It was a trip to Bangladesh that led me to travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. I was going to fly through there anyway, but why not spend a couple of days? But Jeddah was already and recently on my radar. For many years I wrote off Saudi Arabia as a travel destination altogether. Too repressive of women and their government seemed too … problematic. But over the years I travelled to so many other countries with problematic human rights and social policies that why single out this one country as a no-go zone? And over time, Saudi Arabia did lift some of their laws. They allowed women some more freedoms and put in place a tourist visa program that actually welcomes tourists, so the time seemed right to visit.
Saudi Arabia is, of course, huge, but the only bits that appeal to me are the desert ruins and Jeddah. The desert ruins I would have to see on a tour (I don’t drive & there isn’t adequate public transportation) but a couple days in Jeddah seemed like a good way to see something of the country.
I had booked my flight to Jeddah where I would spend three nights and two full days. Not a lot of time, but as it turned out, just the right amount. (I have already posted about the flights and visas for this round the world trip on another post.)
I arrived in Saudi Arabia from Vancouver via stops in London and Cairo. While I waited to board my flight, I noticed all of the signage for Mecca. Jeddah is the closest airport to Mecca and my flight was full of people making their pilgrimage. Many were dressed in specific white robes that they are required to wear before passing a certain boundary around Mecca, called miqaat or miqat. On the flight there was an announcement 15 minutes before passing this boundary so the pilgrims could prepare themselves and recite certain prayers. I’ve never had that on a flight before. It felt a little weird sitting inches away from people engaging in a religious ritual while I watched some random horror movie on my seat back.
I landed in Jeddah and, having already secured my e-visa, I entered into the country without issue. I changed some Euros into Riyal at the airport and got a taxi. It was all quite easy.
I had booked myself into the Red Sea Palace Hotel. There are no hostels in Jeddah that I could find. There are a ton of very fancy (and expensive) hotels. I picked the Red Sea Palace Hotel because it was right by the old city, Al-Balad, which was the area I was interested in. Most of the fancy hotels are in a fancy area quite far away and that area did not appeal to me at all. My hotel was fine. Clean and comfortable and not too pricy, though still more than I prefer to spend. The location was perfect.
It was in an area that was older and had a lot of restaurants and a market and was basically across the street from Al-Balad, the historic centre.
Al-Balad, a UNESCO site, is this lovely and intriguing area founded in the 7th C but filled will beautiful buildings from about the 1600s. Many of them have been restored and many are currently under restoration. Others are still dilapidated. They are mostly a few stories tall and feature balconies with colorful wooden screens, designed to provide shade from the punishing sun and also protection to women from the gaze of people outside of their households.
It is a lovely place to explore and it very photogenic. I loved it, but was a bit disappointed by how quiet it was. There are some shops and cafes in Al-Balad, but most didn’t open until late in the day, and at all times it was just quiet. I understood from people I talked to that because it was August and so hot that people weren’t so inclined to hang out. Things got busier in the evening, but still, there were not a lot of people around. After all, Saudi Arabia is not a poor country where you would be more likely to find people crowding outdoor cafes in the evenings to escape the heat. People have houses and AC and seem to prefer to frequent the fancier restaurants and malls in the newer areas. That said, I did find some places to enjoy a tea and a bit to eat and there were some people out playing backgammon and visiting, but it was far from lively.
In Al-Balad, apparently, there are some small house museums one can visit, but they seemed to be open only to people on tours, were difficult to find, and when I did find them they were just closed. I did find one art gallery in an old, large house. It was free, contained some lackluster paintings and I was the only person there.
The areas just around Al-Balad were more energetic. There were shops and markets. People hard at work selling textiles and spices, butchering meat, or making hookahs.
My first day was spent exploring these areas. I finished the day having Indonesian food and Wong Solo, a popular restaurant near my hotel. That atmosphere was lacking but the food was excellent.
The next day I decided to see a bit of the sea and what lay beyond the historic centre. I caught a taxi and had it drive me quite a ways up the corniche and drop me off. I decided to walk back. As you head north everything is quite modern. Big malls, hotels, restaurants, and commercial centres. None of it appealed to me. Plus, it is very car-centric. Long distances between things, big busy streets, and not a lot of charm.
I decided to walk back along the corniche, along the sea. The sea is lovely of course, but it was hot. And humid. I walked for miles, with little to stop and enjoy apart from a pretty white mosque. I took refuge in a Starbucks – a place I would usually avoid, but it was just so hot. I needed refuge and there was not much else around.
The heat was increased by what I was wearing. Saudi Arabia does not require that women wear abayas, but you need to be covered at least to the elbows and knees. That said, I realized right away that wearing an abaya is the way to go. I found that if I didn’t wear one – even if I was fully covered, I was not treated as well as when I was wearing an abaya and headscarf. So I wore leggings, a long-sleeved, light shirt, a long black abaya and a headscarf. I looked ok, but I was sweltering. I guess that is part of the reason why I saw so few people walking.
I felt like an outsider. Aside from a few conversations conversations, I didn’t find the people to be super welcoming and felt like I was at arm’s length from really experiencing the culture. I think visiting places outside of the major cities would be a different experience. I should say that the were people who I did engage with were very nice. One two occasions, people just came up to me on the street and gave me bottles of water. The man who was making hookahs in his shop invited me to watch and take photos. The coffee kiosk in a small square was busy with construction workers who went out of their way to make sure I got what I needed and had a shady spot to sit. Most people did not speak English, but their gestures and efforts told me they were kind and hospitable.
While I didn’t love my walk down the corniche, I did like Jeddah, but specifically the area in and around Al-Balad.
I had an excellent meal at Foul Fattah, a popular local restaurant on the edge of Al-Balad that served up delicious breakfasts of foul and hummus and fresh flat bread with spicy pickled peppers, and had some of the friendliest people I met in Jeddah.
I spent both of my evenings enjoying cigars and cool beverages in amongst the buildings of Al-Balad.
I had worried that two days might not be enough. They were. I had a good time and while there was more I could have done, I was happy with what I saw and glad I went. That said, I didn’t love it. It was interesting and Al-Balad was beautiful, but the vibe or soul of it wasn’t for me. In some ways I feel bad saying that, but in other ways, it is kind of a welcome change to not always be gushing about how ‘amazing’ my travel destinations are. This is, after all, just an account of my experiences.
I would go back to Saudi Arabia, but only if I were going to see some of its amazing-looking desert vistas and historical ruins outside of the cities. It would be interesting to visit some small towns and engage with people more. I’m not at the stage where I am re-visiting many places, but maybe someday.
I left Jeddah at an ungodly hour on a flight to my next destination, one I was eagerly anticipating: Dhaka, Bangladesh.
