Saudi Arabia > The Mud City of Ushaiger

Before breakfast, I pack my luggage again. After three nights in Riyadh, we continue our journey through Saudi Arabia. Today, breakfast is again delivered to the room. This time, no complaints about us not putting the empty plates in the hallway. The young man asks with interest where we are from. He proudly tells us he is from Nepal. By now, we have spoken to many workers from various neighboring countries. Around eight o’clock, we leave the capital for the last time. Even today, the morning rush hour is not very busy. The city clearly only comes to life when evening falls. For part of the way, we follow yesterday’s route, then turn off toward Qassim. The highway runs through the desert. Occasionally, red sand dunes appear. A beautiful landscape to drive through. After two and a half hours, we arrive in Ushaiger. Here lies the “mud city,” an old historic town where houses were once built from clay and mud. The narrow streets were covered to better protect against the fierce sun. We park the car in front of the Al-Salim Heritage Museum. A few cars are parked there. The museum is a wild collection of old objects and former belongings of the royal family. The collection was assembled by the villagers themselves. Inside, there are two other visitors — Dutch, of course. The museum caretaker explains some things about the museum. He apologizes that his English is poor. In each room, he points out a few objects — probably only those he knows the English translation for. We are already glad he doesn’t name everything. The rooms are packed full. At the end of the tour, Ibrahim — that’s the guide’s name — offers us coffee. The other Dutch visitors leave. They want to drive to Ha’il today. We will do that tomorrow. Ibrahim comes with a large tray. In small cups, he pours Arabic coffee. It resembles water steeped with coffee beans. He also opens two boxes of dates — sweet sugar-coated dates and a box of fresh dates. Ibrahim quickly refills our cups. He is sorry he speaks so little English. Using his phone, he translates Arabic into Dutch. This works surprisingly well.

Saudi Arabia - In the museum we are offered coffee and dates

This way, he can give us extra information about an old coffee pot from the Netherlands in the collection. “May I take a photo of you for Instagram?” Of course. Ibrahim is from Yemen. His wife and four daughters still live there. We decline another round of coffee and dates and thank Ibrahim for his hospitality. Next to the museum begins the historic mud city. We walk through the narrow covered alleys. All houses and walls are built from mud. There are several mosques in town. We enter the Ushaiqer Heritage Mosque with the old minaret. Via a staircase, we climb to the roof. From here, we have a view over the mud city. The difference between the dilapidated and restored houses is large. A door of the minaret is open. I try the narrow mud staircase inside the minaret. After two turns, I stop. I feel the mud tower move. I go back. We wander through the labyrinth of streets. Because the houses in this part of the old village are no longer inhabited, it feels like walking through a ghost town.

Saudi Arabia - The old Ushaiqer Heritage Mosque with its clay minaret

Back at the car, we look for a drink. We drive into the town of Ushaiger, next to the mud city. Nowhere do we see any hospitality venues. When we are almost back at the museum, we see a square with small shops. All are closed. Probably people are on their lunch break or it is time for prayer. We decide to keep driving and buy something to drink at a gas station. After several dozen kilometers, we see a station. When we enter, the station is closed. At the second gas station, an employee gestures the pump is closed. The shop is open. We buy bread, cheese, fish, and orange juice. Since the pump is still closed, we park the car in the shade under the former gas station canopy. Here we make sandwiches. We will refuel later. We continue to Qassim. Many dates are grown in this area. We drive past large palm plantations. We also see large round circles of wheat and potatoes. These circles are irrigated with a sprinkler system that moves around the center, causing the crops to grow in a large circle.

Saudi Arabia - The endless desert roads look as if drawn with a ruler

We stop at a plantation. The dates have already been harvested. Only the bad dates remain as waste under the trees. In Qassim is the date market. Under a canopy, dates are sold. People barely look up when we arrive. An auctioneer is selling batches of dates. While we watch the scene, someone approaches with wrapped dates and gives them to us. A gift, emphasizes the Arab. How kind. Many people want to know where we are going today. Here, too, most workers come from countries like Yemen, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. A local Arab explains the quality difference between the dates. He lets us taste one of the better dates. Delicious. When we say goodbye, he beckons us. He gives us a full box of dates — a present. It feels a little embarrassing to accept the box, but we cannot refuse. We part with a firm handshake. While we look at the car wondering how to store the box safely, a second Arab approaches with an overflowing box in his hands. He walks right up to us. This box is also for us. We were already at a loss with one full box; now we have two. What are we supposed to do with six kilos of dates? We thank him warmly as well.

Saudi Arabia - The dates are auctioned by the auctioneer at the Qassim date market

We quickly get in the car before more sellers come. We drive half an hour to the center of Buraydah. Here lies our hotel. When we arrive at the place indicated by the navigation, we do not see the hotel. On closer inspection, the building with the Arabic name of our hotel is under scaffolding. The hotel seems closed. We ask at the Dunkin Donuts branch. The five employees and customers all try to help. Everyone seems to point in a different direction. One employee beckons us to follow him. Through a narrow alley, we arrive at the back of the building. Here is the hotel entrance. One of the customers drives past and asks curiously if we managed to find it.

Saudi Arabia - The hotel looks closed the entrance on the other side turns out to be open

In this hotel, too, we have a kind of apartment with two rooms. Perfect for the overnight stay. From the hotel, we walk into the city in search of something to drink and eat. We pass various shops but no restaurants. Several people want to know where we come from. We notice mostly foreign workers speak to us. The Saudis are less talkative. We find no restaurant in the shopping area. On Google Maps, we only see a restaurant called “Burger Days.” We walk there. It turns out to be a kind of local McDonald’s. We see no other alternative and order the chicken burger menu. It tastes fine. On the way back, we look for a supermarket. We have to arrange our own breakfast tomorrow morning. The only supermarket closes before eight o’clock in the evening. We decide to get coffee at Starbucks tomorrow morning. For now, we end the evening with coffee at the more luxurious Towers Hotel across the street.