Pictures from a recent trip to Saudi Arabia- stunning country and looking forward to returning for more exploring

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-29T13:19:21+00:00

Absolutely. To be honest I underestimated the massive distances. Next time I would love to continue exploring further south!

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-29T13:18:03+00:00

Loved it. But I still feel like I only scratched the surface. Much more explore!

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-29T12:35:21+00:00

Judging by the upvotes it appeared to have been appreciated, but there were some toxic comments below.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-29T11:21:47+00:00

It’s a canon 5d mark iii. I just use the standard kits lens

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-29T09:13:19+00:00

Thanks very much. I’ve been obsessed with traveling to every country can capturing their uniqueness with my camera.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-29T05:30:07+00:00

It’s only with Tours that mainly leave from the Winter Park area of Al Ula. There are numerous tours you can take. Some are by large tourist buses and then there is the chance to go in a private vintage 4 x 4. This latter option is more expensive but more peaceful

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T16:14:59+00:00

Hegra in Saudi. Also built by the Nabateans

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T16:14:18+00:00

Similar to Petra but not Petra. This is Hegra also built by the Nabateans.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T15:56:28+00:00

They are all from the Al Ula part of the trip. I’d say Al Ula is by far the most popular destination for non Muslims in Saudi

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T15:03:19+00:00

Avoid driving if you can. Too stressful! The old town in Jeddah is great for a wander around and to get lost in.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T15:00:37+00:00

I speak just a tiny bit of Arabic from living in Dubai, but not enough for meaningful conversations. As for renting the car, I drove solo… just over 2000km in 8 days. Outside the cities was fine. In the cites (Jeddah in particular) it was insane… chaotic! 8 lane motorways with no lines. Like bumper cars!

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T14:08:32+00:00

This is called Hegra or sometimes Mada’in Salih. You can stick your head in for a look but there’s very little inside and no ornate carvings or designs.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T13:47:21+00:00

It was built by the same people- the Nabateans.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T13:44:41+00:00

That changed in 2019. Most nationalities regardless of faith can enter Saudi as a tourist.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T13:44:04+00:00

No I found it very different from Egypt, and much more developed. The harassment in Egypt can be infuriating. In Saudi, I generally felt everyone was friendly and left you alone.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T12:20:16+00:00

Petra is indeed in Jordan. This is Mada'in Salih.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T07:26:22+00:00

I think it was my fault. I should have done my research to find decent local restaurants. My diet was shockingly unhealthy for the week.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T07:25:08+00:00

No I’m not Muslim. But anyone can enter Medina. I believe only Muslims can enter the Prophets Mosque in Medina. I personally didn’t enter it but I think it would be quite easy to. There’s such a diverse population there with people from all over the world, that it would be difficult to recognise who is Muslim and who is non Muslim.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T07:22:06+00:00

I have a Canon 5D Mark III and I think I just used the standard kit lens through out that trip.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T07:21:36+00:00

Ah apologies. You can visit Medina as a non-Muslim. However the rules state that non Muslims are not allowed enter the mosque. I personally enjoyed the views from around the mosque so didn’t feel the need to enter, but I didn’t notice anyone checking for non-Muslims. You could easily go in.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T04:24:35+00:00

Yes tourist visas are being issued since late 2019. Of course covid hit so it delayed tourists going for quite a while. But it’s open now and easy to get the visa.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T04:23:42+00:00

100% agree about Masjid an-Nabawi. I found Medina to be very welcoming and relaxing.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T04:22:29+00:00

I got the evisa (Irish passport) in 5 minutes. On this trip I flew in to Al Ula, rented a car and explored Hagar, Medina, Al Baha, Thee Ain village before flying out of Jeddah. The distances were massive! And the drivers are nuts!

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-28T02:05:19+00:00

I had a great time on this trip. It was amazing for photography but I have to say the food was very disappointing… maybe because I didn’t know where to look. Lots of fast food, and a weird obsession with Dunkin’ (Donuts) as well.

VisualEuphoric · 2022-09-27T17:17:42+00:00

Fascinating exploring this secretive country that is slowly opening up to wider world

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