Our common understanding about cities is informed by how they developed. In lower density or rural areas, they tend to be small with less associated infrastructure and plenty of room for people to spread out. When cities are near water, they reflect it commercially—often geared toward facilitating trade and the movement of goods. As populations grow, cities expand outward and, as constrained by geography, often upward. As space becomes more valuable, cities eventually grow vertically. The wealthy will often occupy the high floors, with good views; the poor then live in their shadow.

As cities grow, the roads, sewers, and services must also expand, bit by bit. Transportation systems develop and evolve to move inhabitants as they need, utilizing new modes of transportation through streets and tunnels often built for something prior. Congestion, pollution, and complaints are inevitable byproducts of these familiar processes.

But what if there was a different way?

Saudi Arabia’s current population is 32 million. It is projected to reach about 45 million by 2050. Yes, it is a large country — it occupies 830,000 square miles, making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, second largest in the Arab region, and the largest in West Asia and the Middle East. Given its size, it is understandable that some people do not quite grasp that some of its existing infrastructure is at risk of having its capacity strained as growth continues. Fortunately, there is plenty of wonderful space for development.

Location of NEOM in northwest Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia has two unique assets: great space and great wealth. And, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud has a flair for bold projects. One noteworthy project’s ambition is signaled by its name: NEOM. The first three letters come from the Ancient Greek prefix neo, meaning “new.” The “M” is from Mustaqbal, an Arabic word meaning “future.” It is also the first initial of the Crown Prince’s name.

Map of NEOM.

In the West and in large cities around the globe, “biggest” and “newest” often mean a 100-some-story steel needle dominating the skyline. In Saudi Arabia, where NEOM’s first goal is “thinking differently about everything,” one particular project is, literally, a new city that aims to be 100% sustainable. It is being designed to be walkable and rely completely on renewable energy. “The Line,” as it is called, is envisioned to stretch over 105 miles (170 kilometers) on the Red Sea coast in the northwestern Saudi Arabian province of Tabuk.

Continue reading »

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is approximately the size of France, Spain, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom (twice), Greece, and Portugal combined. In reference to the United States, its land area is roughly equal to all states east of the Mississippi River. Saudi Arabia is more than 3 times the size of the state of Texas.

Saudi Arabia shares land borders with seven countries: Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Across a 16 miles (25 kilometer) causeway in the Gulf lies the island kingdom of Bahrain.

With over 35 million inhabitants, Saudi Arabia has 13 provinces all united by the Arabic language, but each with unique dialects, traditions, cuisines, landscapes, and heritage.

One cannot help but be moved by the imposing contours and beauty of the seemingly endless, ever-changing, windswept Arabian dunes, the sand-washed ancient cities, and the sparkling waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf.

Relief map of Saudi Arabia

There are no permanent rivers or lakes in the Kingdom.

The desert, often scorching hot by day, can become surprisingly cold at night. When it rains, the water gathers and is stored in the dampened sand. Little evaporation occurs once rain sinks below seven feet. It is believed that some plants today are still drawing moisture from rain that fell more than a thousand years ago.

There are still Bedouin tribes traditionally known for their bravery, chivalry, generosity, and hospitality in Saudi Arabia. Very few of them still live a nomadic life or depend solely on their animals for food. Most live near towns, hold jobs, send their children to school, and only camp in the desert during specific periods of the year.

Lawrence wrote in Seven Pillars of Wisdom: “Bedouin ways were hard, even for those brought up in them and for strangers terrible: a death in life.” No man can live this life and emerge unchanged. He will carry, however faint, the imprint of the desert, the brand which marks the nomad; and he will have within him the yearning to return, weak or insistent according to his nature. For this cruel land can cast a spell which no temperate clime can match.

From Arabian Sands, by Wilfred Thesiger.

There are many cities as well as Bedouin areas on the Arabian Peninsula. Islam was born in two of those cities—Makkah and Medina. From there, the religion spread to a large swathe of the world, from Spain to China. As it expanded, it promoted a love of learning and science. Discoveries and developments from Arab and Muslim scientists provided the foundation for many of the ideas and concepts that were part of the European Renaissance and beyond.

In 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia began issuing tourist visas. Through its Vision 2030 development plan it has made significant investments to develop infrastructure and promote its diverse collection of mountains, beaches, coral reefs, grasslands, and forests, let alone the largest sand sea in the world! Tourism and travel bridge people, time, and cultures, leading to deeper understanding.

When I was the Executive Vice President at the Huntsman Cancer Foundation, I traveled to Saudi Arabia several times.

I wanted to return.

I explored the Kingdom for 12 weeks in early 2022 with the purpose of writing and photographing the 13 regions of Saudi Arabia. I had the privilege of visiting Riyadh, AlUla, Madain Saleh, Tabuk, NEOM, Jeddah, Taif, Jubbah, Hail, Al Khobar, Dammam, Al-Ahsa, and Abha in the Asir Region.

This is about the seaside port of Jeddah on the eastern shore of the Red Sea.

Like all ancient and living ocean ports, Jeddah is a place of access, of mixing, and of exchange. It has a history reaching back into biblical times.

Jeddah was derived from the Arabic word for “Grandmother” in reference to Eve who, as the myth recounts, was buried in Historic Jeddah at a site known as the “Cemetery of Our Mother Eve.”

Jeddah faces out across the Red Sea towards Africa just 120 miles to the west: towards Sudan, Egypt, Eritrea, Djibouti, and Ethiopia.

Historic Jeddah has a rich tradition of harvesting rainwater. Around the 6th century CE, Persians settled in the city. They constructed the first water supply system in the form of wells and cisterns inside and out of the city walls to secure enough continuous fresh water.

Continue reading »

Saudi Arabia is located on the Arabian Peninsula in southwest Asia. It shares land borders with Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen; and maritime borders with Bahrain, Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, and Sudan. Its geography is dominated by Rub’ al Khali (also known as the Empty Quarter), the world’s largest continuous sand desert.

Saudi Arabia is the 13th largest nation in terms of land area. The Kingdom is four times the size of France, western Europe’s largest country.

On a geological timescale, the Arabian Peninsula is young. It separated from the main African continent approximately 25 million years ago, creating the Red Sea. It is no surprise that Saudi Arabia’s desert has much in common with the Sahara. Indeed, the sands have the same orange coloration due to the presence of iron oxides.

I explored the Kingdom for three months last year with the purpose of writing about and photographing its natural beauty, history, and splendor. It was a rich and beguiling experience. Saudi Arabia is complicated, but fascinating and intriguing with its unique and special architecture, traditions, landscapes, and people. It is at once everything you have heard it to be and absolutely nothing like you have heard it to be.

Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

I spent some of my time staying on the beach in Al Aziziya in the Gulf.

Early morning is my favorite time. Watching the sun rise over the waters of the Gulf was never disappointing.

My friend Ahmed Almubarak and I went on a road trip to visit his family and explore Al-Ahsa.

Ahmed Almubarak and I en route to Al-Ahsa.

Al-Ahsa is known for its natural limestone. Limestone is used to make cement.

Continue reading »

In 2019, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia began issuing tourist visas. Through its Vision 2030 development plan it has made significant investments to develop infrastructure and promote its diverse collection of mountains, beaches, coral reefs, grasslands, and forests, let alone the largest sand sea in the world! Tourism and travel bridge people, time, and cultures, leading to deeper understanding.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is approximately the size of France, Spain, Germany, Italy, United Kingdom (twice), Greece, and Portugal combined. In reference to the United States, its land area is roughly equal to all states east of the Mississippi River. Saudi Arabia is more than 3 times the size of the state of Texas.

Saudi Arabia shares land borders with seven countries: Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Across a 16 miles (25 kilometer) causeway in the Gulf lies the island kingdom of Bahrain.

With over 35 million inhabitants, Saudi Arabia has 13 provinces all united by the Arabic language, but each with unique dialects, traditions, cuisines, landscapes, and heritage.

One cannot help but be moved by the imposing contours and beauty of the seemingly endless, ever-changing, windswept Arabian dunes, the sand-washed ancient cities, and the sparkling waters of the Red Sea and the Gulf.

Taif is different.

Continue reading »