Saudi Arabia > The Skybridge in Riyadh

I sleep restlessly during the night. Maybe because of all the new impressions. I see that it’s getting light early. I had set the alarm for half past eight, but I’m already awake before that. For breakfast, we have to call the coffee corner. Shortly after, there’s a knock on the door and three plates with tomato, cucumber, cheese, egg, honey, and yogurt are brought in. After breakfast, we go looking for our car again. We had left the car at the other hotel last night. We get in and drive through the busy traffic to the Al Murraba Palace. You have to pay close attention. Cars pass on the left and right. Since we don’t always know the roads well, we sometimes have to unexpectedly change lanes. With a bit of assertiveness, we squeeze our car in. We arrive at the palace without damage. The Murabba Palace was the residence of King Abdul Aziz, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia. “Where can we park?” When we try to turn into a side road near the palace, a guard indicates that the entire complex is closed today. “It will reopen tomorrow at ten,” he says. What a pity. We drive on to the Al Masmak Fort. Parking is easier here. There is a parking lot where we can park for a fee. The citadel, made of clay and mud, was built in 1865. In 1902, King Abdul Aziz conquered the fort and took control of Riyadh. At the entrance, we expect a ticket counter. However, the museum is free to visit. Inside, the history of modern Saudi Arabia and the royal family is highlighted. The clay fort is well maintained and renovated. Nothing remains of the former adjacent palace. There is now the Deera Square and the Imam Turki Bin Abdullah Grand Mosque. Executions used to be carried out on the square on Friday afternoons. They have since stopped this practice. As non-Muslims, we are not allowed inside the mosque, but through the entrance door we get a glimpse of the courtyard.

Saudi Arabia - The mudbrick Al Masmak Fort in Riyadh dating from 1865

The streets around the fort used to be part of the walled old city. Due to city expansion, most of the city walls have been demolished. However, many small shops remain in the narrow alleys. We walk through the covered Deerah Souq. The old souq is known for selling gold and antiques. Sellers want to know where we are from today. Most come from India, Bangladesh, or Nepal. None of the sellers are Saudi. At Deera Square, we order something to drink. It’s 37 degrees with a clear blue sky. Due to the dry air, the heat doesn’t feel uncomfortable. Resting occasionally and drinking enough remains important. Back at the car, an older man uses hand gestures to indicate that we have to pay five riyals per hour. We parked for two hours and pay ten riyals (about 3 euros) at the booth. We drive to the suburb for the Grand Al Rajhi Mosque. In some places, traffic is completely at a standstill. We can only wait patiently. Around one o’clock, we arrive at the mosque. We park near a small shopping center nearby. This turns out to be unnecessary. Next to the mosque is a huge parking lot. From the signs, we understand that guided tours are given in the mosque, but only at three o’clock. We are too early. Also, the tour will not be for women. Through the doorway, we look into the enormous prayer hall. A few men are praying. The mosque can accommodate as many as 18,000 worshippers. In a side wing, a funeral is just beginning. A man asks where we come from. “Ah Holland!” Then he tells us his brother has passed away. This conversation feels a bit awkward. From the mosque, it’s a seventeen-kilometer drive back to the modern center of Riyadh. It takes us three-quarters of an hour to get there. There is a lot of traffic on the road. Along the way, we see construction everywhere for the metro. My neighbor from the plane still has some work to do. At the Al Faisaliyah Tower, a skyscraper with a large golden ball, we look for a parking spot.

Saudi Arabia - The first skyscraper in Riyadh was opened in 2000

We drive into the parking garage under the complex. This turns out to be only for pass holders. We quickly drive out again. The streets are full of parked cars everywhere. No spots available. Riyadh is really a car city. The wide boulevards are separated by high median strips. There are no pedestrian crossings. Intersections are kilometers apart. A man gestures if we are looking for a parking spot. We are. He lets us park on his lot for 20 riyals, about 6 euros. We decide to do that. From this makeshift parking lot, we walk to the ‘Globe’. A visit to the Globe Experience panoramic platform is relatively expensive. We decide to do it anyway. We are only here once. Shortly after, we zoom up in the elevator at high speed to the top of Riyadh’s oldest skyscraper. We emerge onto the viewing platform just below the golden sphere. Inside the sphere, with a diameter of 24 meters, is a restaurant. From the platform, 200 meters high, we see the entire city. Our hotel, the fort, the mosque at the city’s edge, and right in front of us the Kingdom Tower. This skyscraper shaped like a bottle opener is the tallest in the city. From above, we estimate the distance at 1.5 to 2 kilometers. We decide to walk there. This way we also experience the city’s atmosphere. When we want a drink at an Italian restaurant along the way, we are shocked by the prices. A cola costs four times as much as this morning at Deera Square. We get up again. Further on, at Starbucks, we have more success. The skybridge in the Kingdom Tower is accessible from the shopping center under the building. A large and luxurious shopping mall. The entrance to the Skybridge is not cheap either. Still, shortly after, we take the elevator up. From the skybridge at the top of the 302-meter-high skyscraper, we see all of Riyadh. It is five o’clock and the sun is already low over the city. Below us, we see the car traffic moving painfully slowly in the evening rush hour on the wide boulevards. The infrastructure is really a problem for this city.

Saudi Arabia - The skybridge in the Kingdom Tower at 300 meters height

Will the metro help? When we walk back to the car, it is already completely dark. The tall buildings are illuminated with colorful LED lighting. The parking attendant has already gone home. We get in the car and drive back to our hotel. Near the hotel are a few restaurants. Mostly fast-food chains. People seem to prefer easy food and take-away. We choose a local-looking restaurant. The menu is only in Arabic. “Shall I prepare something with chicken and meat?” the waiter asks. He adds a dish that someone is eating at the table on the left and an egg dish on the table on the right. We eat from the four dishes with bread. It tastes delicious. When we get up, other guests offer that I can try some of their dishes too.

Saudi Arabia - A selection of Arabic dishes

I take a small bite. This also tastes good. At half past nine, we return to the hotel. The door of one of the two bedrooms is closed. The digital key card for the front door doesn’t work on the bedroom door. At reception, they reactivate the card. This doesn’t help. The second attempt also fails. After someone comes along, we receive a new extra card. Problem solved.