In brief: We hold many memories of sight, sound, and taste from our visit to the Kingdom. In the end, though, it’s the people such as those below that made the time special. We also…
The southwestern part of Saudi Arabia surprised us with the fascinating contrasts of Jeddah, the stunning mountain landscape that parallels the Red Sea, the unexpected Farasan Islands off the coast, and our return to the…
In brief: The northwest spans eternities, from the timeless grandeur of sandstone formations to the architectural sensibility of the Nabataeans to the spiritual centers of Islam. As the sun slid beyond the bulbous hills, and…
In brief: We explore the desert cities in the east: Riyadh, the expanding capital; Buraydah, a crossroads for trade; and Hail for ancient art. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – a land with a rich…
In brief: We did not know what to expect at this far eastern Saudi town within the desert of a supremely wealthy country. We found it highly commercial, quickly expanding, and very welcoming. Oil is…
In brief: The oohs, aahs, and wows keep happening when people visit the Al-Qarah caves, part of the World Heritage oasis of the Al-Hasa. The oohs, aahs, and wows keep happening when people visit the…
In brief: At the World Heritage Al-Hasa oasis we found more than palms nurtured by plentiful spring water. We tapped into the flow of Saudi history as well. Lured by the World Heritage status of…
In brief: Some of the most notable places in Qatar to experience its balance between modernity and tradition are its museums. Some of the most notable places in Doha to experience its balance between modernity…
In brief: Doha was perfect to finish our touring of the three Gulf States. Its many charms as well as its balance of new and old, consumption and culture, delighted us. There was so much…
In brief: In the newly wealthy Gulf States, history can seem just 50 to 100 years old. In Bahrain, we traced 5000 years from the Bronze Age to the flourishing pearl trade. Wandering through the…