(A trip in 2024)
I was on a business trip in Bahrain, so I decided to add a solo trip to Saudi Arabia while I was in the area. This trip was unfortunately (for timing reasons) restricted to Riyadh and surroundings.
Riyadh – capital of Saudi Arabia since independence in 1932, a very large city with close to 7 million inhabitants, a size larger than Los Angeles and a serious traffic problem. I arrived closed to midnight on a weekday and it took almost an hour to reach downdown through the traffic jams. Islam demands from Muslims that they shall not endanger their lives unnecessarily, but this is apparently forgotten on the streets of Riyadh. And by the way, if you intend to walk a bit within the city, be prepared to do so without sidewalks and with many drivers staring at you incomprehensibly.
Riyadh has grown rapidly since the 1970s with the oil money and is being modernized constantly with continuous construction and a subway planned to open this year. The plan apparently is to reach 17 million inhabitants by 2030.
Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia (commonly known as “MBS”) has led Saudi Vision 2030, a plan to diversify the country’s economy and move Saudi Arabia away from a dependence on oil revenues. He has also weakened the powers of the Saudi religious police and granted a number of rights to women in the country such as the right to drive.
Within Saudi Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia as a whole is changing, with foreign visitors being allowed to enter for a few years now, the prestige projects Neom and The Line in construction, soccer league and tennis tournament buy-ins, planned skiing events and so forth.
Still, I saw only few foreigners, and of those most work in Saudi Arabia. Maybe because additionally it was Ramadan – bringing public life to a standstill during daytime.
I found the people especially friendly and hospitable, with “Welcome Welcome” shouted at me wherever I was, even when their English skills didn’t suffice for a conversation. When I visited a mosque, I was invited to “Iftar”, the fast-breaking evening meal of Muslims in Ramadan at the time of “adhan” (call to prayer) of the Maghrib prayer.
The atmosphere of “Tales of the Arabian Nights” has been mostly replaced meanwhile by a more modern, or at least a more convenient and expedient architecture, but there are still some places where the “old” Arabia comes through, e.g. in Diriyah, the original home of the Saudi royal family and the capital under the first Saudi dynasty from 1727 to 1818. These ruins are now an open-air museum and consist almost entirely of mud-brick structures.
Having seen Riyadh, I decided to move on and visit the Edge of the World (“Jebel Fihrayn”), a 300 meter high cliff in the rocky desert north-west of Riyadh. This is a dramatic geological wonder, part of the much longer Tuwaiq Escarpment and dropping down into an ancient ocean bed. It is characterized by its towering cliffs, which stretch for miles across the desert landscape, seemingly reaching out to touch the sky. The rugged terrain, carved over millions of years by wind and water erosion, creates a dramatic and otherworldly spectacle.
For adventurers, the allure of the Edge of the World lies in its rugged terrain and untamed beauty. You can reach it with a four-wheel drive. Driving right up to the cliff is not possible anymore after a car with four inhabitants plunged to death a few years ago.
Once you reach the escarpment, there is a walk along the cliff which requires strong nerves.
The cliff offers breathtaking panoramic views of the surrounding desert plains below. The vast expanse of sand dunes, punctuated by the occasional oasis, stretches as far as the eye can see, evoking a sense of awe and wonder at the sheer scale of nature’s power.
You can walk up to the very edge, sit down and let your feet dangle into the void. It takes a bit of willpower to actually climb on to the edge…
… until you have reached a good position for a photo…
Exploring the Edge of the World is like embarking on a journey through epochs past, where each craggy outcrop and weathered crevice tells a story of ancient seas, shifting sands, and the relentless passage of millennia.
Whether you come to marvel at the geological wonders or to find peace in the solitude of the desert, the Edge of the World is sure to leave a lasting impression on all who venture to its remote and captivating location.
