Al-Ahsa Oasis

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I have to admit I completely missed the 2017 diplomatic conflict between Saudi-Arabia and Qatar. What I assumed was a three-hour bus trip between Doha and Al-Hofuf turned out to be an international flight from Doha to Riyadh, followed by a two-hour train journey on the 1980s Dammam-Riyadh line.

Dammam–Riyadh line

I came to Al-Hofuf to see the Al Ahsa Oasis, which has been protected as a cultural landscape by UNESCO since 2018. With 2.5 million date palm trees, it is the largest oasis in the world. I had hoped to study the water management, but I only had one day and too little time for that. The oasis is so extensive that taxis are necessary to travel from one location to another.

Al-Qarah Mountain جَبَل ٱلْقَارَة Jabal Al-Qārah

Within the oasis is Al-Qarah Mountain, a mesa about 75 meters high with caves formed primarily by water erosion. The temperatures inside the caves are quite pleasant, which is why they have been inhabited since ancient times. Now, the caves have been turned into a tourist attraction called The Land of Civilisation, and I was the only visitor that morning.

Before entering the caves, I purchased some dates for breakfast. I love the practice of replacing the pits with almonds. While I was never a big fan of dates, after tasting them in Saudi Arabia, I have become a fan—you just need to buy quality dates.

Entrance to the caves.

People inside Al-Qarah Mountain, 1924 A.D.

Before entering the caves, I was led through a small exhibition about the history of Islam. This is Saudi Arabia flexing its soft power muscle. The host spoke perfect English, and at the end of the tour, I was handed a bag with some gifts: two paper cups of Arabic coffee and dates (which came in handy as breakfast in my hotel room), an English translation of the Quran, and some Vision 2030 leaflets.

Al Khalifa Heritage Museum متحف الخليفة التراثي

Once upon a time, the oasis was the only place in Saudi Arabia where rice was grown. However, in 1938, petroleum was discovered near Dammam. Today, the largest oil field, the Ghawar Field, is located in the Al-Ahsa Governorate, leading to the region's rapid modernization. The tiny Al Khalifa Heritage Museum serves as a testament to that process, and I was the only visitor that day.

The oasis boasts a total of 2.5 million date palm trees, and I learned that the date farms are privately owned, with a total production of 100,000 tons of dates per year. After visiting Al-Qarah Mountain and the heritage museum, I spent the rest of the day wandering through the date farms. Those palm trees are quite beautiful.

Source: Analyzing the Spatial Correspondence between Different Date Fruit Cultivars and Farms’ Cultivated Areas, Case Study: Al-Ahsa Oasis, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/11/5728

I had planned to get a haircut during my trip, but the choice of barber turned out to be quite random. I took a taxi ride to a كبسة kabsah restaurant, only to find it was takeout only. As I started walking and feeling a bit lost, I passed a barber shop. Without thinking, I walked in and discovered that they didn't speak English or Arabic—they were Turkish.

I did understand that they were advising me to dye my graying beard black, and from that moment on, I simply nodded at every suggestion they made. The whole process took an hour and a half, and at one point, I even looked like a smurf! I paid 100 riyals, which wasn't too bad for the amount of time they spent on me.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

This was not my most environmentally friendly journey. To get from Al-Hofuf to Jeddah, I had to backtrack by train to Riyadh and then choose between a 14-hour bus ride or a one-and-a-half-hour flight. Naturally, the train station is located in the south of Riyadh, while the airport is in the north, so I had to take a 50-kilometer taxi ride once again. Nonetheless, I reached my hotel in Jeddah before 4 PM the same day.

EMD SD50 diesel locomotive on the Dammam–Riyadh line. The line was opened. in 1981. There is also a second Dammam–Riyadh line via Haradh, which is only used for freight.

Historic Jeddah

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I had planned to visit the ancient rock art in the Ha’il region, 90 km northwest of the city of Ha’il. These carvings, dating back up to 10,000 years, are part of a UNESCO World Heritage site. BHowever, Google indicated that the site was temporarily closed. When I contacted tour companies for more information, they confirmed that no tours were currently available. I assumed the extreme heat of the summer season made visits impractical. I redirected my plans to the port city of Jeddah. Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah, is another UNESCO World Heritage site.

When early on in Islam Mecca became an important religious city. Jeddah became the port of Mecca during the reign of the 3rd Caliph Othman ibn Affan. After the opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 Jeddah flourished like never before. The Suez Canal linked Europe and Asia with modern steamboats. The merchants of Jeddah built multi-storey decorated houses, which still exist today. It is clear the old city center is still being renovated. Some older buildings are boarded-up behind fences marked “Ministry of Culture”.

The people of Jeddah love their cats. There are cats feeder stations all over the place.

Modern Jeddah is still very much a merchant city. The amount of shops is impressive. The main import partner of Saudi-Arabia is China, which shows. Roaming the streets were groups of men from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, all in national attire. The whole scene reminded me of Deep Space 9 space station.

The first night I had some trouble finding a restaurant because in the ancient part of the city there is little food to find. I had to walk for a bit to find an Indian restaurant, which caters for Indian migrant workers. It was incredible cheap for 3 euro including a can of cola and a bottle of water. Around the corner was the Bangladesh Store. These neighbourhoods are populated by mostly male migrant workers from Asia. You don’t see Saudis or women.

الجمعه Friday

My second day in Jeddah was a Friday. This meant that in the morning everything was closed. On Friday families have lunch together and it is only after lunch businesses start opening. This posed a problem for my breakfast. After searching all streets I found a convenience store. But they only had processed food of the worst kind. Because I was very hungry I settled for a couple of cheese puffs. A cat begged for a piece of my cheese puff but I deemed cheese puffs too unhealthy for a cat.

Then I really wanted to drink coffee, but again, no open coffee place to be found. While walking I met a man from Yemen and he took the task upon himself to find a coffee place for me. He asked many guards along the way and we finally found a hidden place in a worn down apartment block. The little shop also sold bread rolls. I tried to pay for his bread roll but he refused. We sat together while I drank my coffee. When we parted ways I was happy I could give him a small bottle of water, which he first refused, but he took the bottle after I pressed him to take it. It was all very polite.

Some parts of ancient Jeddah are beautifully green. And again, cats all around.

Jeddah Central Fish Market

The fish market of Jeddah is one of the best I ever visited. The fish is so fresh some are still alive. It is also a great place to shelter from the heat. When I wanted to eat lunch I looked for a fish restaurant. I was told I had to buy a fish and bring it to the restaurant. A young guy in his twenties went along in my search for a fish.

The restaurant had only two ways of preparing fish: frying or grilling. I needed a fish suitable for one of the two methods. I was told hamor هَامُّوْر, was the best fish for deep frying. Hamor is a type of grouper. Next to the hamor were harid, which is a parrotfish. I decided to buy two hamor instead of one. The weight was one kilo so I paid 40 riyal.

After paying for the fish they needed to be cleaned. There is a special fish cleaning service at the fish market. The price you pay is based on the weight of the fish and I only paid a couple of riyal.

Dhuhr midday prayer time

After my fish were cleaned the guy helping me got a bit agitated. Apparently he realised it was almost prayer time, and the kitchen would be closed very soon. We ran through the fish market with my freshly cleaned fish but were just too late. I had all day so I didn’t mind. At one point he seemed to suggest we were going to pray together but I thought: how can I pray with a fish? I waited in the restaurant and hoped my fish stayed cold enough not to spoil. In the end the prayer lasted just over half an hour.

After prayer the guy came back for me to help me navigate the ordering proces. Frying the fish cost 15 riyal and the sayadia (=fishermans catch) rice cost 12 riyal, a total of 27 riyal or about 6,75 euro. Before I could pay, the guy took out his phone and paid for me. I was a little stunned. I invited him to eat together but he had to get back to work and he disappeared.

Back in the old center I stumbled upon this Sobia سوبيا bar. This sobia is made from barley, cinnamon, cardamon and sugar. It ferments naturally and the taste is sweet-sour.

The rest of the day I just lingered in historic Jeddah. I drank fresh cane juice mixed with lime juice. When the sun set and it became dark I had a bright yellow Arabic coffee and I was happy in my new Saudi sandals. I bargained for 60 percent of the original price and I wondered if it was a good deal or not.

I couldn’t find a Saudi restaurant so I went for a nasi rendang from Sumatra. Jeddah is a great destination. I feel that in ten years time there might be too many tourists but for the moment the place does not feel crowded.

Medina

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I had to end my journey in Medina because my return flight was from Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport. This was a rather random choice I made in Amsterdam; I thought the name Medina sounded evocative. I hadn't realized that the city revolves around its religious sites. In fact, the ancient part of Medina no longer exists. The inner circle of the city is dedicated to the newly built Prophet's Mosque and is off-limits to non-Muslims.

Between Mecca, Jeddah and Medina lies the brand new Haramain High Speed Railway, just opened in 2018. I boarded the Spanish Talgo trains at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and enjoyed a very comfortable and fast journey to Medina. After checking into my hotel, I took a Bolt taxi to a Yemenite restaurant for lunch, only to find it closed. I decided to walk instead. I bought some dates, but it was impossible to purchase just a few; the shop owner insisted that I buy more. Ultimately, I ended up with a huge bag of dates.

As I was walking, a white car slowed down to match my pace. I assumed it was an unsolicited taxi, but when I waved my hand, I noticed a young girl leaning out of the window, offering me a bottle of cold water. I thanked her and the man behind the wheel. According to the Prophet Muhammad, the reward for praying in the Prophet's Mosque in Medina is greater than that of one thousand prayers in any other mosque. Perhaps this also applies to good deeds done in Medina.

After checking into my hotel, I still held a romantic vision of an ancient city with an old souk to explore. However, upon arriving in the city center, it became clear that nothing old remained. All I could see were high-rise hotels and streams of umrah visitors pouring out of the hotels towards the Prophet's Mosque. I joined the pilgrims but after a few hundred meters, it was forbidden for non-muslims to continue. I felt completely alienated and, for a moment, wished I had stayed in Jeddah. However, while driving towards the center, I had also noticed how close Mount Uhud (جَبَل أُحُد) was. The next day, I could make it my goal to climb Mount Uhud.

The evening ended quite pleasant. I found another excellent Indian restaurant and ended the night drinking chai among Indian, or Pakistani, migrant workers.

My taxi driver Abdullah

Before I could hike Mount Uhud, I had to wait until around 5 PM to avoid the heat. I summoned a Bolt taxi to Al Noor Mall. When my taxi arrived, it wasn’t the usual Toyota Camry but a beaten-up Toyota Hilux pickup truck. “Nice Hilux,” I said, knocking on the dashboard. “Very strong car!” Abdullah replied, handing me a bottle of perfume to freshen up.

When we arrived at the shopping mall, he asked, “Dinner?” He meant “lunch,” and I agreed to eat together. He began driving in search of a restaurant. Abdullah was not a native of Medina; he was a retired policeman, and it took almost an hour before he found a good place to eat. During the ride, he asked if I was a Muslim. When I said I was a Christian, he transformed into a Jehovah’s Witness, insisting that I should follow the true path of Islam and not worship three gods. He was referring to the Trinity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He then apologized, saying, “Please don’t feel bad.”

Once we arrived at the restaurant, we could focus on the food: a huge plate of basmati rice and the best goat meat I had ever tasted. I even got a piece of the liver. Abdullah taught me how to eat with my hand, which wasn’t easy. You shouldn't put your fingers too deep into your mouth. By the time we finished, I had rice all over my legs.

After lunch, Abdullah drove me to my original destination: Al Noor Mall. I tried to make it a paid taxi ride, but he refused. We drove for another 15 minutes to drop me off. He had just one request: I had to seriously consider Islam to save my soul; otherwise, I would end up in hell instead of in the garden.

Al Noor Mall mainly features big brands and was rather dull. I sipped Arabic coffee to pass the time, then discovered a cheaper mall just a 10-minute walk away. If my travel bag had been bigger, I would have bought several dallahs, the traditional Arabic coffee pots.

Mount Uhud جَبَل أُحُد,

Mount Uhud is not just any mountain; it was the site of the second battle between Muhammad and the polytheists of his tribe, the Quraysh. At the foot of the mountain is the Sayed Al-Shuhada Mosque, built in 2017. The small hill in front of the mosque is known as Archers' Hill.

I planned to start my hike at 5 PM, but by 4:30 PM, I was bored waiting, so I set off with a handful of dates and three liters of water in my backpack. Mount Uhud stands at 1,077 meters above sea level, and starting from Medina, you need to climb roughly 300 meters, which isn't too challenging as far as mountains go. However, with midday temperatures reaching 43 degrees Celsius, you have to plan your hike wisely, as the heat can be dangerous.

Just after the city limits you will pass some ancient rock art. These can be found all over Saudi-Arabia.

Even at 5 PM, the heat was relentless, and I had to take a few breaks of a couple of minutes. During my third break, I began to feel nauseous, a sign of heatstroke. I sought refuge behind a rock to find some shade and took a twenty-minute break. After that, I felt better, and when I continued, the sun was low enough that I didn't need any more breaks. The view of Medina was amazing.

My white ghutra was comfortable in the sun. It really protects you from the heat. When I reached a good viewpoint, I stayed to watch the sunset. At a quarter past seven, it was time for the Maghreb prayer. It was fascinating to hear the call to prayer from all the mosques in the valley below. I wondered what would have happened if the polytheists from Mecca had pursued Muhammad further into the mountains. Then again, there is no archaeological evidence of the battle to begin with.

I had noticed an Indonesian restaurant at the start of my hike and was dreaming of bakso all the way down. I opted for the Bakso urat. It was good.

My final day

The area around my hotel.

Breakfast is usually very basic: a chapati, filled with egg, and a mint tea.

Al-Masjid An-Nabawi

For my final day, I returned to the Prophet's Mosque, more properly known as Al-Masjid An-Nabawī (ٱلْمَسْجِد ٱلنَّبَوِي). According to Islamic history, this mosque is the second built by Muhammad and is the holiest site after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. During the Ottoman period, the mosque was rebuilt several times, and it was only in 1805 that Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud took control of Medina. The Wahhabis demolished nearly every tomb, even stripping Muhammad's tomb of its gold and jeweled ornaments. In 1985, during the reign of King Fahd, the mosque was expanded again, leading to the demolition of many surrounding buildings.

Al-Masjid An-Nabawī before the umbrellas were placed.

At one point I suddenly realised there is a Starbucks and H&M located just a few hundred meters from the second holiest site in Islam. Umrah is big business but I was surprised to see Swedish and US global chains so close to a holy site.

The square in front of Al-Masjid An-Nabawi is called Medina Haram Piazza. In 2010 a total of 250 shading umbrellas were placed on the square at an eye watering cost of 4,7 billion riyals. I was allowed to walk as far as the green gate. The umbrellas are impressive.

The eastern part of Medina is one big construction site. All night dump trucks were passing my hotel. Apparently new high rise hotels will be build, connected to the airport by a new shuttle railway. Everything in the name of progress. It is clear that Medina is not on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

Artist’s impression of the future of Medina.

My hotel in Medina.

 

For lunch I had a vegetable stew which was quite similar to a Moroccan tagine and a porridge made of possibly oat. A small cup of tomato salsa was served along with my meal. This salsa is usually served with biryani or mandi rice. The recipe is easy. Simply put the following raw ingredients in a food processor: 4 medium size tomatoes, 1 medium size onion, 4-5 green chillies, 1 cup fresh coriander leaves, 3-4 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp salt.

In the afternoon I sheltered in my hotel room. The temperatures were really too hot to walk the streets. The lowest temperatures at night time were 30 degrees Celsius, so the nights were very pleasant.

My flight was for 5 am the next day, which meant I had to be at the airport in Medina at roughly 3 am. I tried to get a rest in my room before I had to take a midnight taxi to the airport. All I could hear were the dump trucks hobbling through the dusty road towards the construction site.

I already own a red checkered and white ghutrah (غُترَة) I bought in Jordan in the 1990s. On this trip I bought three extra. I would love to wear these in summer but the keffiyeh is so politicised at the moment people in Europe will not realise I am wearing Qatari or Saudi headdress.

I wandered into a migrant workers’ neighbourhood and had vegetarian Indian food for dinner: a chana dal I make myself in Amsterdam often and a mixed vegetable dish.

I had a connecting flight from Jeddah to Amsterdam. The Saudi Dreamliner was painted in NEOM livery. The NEOM project is a whole different story and one of world’s more crazier development projects. Criticising the project is one of the reasons MBS had Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi killed in Turkey.