What a difference a few years can make in a country like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which opened its doors to tourism on September 19, 2019.
NYT Article on Saudi Arabia
The Saudi Arabia described by New York Times travel editor and photojournalist Stephen Hiltner in his excellent article Surprising, Unsettling, Surreal: Roaming Through Saudi Arabia is almost unrecognizable compared to my childhood memories from the 1960s and 1970s and my return visits in 2009 and 2012.
Hiltner writes about his month-long road trip from Jeddah to the Nabatean ruins of Hegra, then to Samara (the Stonehenge of Saudi Arabia), Riyadh, and the Asir Province.
He highlights the joie de vivre and generosity of the Saudis he encounters, evoking memories of my own experiences. His photos beautifully capture Saudi Arabia’s stunning landscapes and rich cultural heritage. Admirably, he sticks to his journalist credentials and doesn’t shy away from addressing the country’s more controversial aspects, such as religious extremism and human rights abuses.
My jaw dropped when I saw his photos of the new luxury resorts in Saudi Arabia. I was fortunate to have stayed at what is now the Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah in Riyadh in 2012, but the new hotels are impressive.
Returning Artifacts to The Kingdom
My last trip in 2012 was particularly poignant because I accompanied my then-87-year-old father to return several Iron Age clay pots. These artifacts had gathered dust for 40 years on my parents’ china cabinet in Pennsylvania.
My father found them near Jubail, then a quaint fishing village. During a picnic with friends, he vanished for hours and reappeared after unearthing a “tell” and a ring of nine pots, much like those described by archaeologist Geoffrey Bibby in “Looking for Dilmun.”
An article written by my father about our trip appears in the Washington Report on Middle Eastern Affairs.
My Indiana Jones Moment in Hegra
In contrast to Hiltner’s recent journey to Hegra, my Indiana Jones moment of visiting Hegra with my father in 2012 was an adventure on a rattling C-130 with broken seatbelts and exposed cables.
The Saudi Air Force pilots who flew us to Al-Ula also joined our exploration of the Nabatean tombs. Back then, our small group of Saudi Aramco expatriates had the entire ancient necropolis to ourselves.
The tombs of Hegra (also known as Mada’in Salih) are now a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Nabateans who built the better-known Petra in Jordan carved these impressive tombs in northeastern Saudi Arabia.
Flying Into The Empty Quarter
Another unforgettable journey was in 2009 when my husband and I flew deep into the arid red dunes of the Empty Quarter on a Saudi Aramco jet to visit a remote oil field—a destination off the beaten path for tourists.
We were delayed getting back because a huge shamal (sand storm), had blown in and shut down Riyadh Airport, and was now threatening to close Dammam Airport where we were headed. There was considerable concern about where to put the women overnight in the all-male complex.
One day, I will return to Saudi Arabia, and when I do, you can bet I’ll be blogging about it!
The breakneck speed of transformation in the Kingdom is a story worth telling, one that bridges the past and the present, and I can’t wait to see where it goes next.
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