Blue Abaya

Monday, May 20, 2013

Ushaiger Heritage Village

My Article on Destination Riyadh May 2013 Travel Issue: Ushaiger Village

Ushaiger village is located approximately 180km NW out of Riyadh and is one of the oldest mud villages in the Najd region. What makes Ushaiger special is the fact that some of the local families treasured their heritage so much they decided to renovate some buildings and parts of the town back to its old glory. And all this from their own pockets! Ushaiger, which means “the little blonde”, was named after the red mountain that stands next to it. The first inhabitants settled here around 1500 years ago and the village served as a common stopping point for pilgrims going for Hajj.

Visiting Ushaiger is well worth the approximately one and a half hour drive from Riyadh. The entire day can easily surpass by wandering around the narrow streets and seemingly endless alleyways. In addition to the myriad of different types of mud houses, the village has two schools, a marketplace, a museum, a heritage house and many picturesque mosques, some of which are still in use.

Ushaiger is surrounded by an oasis and ancient farmlands which the inhabitants utilized by creating a complex irrigation and water collection system. The aim was to preserve and distribute the precious water derived from one of the many interconnected wells around the village.

The people of Ushaiger are known to be very friendly and here you can experience the famous Saudi hospitality at its best. The locals can regularly be seen sitting on benches chatting and reading newspapers. The villagers are always willing to help visitors and show them around their much adored little town. Visitors will often be invited into one of the renovated mud houses for Arabic coffee and dates or if you’re lucky and they have time, guests are welcomed to join in on the family dinner.

The interiors of these mud and straw houses are astonishing in detail and architecture; here one truly gets the feel of stepping back in time. Natural light enters the houses from the open air roofs and the many triangular windows distinctive to the Najdi style. Antique lanterns and traditional fireplaces further create a mysterious atmosphere inside the humble homes of the Ushaiger people.

Take time to browse the museum which the villagers have set up from various artifacts and old relics collected from the inhabitants. The museum keepers will be more than happy to guide you around and explain in detail the history of each item. They have a superb collection of traditional clothing including old abayas which are surprisingly colorful and intricate in detail.

There’s a small outdoor restaurant near the entrance overlooking the palm tree oasis which makes for a nice ending to the day. It’s recommended to drive up the nearby mountain for magnificent views down to the village.

Ushaiger village is peaceful, beautiful and serene and makes for a humbling and enlightening experience.

tags:culture,saudi men,Saudi-Arabia,things to do in Riyadh,tourism,travels | 6 comments

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Top Ten Things To Do In And Around Abha

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My article on Destination Riyadh's May travel issue:

Top 10 Things To Do In Abha And Around

Abha region is a very popular holiday destination in the summer due its beautiful scenery, the famous misty mountain tops and cooling breezes. Tourists from all over the GCC flock here to escape the sweltering summer heat. At an elevation of 2200m above the Red Sea, the area enjoys pleasant weather year round. Asir region has plenty of activities to do and it might be a challenge to decide between all of the activities. Here are my top ten to do list from Abha and around in no particular order:

1. Visit the New Abha resort and The Abha Lake Dam. Stroll around the lakeside in the 300,000sqm garden and dine at the luxurious Abha Palace Hotel with fantastic views of the lake and the city. You can take a scenic cable car ride from the resort to the Green Mountain.

2. Take a thrilling cable car ride down to Habala, the Hanging Village. This ancient village was built halfway down a cliff face and it used to be only accessible by ropes. It’s believed that the villagers fled the Ottomans here and lived in isolation completely self sufficiently until they were rediscovered by a Saudi army helicopter. The site is a unique piece of Saudi history but unfortunately it has become quite commercialized in the last few years but it’s still worth the visit.

3.. Drive up to the Green Mountain in the middle of Abha city. The “mountain” is actually a hill overlooking the city which is beautifully lit with green lights in the night. There’s a restaurant and café on the top with a nice outdoor terrace enjoying amazing views of Abha. Try the mint tea and sheesha while enjoying the sunset and the cool breezes on the terrace. On the way up be sure to stop at the excellent souvenir shop. There’s also a small restaurant decorated like a traditional Asiri mud house in the basement of the shop.

4. Take a bird watching or tour with the Asir Tourism Board to the various parks inside Asir National Park such as Al Qara'a, Al Souda, Al Wardeh, Dalafan, Al Jarrah, and Al Hassab. Wander around the juniper forests and spot some of the 170 bird species that make this region their home.

5. Take in the jaw dropping scenery in Soudah and marvel at the highest mountains in Saudi Arabia including the tallest peak, Jebel Soudah rising to 2910m. The mountains are famous for the mist covering the mountain tops which makes the atmosphere almost mystical. It’s always cool and serene up here. Enjoy a picnic in full privacy with only the wildlife to interrupt the silence.

6. Take the Al Soudah cable car ride down to Rijal Al Ma’a mud brick village. Visit the museum and library and the traditional food restaurant or just take a stroll in the beautiful valley.

7. Try some extreme sports in an extremely beautiful environment. Paraglide or mountain bike down the Soudah mountains. A French group organizes these in the summer months in addition to rock climbing near Habala.

8. Discover Asir regions traditional architecture by visiting the Shada Palace, Al Milfa Palace and the old mud houses dotted around Abha. Visit the Al Miftaha village turned museum to see how people lived back in the day.

9. Meet the famous Arabian Baboons that can be spotted beside most of the mountain roads. There’s a population of them near the Soudah cable car ride scavenging food from tourists. Be mindful of children with food in their hands, the baboons might attempt to grab it!

10. Explore the legendary Asiri souqs that have been named after the days they've been held on for centuries; Abha’s Tuesday market (Souq Al Thulatha) and its sister city Khamis Mushayt’s Thursday Market ( Souq al Khamis). The Tuesday market has a separate women’s souq run by all female vendors and the Thursday Market boasts some of the best gold and silver Bedouin jewelry in the region. Other finds are white or gold honey, colorful straw baskets and hats, traditional embroidered women’s dresses, Jambiyah (daggers), frankincense and ‘shab’ a white powder used by locals as a natural deodorant and antiseptic.