under the surface. Most people speak English, and are generally well educated. The lack of rubbish was clearly noticeable, but we were told it was a result of daily 5am street cleaning rather than people not throwing rubbish everywhere. Graffiti is non-existent. The cityscape is changing so fast, the pace of construction constant. Tall glitzy skyscrapers neighbour pleasantly designed buildings with traditional elements included. Somehow the end result is not garish. Development is heavily regulated, we heard, and planning is careful. 

At the end of our stay in Riyadh, the weather turned cool and drizzly (it was winter, after all!), and we were glad to be leaving that behind for the warmer south. However, it was sad to leave Rakan and we really hoped it wouldn't be so long before we met him again. He was the perfect host- a young Saudi in a new Saudi world. We gained some understanding of the history and culture through him, although we still had a lot to learn. His YouTube channel is in Arabic, and highly entertaining. It was great to see how many people recognized him from his channel as we visited different parts of the city- he is quite famous! 

Rich and Rakan in Riyadh- that's a lot of "Rs"!

......next up we travel all the way to the south of Saudi to amazing Najran......