Travel Notes on running from coronavirus

Saudi Arabia was place where MERS outbreak started in 2012. So, now they are very concearned about coronavirus. They closed border with UAE two days after I left Dubai. They closed border with Bahrain, where I planned to go for couple days. Bahrain would be140-th country, I visited.
And eventually they suspended Electronic Visa for many countries, which SA launched in last Sept. And they stopped issuing visas to millions of Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca on hadj. Many people in the street wear masks.

So, back to my trip. I left Dubai for Dammam, Saudi Arabia on Feb 23 2020. Dubai is a lovely beatiful city. Following old tradition, I would call it The Paris of Middle East. Dammam is not. It is damn boring city of brown/gray concrete buildings. However it is good as a stopover to Riyadh. Riyadh is in the middle of huge subway constructuon project.
The city is crossed by numerous freeways with non stop traffic. So pedestrians have to hire taxi to cross the street As European cities make themself more peddestrian friendly, Middle East (including Dubai) became "for cars only" So my folding bicycle was most appropriate means of transportation. I visited 302 meters tall Sky Bridge building, quite impressive.

Sky Bridge

Also visited Masmak Fort and Chop Chop Plaza, place for public execution by beheadings, and it is still functioning...

Masmak Fort

From Riyadh I took 12 hours bus ride to Jeddah. Road goes through Mecca, which is closed to infidels. The tour book recommend to inform bus driver If you are not Muslim. I did not. Driver concluded it himself and took ring road around Mecca.
Jeddah is an interesting City. Old town at South part of city is full of beautiful houses made of Red Sea coral have stunning wooden lattice balconies.

Northern part of the city is full of new ultra modern skyscripers including Jeddah Tower 1000 meters tall, not finished yet.

Jeddah Tower, project

Between North and South, actually in the middle of town I went snorkeling from an embankment made from large stones.

Water was cristal clear, lots of fish, some corals. Water was 80F.
I did not see anybody in water. Arabs prefer desert.
Generally Jeddah is an interesting mixture of middle ages mentality of people with ultra modern arhitectura and abstract street sculpture.
All woman wear burkas, 70% have their faces covered with only narrow slit for eyes is open. Rooms for families and singles are separete in restaurants.

McDonalds

Tour books advertise different hours for men and women for visiting museums. I saw womem in museums, so it may not be absolutely enforced.
Sidewalks of street with ultra modern building are covered with red blobs from ghat spitting men and occupied by ugly Eastern bazars with men sitting in front and picking between their toes.

Typical Jeddah

Tomorrow I will try to get to Jordan
It still is not clear if border Guard will allow me to exit SA with my Electronic Visa.
I miss Nabateuan ruins at Madain Saleh
But it is closed for restoration. Also I saw replica in National Museum in Riyadh

Nabateuan tomb, replica in National Museum

Alex Mumzhiu
Jeddah Saudi Arabia
March 8 2020

Travel Notes

My Dear Readers,
My trip was five months long. Four of which I spent in Jordan on quarantine.

This is timetable of my trip:

• Feb 16, 2020, I flew to Dubai from Washington
• Feb 23, 2020, I crossed to Saudi Arabia
• March 9. 2020 I Cross to Jordan from Saudi Arabia
• March 17 Airports were closed
• March 21 A 24 hours curfew was announced
• March 23 I was kicked out of City Center hotel and entered Red Sea hotel
• March 26 The end 24-hour curfew
• March 31 Small food stores were allowed to operate.
• Apr 21 Big stores were open. I bought the bed sheets, pillow cases and towels
• Apr 23 Start of Ramadan
• May 10 Moved to Al Amer hotel
• May 23 End of Ramadan.
• Airline ticket purchased.. canceled
• AMM to ORD May 15 May 24
• AMM to IAD May 26 June 6
• AMM to DCA June 10 June 19
• AMM to DCA June 19 June 24
• AMM to IAD June 30 July 20
• AMM to IAD July 9 IT WAS NOT CANCELLED!!!
• July 10 moved to Amman
• July 17 Flied home

The most disturbing moment was when I was kicked out of my City Center hotel, in the middle of curfew. Internet was full of stories of foreigners being thrown out from hotels and abused, because they were suspected in spreading virus. Jordanians are generally kind and good-willed people, but the manager of City Center hotel definitely was an asshole. And I really thankful to people of Red Sea hotel who let me in, while all hotels around were closed. I spent 1.5 months in Red Sea hotel. Then, moved in Al Amer hotel located on the beach with perfect view of Akaba bay and on Eilat from the opposite side of bay. I could leave my room in swim shorts and with mask and fins and go snorkeling and spearfishing right in front of my windows. I hunt mostly lion-fish, which invade all seas and oceans, and divers everywhere are encouraged to kill them. Puncture of lion-fish needles can cause severe pain or even death. So I brought fish on spear in my room and put it under hot water. The heat neutralize poison. Then, with manicure scissors I remove needles. Fish soup from lion-fish was excellent.

One month from Apr 23 to May 23 it was a Ramadan. All restaurants were closed during daytime. It did not affect me, as I prefer to prepare my own food. However all stores selling alcohol were closed. But I discovered that pharmacies sell 75% ethyl alcohol, which is easy to dilute to 40% vodka. On July 10 I took seven hours bus to Amman. Structure of Amman city is defined by geology. Sandstone ground is cut with a number of deep parallels valleys, on slopes of which square, flat roof houses are build. I stay at Concord hotel with view from my window directly on magnificent Roman amphitheater. Hotel was empty. The same as in Aqaba, there were no tourists. From Amman I visited Jerash, which has biggest, only after Italy, collection of Roman Ruins. Grandiosity of Roman constructions built in Gerasa, small town located on the edge of Roman empire is striking. These guys simply cannot think small.

My main occupation in my last couple months in Jordan was an attempts to make airline reservations and then handle cancellations. Which happened six times. It was quite difficult especially with not reliable Internet and telephone and poor English speaking operators. Without help of my family and friends I probably still would be in Jordan. Doha Airport through which I escaped from Jordan is closed now, by the way.

Attachments:

1. View from my hotel window on Aqaba bay

2. Lion-fish

3. Stingray

4. Water seller

5 View from my hotel in Amman on Roman amphitheater.

6. Amman

7. Jerash

8. Jerash