Think of all the great cities of the Arabian Peninsula - Jeddah, Doha, Muscat, Dubai, Kuwait,
Abu Dhabi, what do they all have in common? well they all embrace the sea which is logical really
because why would anyone build a city in the middle of an inhospitable desert? a city of
over 7 million people? that would be crazy right?! in Saudi Arabia expect the unexpected
this is Riyadh! welcome to Riyadh [Music] During my short visit I'll be sampling the cultural life,
Walking in the Air, stepping into the future as well as the past ,experiencing the festival
of light, and also buying lots of dates. Before we dive into this mad Metropolis
don't forget to subscribe and click for notifications - okay yallah yallah, let's go!
I arrived in Riyadh with an image of a dusty city of busy highways and vast shopping malls,
but as I soon found out there's much more to the city than those stereotypes. Where I am
now was the historic centre of Riyadh but there are very few original buildings remaining one
of those though is the building behind me, the Masmak fort although even that only dates back
around 150 year. the Masmak Fortress is now a museum that details how the army of King Abdul
Aziz retook the fort in the 1902 Battle of Riyadh. the restoration of Saudi control over the capital
was a key event in the unification of the entire country and the establishment of the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia in 1932. Models and old photographs show clearly how even into the 1950s Riyadh
extended little beyond the fort's walls. As I was walking around the fort I thought to myself you
know there must be some octogenarians in Riyadh who can remember a childhood spent in a small
town surrounded by mud brick walls. If their teachers had told them then that one day this
would be one of the largest cities in the world I don't think anybody would have believed them!
There are a few places in Riyadh that better exemplify the rapid pace of change here in
Saudi Arabia. I'm at Justice Square, until fairly recently you could be sitting here
on a Friday and suddenly witnessing a public execution, that's why it's also known as Chop
Chop Square. These days it's more cafe latte than Chop Chop which has to be a move in the
right direction! There are a number of souks to the south of the square, the most traditional
of which is the carpet Market the Souk Al Zel which is also a great place to pick up antiques.
My hotel is near the Faisaliah tower which is useful because if there's a communication
problem with the taxi driver I simply make the sign of a pyramid. it was completed in 2000 and
Norman Foster and partners had the honour of creating the first skyscraper in Saudi Arabia,
which seems incredible now because in 2023 Jeddah is building the tallest tower in the world. I'm
told that the golden orb is a gourmet restaurant and that there's an observation deck but sadly
it's closed today - but not to worry because now in Riyadh there is of course a much taller tower!
Ever since I first saw a picture of the Kingdom tower and realized that there was a Skywalk across
the very top I thought I really want to do that and today's the day even though I get terrible
vertigo! let's do it! Kingdom Tower sits above a shopping mall and its Lobby has quite an art deco
vibe. The 99 storeys include offices a hotel and luxury apartments all with Incredible views over
the city but none that beat those of the skybridge 300 m above the city streets. Well I've got the
shots that I need and my legs are now starting to turn to jelly so I think that's me done!
Riyadh is currently building a Metro and it can't come soon enough, I've not been here very long and
already I've realised that I might as well walk than take a taxi because it's faster! [Music]
[Music]
Now you're probably wondering where does this desert Metropolis get its water from? that is
a very good question! With the limited groundwater reserves now proving vastly
insufficient for the modern city the majority of Riyadh's water comes from desalination plants on
the Arabian Gulf nearly 500 km away but desalination comes at an enormous cost
both financially and for the environment which is why water consumption initiatives
are high on the government's agenda. As the country becomes hotter and drier Riyadh faces
an increasing problem - in the future water will be a more valuable commodity than oil.
The national museum of Saudi Arabia is the jewel in Riyadh's cultural crown. With a rich
collection of artifacts it studies the history of the Arabian Peninsula over the centuries from
pre-islamic times to the modern Saudi State. You'll find Priceless examples of rock art,
for example these standing stones are some of the earliest monuments of Arabia and date from
the fourth millennium BC. Curious how there's an element of pop art in these ancient symbols! The
hall dedicated to the Nabateans and their City at Hegra includes a recreation of one of the
famous rock tombs as well as various artifacts from the UNESCO world heritage site. The story
of the Prophet Muhammad is of course given great prominence in the museum. I learned a huge amount
about his legendary flight to Medina to avoid his circling enemies in Mecca - a story that is
close to the heart of all Muslims but less well known in the wider world. The Halls dedicated to
the two holy mosques at Mecca and Medina are an absolute must see. For a non-muslim this
is as close to experiencing Mecca as I will ever get! The scale models are simply stunning. And of
course the natural world of the Arabian Peninsula is not forgotten from beautiful desert roses to a
mysterious meteorite found in the empty quarter. This is a world class museum and you'll need
to give it at least 2 hours to do it any kind of justice. It's also surrounded by
one of the most welcoming green spaces in the whole of the city. It's a true oasis.
Now for some shopping! Saudi Arabia is THE place to buy dates so a trip to the Lulu Hypermarket
is like Date Nirvana. Forget those tiny packs that you get back in the UK, look at that -1
kilogram of Premium Medjool dates, and a few more besides right up to the maximum weight limit.
Of course there's no shortage of upmarket places to eat but if you're on a budget or
simply want something quick then try the food courts in the shopping malls. I've become a
massive fan of Yemeni Cuisine and whilst I was in the Panorama Mall I've just been
to see the new Napoleon Movie - big deal you might say? well actually it IS a big
deal because don't forget that Cinemas only reopened here 6 years ago after being closed
for 35 years. Generations and generations without going to the movies - and if you're
curious no it wasn't segregated, that's how fast Saudi Arabia is changing now.
As you drive in from the airport you can't fail to miss this collection of contemporary glass
towers. This is the King Abdullah Finance District or the KAFD for short and as you
can see it's just littered with Cutting Edge architecture. It's a business district and also
a leisure and residential zone, and as you can hear a lot of it is still under construction. A
host of world famous Architects have been brought in to give shape to the KAFD, this city within a
city feels to me a little like London's Barbican Centre, albeit updated for 21st century Arabia.
If you'll forgive the pun Riyadh is definitely not a cultural desert! Tonight is the opening
night of a festival of light called Noor 2023 with which is taking place at various sites across the
city but I think this has to be the perfect location because KAFD is itself probably one
of the largest light installations on the planet. This is the part where I think that I've entered
Blade Runner. In fact this is the third edition of Noor Riyadh and is the largest Light Festival
in the world. I only wish I'd had time to visit all of the locations - maybe next year! [Music]
Outside the King Fahd Library you'll find street food, electric scooters,
toy cars, and if you're really lucky something very special.[Music]
I told you there was a really full cultural programme [Music]
For now Riyadh remains more of a business destination but over the years to come that
will no doubt change. The Billboards are already up for Expo 2030 and then of course there's also
the World Cup. They' better get that Metro finished!! If you've enjoyed this short film
then please subscribe to the channel and I'll see you on the next journey[Music]