Geography of the Middle East and North Africa
"Marhaba! Hello!
Welcome to Arabia -- I'm Omar. My forefathers were incense traders in the south but, thanks be to Allah, our nation was blessed with the discovery of rich petroleum fields, so now we trade a different natural resource: oil. My wife and children live with me in Riyadh, where I work as an oil and gas broker connecting producers with refineries and export companies. My eldest son has just returned from business school in the UK, so he will manage my clients while we travel.
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Education is important to my family. In fact, my daughter is currently pursuing a law degree in Oman and has invited us to begin our journey with her. Please, tufaddal (after you)."
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Jubbah al-Ha'il Petroglyphs​
"The historic city of Jubbah rests on ancient caravan routes connecting Arabia with the Levant and Mediterranean. The site's long-standing significance has been recorded via these magnificent rock art and inscriptions, now protected by UNESCO. Look! There's an ostrich! And a lion! How many different animals can you find?"
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Kingdom Centre Sky Bridge, Riyadh
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"Hey, we can see my house from here! What a glorious view from the top of the Kingdom Centre Tower. Did you know Riyadh is the second largest city in the Arab world after Cairo? Amazing to think because it is built in the middle of the desert. Click the green park below to see this massive skyscraper from the outside. Incredible. Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the city, let's head to our next site. I hope my poor old legs can handle it. "
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Masjid al-Haram (Mosque), Mecca
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"Allahu Akbar (God is great) -- what an amazing place! Can you feel the energy of all these pilgrims moving as one around the holy Kaaba? We must make seven counterclockwise rotations to complete the Tawaf rite of Hajj. Look, there's the Station of Ibrahim in its gilded shrine, though you may know him as 'Abraham'. We can also see the mighty Mecca Royal Clock standing guard above us -- it has the largest clock face in the world! What a blessing to be here. I must bring a gift from here back to my family. We can drop it off while we visit our next site."
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"Harsh rugged mountains and unpredictable rains make western Yemen an unforgiving place to cultivate agriculture, but the resilient locals have learned to adapt. For instance, whoever owns that plot across the valley has done a marvelous job maintaining their terraces. I wonder what they are growing? Perhaps wheat, barley, millet, or other cereals commonly grown in these mountains. It saddens me to think that even with all this effort, most Yemeni farmers are unable to produce enough food to support their communities and must rely heavily on imported goods. From our next location, we might see cargo ships on their way to the port."
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"This imposing 11th Century fortress sits atop Sira Island and overlooks the old port city of Aden. Not much is known of its origin, but its strategic location and panoramic views have proven useful throughout the ages. In fact, it currently serves as a modern garrison for the Yemeni Military. All the fighting and hardships in Yemen is truly heartbreaking. Let us escape a little and enjoy the beauty of nature and calm of the sea at our next stop."
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"What vibrant white beaches -- so different than the golden dunes of Saudi! The brilliant limestone mountains of Oman have truly blessed this place with an abundance of soft glistening white sands. Look at all the different tracks in the sand. I see people, 4x4s, and I think I saw hoof prints back there from people riding horse along the beach -- goodness, my wife would LOVE that! I must return with her one day. I wonder if we will see drawings of horses at our next destination?"
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Canyoneering in the Snake Gorge
"Oof, I am no longer a young man but it is worth it to see these mountains! They're beautiful. This wadi (canyon) weaves through the Ad Dakhiliyah Region like a giant serpent, thus the name. We can see here on the cliff face evidence of the violent geologic formation of the Omani mountains with massive folds and faults. We must take care: this gorge is infamously prone to deadly flash floods and there are very few places to seek shelter. Fickle weather can be a major problem at our next stop as well, I hope it doesn't affect this year's crops."
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Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat
"Arabia lost a dear and generous leader with the passing of the late Sultan Qaboos (Peace Be Upon Him). Thankfully, his legacy lives on in places like the Sultan Qaboos University in his nation's capital, with this modern islamic clock tower at its heart. His majesty was passionate about improving the lives and future of his people, so he founded the Sultanate's first, and only, public university in 1986. It has grown from 500 students its first year to over 15,000 today. Our next destination also features a rather impressive clock tower -- although it is far more famous for its central artifacts."
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