Hail, Saudi Arabia Dec 31, 202 A confirmed streetfoodaholic, I usually don’t get to too many restaurants when I travel. But someone in Jeddah had recommended a restaurant in Hail that was part museum and part restaurant. Part museum? Of course I had to see it! Robert and Bruni, the couple who had given me … More Dining Arabian Style
Al Turaif Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Jan 1, 2023 Begun in the 15th century, the mudbrick collection of buildings in the district of Diraiyah became the capital of the Arab state in mid-18th century. Hardly ancient by any standards, the large complex has the quaint charm of the labyrinthine towns much older than it. Narrow lanes … More Where Saudi Arabia Began
Hail, Saudi Arabia Dec 30, 2023 Like most older cities, Hail too boasts a fort at the highest point in the city. Fairly modest in size, it likely does not rate high on the visitor radar and is rarely visited. But it looked picture perfect as it glowed in the dying rays of the sun. … More Gingerbread House
Jubbah, Saudi Arabia Dec 30, 2023 Once upon a time, some eight thousand years ago, the oasis of Jubbah was a lake, rich in wildlife. The peoples who inhabited this area left an array images on a massive rock formation. It is these petroglyphs that I wanted to see. As usual, the problem was how … More Tales Inscribed on Rockfaces
Madain Saleh, Saudi Arabia Dec 29, 2023 While Petra is well known the world over, lesser known is Al Hijra in Saudi Arabia. Called Hegra or Madain Saleh locally, this was a second city built by the Nabataeans between 1st century BCE and 2nd century CE. Its induction as a UNESCO heritage site is as … More Another Nabataean City
Al Ula, Saudi Arabia Dec 28, 2023 On the bus from Medina to Al Ula, I switched on my radar for other travelers in the hopes that I would find another with whom to share a rental car. Of the six people on board, one of them seemed a likely tourist and he was. Tony … More Strangeness of an Old Town
Wadi Jinn, Saudi Arabia Dec 26, 2023 “Do you know that water runs uphill here?” he said. But there was a twinkle in his eye as he followed it up with tales of cars that accelerate without any power. I was in Ahmad’s car, being taken to this mystical valley with its strange properties. I … More Valley of Magic
Medina, Saudi Arabia Dec 25. 2023 Mecca, the holiest of all places in Saudi Arabia is strictly off limits to non muslims. While Medina, the second holy city is accessible, the shrine itself can be approached only up to a boundary, supposedly a fence. This is unlike Iran or Iraq where one is permitted to … More A Glimpse from Afar
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Dec 23, 2023 Futuristic stations, plush lounges and high-speed trains zipping through the desert make travel from Jeddah to Medina a breeze. Seated comfortably with plenty of legroom, I make it into Medina in under two hours.
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Dec 22, 2023 I wandered out of the hotel and down toward the heart of the old city, called Al Balad. The name translates as “The Town” and once upon a time this was the only town that mattered in these parts. Today there is a push for tourism especially in this … More A Walk Through Al Balad
ITCHY FEET TRAVELS 