Redoing Riyadh

Few years ago, i was on an assignment in Saudi. For a few months, I had to spend a couple of weeks per month in the Kingdom. Sometime it was in Jeddah , others in Riyadh.

Jeddah was cool back then. Very chilled out and relaxed, and most of my friends were there anyways. I can say that i had a decent time there.

Riyadh, on the other hand, was a bit of a mission for me. Back then, I used to walk down the street with a haunting sense of self intimidation. Although no one actually bothered me, but its just how way the streets, buildings, the whole vibe of the place made me feel.

"Your walls are very high here," I once pointed out to a Riyadh resident friend of mine while driving around in Riyadh.

I noticed that walls surrounding houses, villas and compounds are 5 to 6 meters high. That's almost the same height of 2 floors in a typical building. Those walls completely blocked out any exterior or architectural detail. Making Riyadh's residential neighbourhoods look like a set of plain and adjacent concrete blocks and an endless series of walls.

"People are very private here,"my friend abruptly pointed out. " Whether they like it or not."

Last Sunday I landed in Riyadh after a being away for about 4 years. I have to say that things were different.

• Buildings and streets where much cleaner and neater. The city looked really modern and renovated.
• Streets and traffic were a bit more organised and less chaotic than last time I was there
• In malls, more women were walking around uncovered.
• Young married Saudi couples were walking around next to each other. I think i spotted one holding hands.
• Though walls are still there, add armored vehicles, heavily armed guards and road blocks/spikes..etc, but the overall atmosphere was a bit more chilled out than before.
• I JUST REMEMBERED! I started seeing outdoor ads with human/people faces and figures. (until very recently, no ads with any human photo or drowning were allowed in Saudi)

The plan was for me to stay for two nights. I had to leave after one. I managed to find an early flight on the new Saudi budget airliner SAMA. But that's another story I'll tell you later.

I am off to Egypt in 2 hours.. will catch you all later

Ciao