THE OIL SERIES, DAY 3
SAUDI ARABIA
Chop chop square. First I’m heading to the old quarter to see Masamak Fort where the beginning of the Saudi revolution happened. It was here Abdulaziz Al Saud, out numbered 2:1 stormed the gates and seized power. From then he made an effort to unite the kingdom – the rest of Arabia creating The Kindgom of Saudi Arabia as it’s known as today.
CURIOUS
It was well preserved and a nice area to walk around and see a traditional building compared to what is generally being construction now in Riyadh. I had a young boy and his father come up to me, look at my camera and ask if I was a photographer – far from it.
He was keen for me to take a photo of him and send it and I’ll never forget what he said, “this is going to be a great memory!” What a way to win me over 😆 it was just great to see a father and son enjoy spending time together.
DEERA SQUARE
Deera Square is just around the corner and is infamous in Riyadh as it’s where the executions happen. To think the area I am now standing in executes people in this day and age is incredible and frankly quite frightening.
Sometimes depending when the last execution was there could be blood on the ground so if you feel queasy I wouldn’t be going for a walk around.
PRAYER TIME
Prayer time is 5 times a day and the noise that is created around the city is incredible. Make sure you are aware of the prayer times as everything shuts when prayer time is on. The Prayer Time app is very useful so you can plan your day around this although it’s not completely disruptive as it tends to only last for 15mins or so.
FALCONS OR RUGS
It was getting into the afternoon and now time to explore the souk. These markets are everywhere in the Middle East and where you can find literally everything from falcons to carpets to gold! It’s incredible what can be found here and unlike some souqs I’ve been to you aren’t hassled anywhere near as often!
KINGDOM CENTRE
Riyadh is modernizing its extensive infrastructure rapidly. The Kingdom Centre, a 300m high, 99-floor skyscraper, dominates the city. Its bottle opener shape is ironic, given the alcohol ban.
Sunset from the observation deck shows the cityscape’s dramatic change.
NAJ VILLAGE
Many recommended Naj Village for its authentic Middle Eastern food. A 5-minute drive from the Kingdom Centre, Naj Village is popular with locals.
Back to my hotel with the help of a friendly driver who offered me 10,000 Riyals for an Irish visa.
FINAL THOUGHTS
A great experience in a country which has only just opened its doors to mass tourism and therefore will likely go through considerable change.
NEXT UP
The friendliest country in Africa? Click to read.
SAFE TRAVELS, DS x
142/229
This post is part of The Oil Series, click to explore or for episode 1 click here.
To watch the video of my trip, head to my highlights on my Instagram.
