After a comfortable flight from Brussels via Rome, we land in Riyadh, the starting point of our tour of Saudi Arabia. We receive our luggage almost immediately, the driver is waiting at the agreed location, and we are pleasantly surprised to see see Jessica there. She gives us the tip to exchange some money into the local currency.
Upon arrival at the Joudyan Hotel, check-in is quick and we can go straight to our room. We look forward to staying in this comfortable accommodation for the next four nights. The quality of sleep is excellent and we are not disturbed by any noise.
The hotel is very centrally located, along what is apparently known here as the Champs-Élysées of Riyadh. The spotless and spacious sidewalks and beautifully lit buildings certainly make a fantastic impression. We enjoy a delicious cappuccino in one of the many cafés and are then ready for the next day.
I once thought the breakfast at the Ritz-Carlton Millenia in Singapore was the best in the world. From now on, they will have to share that title with the breakfast at the Joudyan in Riyadh. Top quality.
When Monique (and she won't mind me saying this here) notices a few women dressed in Saudi attire and sees this as confirmation of her preconception about the oppression of women, she is almost ready to go into battle. I explain to her that May and I have a different opinion on this. We hope that, when she gets to know the way people interact with each other here , she will succeed in forming a more nuanced opinion. In a polite manner, we also ask her not to overemphasize the so-called Western freedoms and to perhaps nuance those as well.
When Monique later comes to a different conclusion, thanks to conversations with various people and her own observations, she understands that you first need to know before you judge. It was wonderful for us to see that someone who has already lived for many years managed to adjust her view in barely ten days and will probably be less quick to judge based on preconceptions in the future.
After a delicious breakfast, we meet our driver-guide for the next four days—albeit ten minutes late. I tell him that we like guides who arrive on time, and he is punctual every day thereafter. The man turns out to be a good driver and a pleasant guide, who ensures that we get to see everything on the program in a smooth and relaxed manner.
Today we are visiting the old city center of Riyad. On a terrace overlooking the beautiful Masmak Fort , we enjoy a drink after spending some time strolling along the shopping streets. Then we visit the National Museum, located in a beautiful park where local families enjoy nature and the pleasant weather (27°C) on blankets. The museum itself beautifully depicts the history of the Arabian Peninsula. Magnificent.
After that, we drive a little way outside the city to visit a horse riding center. It is somewhat rudimentary, but all the horses are in excellent condition. It is a particularly educational and interesting experience, especially for Monique.
Unfortunately, on the way we also see the only really negative thing we have encountered so far in Saudi Arabia: the country still has a long way to go in dealing with plastic waste. Plastic is still too often left by the roadside or in nature, when it should of course be collected and recycled.
Afterwards, we return to the hotel, because tonight we are having dinner with a Saudi family. During the drive to their home - where we are welcomed by mother and daughter - we get a beautiful view of the illuminated city with its modern architecture. Upon arrival, we are given a very warm welcome. The ladies are given the opportunity to try on local party dresses and, if I may say so myself, they look like two princesses from One Thousand and One Nights.
In the spacious and comfortable house, we are also served a delicious dinner: excellently prepared and with flavors that are actually quite familiar to us – simply very tasty. The conversations, in excellent English on their part, never cease, and we even discover a number of shared interests.
After a warm and sincere farewell, we drive back to the hotel. There, we enjoy a cappuccino with a slice of cheesecake in what has now become our local bar.
End of a wonderful day, which we give a 9/10 (plastic).
Read the full, detailed travel report of Wim, May, and Monique's tour of Saudi Arabia here.
Check out one of the other stories and get inspired to visit Saudi Arabia.
