Berlin (dpa / tmn) – A trip through Saudi Arabia sounds pretty adventurous. The journalist and author Stephan Orth spent nine weeks in the closed country. As a couch surfer visiting locals, he got special access to the people and experienced a nation in upheaval. But not everything is getting better.
What made Saudi Arabia so exciting for you?
Stephan Orth: I was interested in the change because an incredible amount has happened in the last three years under Mohammed bin Salman, the current Crown Prince. A massive modernization is taking place, but it also has its limits. On my journey I wanted to find out what is show and what is real reform.
Where is this process of opening up taken seriously and where is it more used for state propaganda?
Orth: A lot of money is being invested in tourism and an entertainment program for billions of dollars has been set up, with concerts by the biggest stars. I was at an electro festival in the desert with hundreds of thousands of visitors, where men and women were dancing and David Guetta was playing.
I have always had the feeling that the young people themselves do not know exactly where the limits are, what is allowed and what is not. Because suddenly things are possible that were completely forbidden two or three years ago for religious reasons. And because sometimes the rules within the family are stricter than the state laws.
And what is still taboo?
Orth: As soon as it comes to more civil society and democracy, a possibly lower power of the royal family, the reforms will stop. I spoke to an employee of the human rights organization ALQST who said that it is currently more dangerous to express oneself critically of those in power than it was five or ten years ago. Critics are dealt with with great brutality – as can be seen from the murder of the journalist Jamal Khashoggi or the long prison sentence for the blogger Raif Badawi.
In your role as a tourist, were you able to move freely in the country or was that somehow controlled by the state?
Orth: For the most part I was completely free and could travel as I wanted. For some places you need some kind of registration, for example for the King Abdullah Economic City near Jeddah. This is a new building project, a satellite town. Everyone needs a permit, which you can get without any problems. In any case, I did not feel observed or followed on the way.
How did the people in the country receive you?
Orth: Warm and hospitable. I was always invited to coffee, tea and dates. At the same time, I found people very enthusiastic about social media. Often the phone was held in my face when I was greeted and I was filmed for Snapchat and Instagram. Never before have I felt myself so much at the center of a trip. I’m a story collector by profession, but here I was constantly becoming a story myself.
Which cliché about Saudi Arabia is the least true?
Orth: The cliché that it is an inhospitable country where you constantly think you are in danger. For example, in everyday travel you don’t have the feeling that you should be afraid of being robbed. It is probably a deterrent that thieves can have their hands chopped off under Sharia law.
And which prejudice has been confirmed for you?
Orth: Saudi Arabia is one of the most religious countries that I have seen on my travels. There are about 94,000 mosques in the country with a population of 34 million. The five times of prayer are consistently observed by most. Religion plays a central role in everyday life and in people’s thinking.
I haven’t had a single conversation where someone has criticized Islam. One feels in a special role in the Islamic world, because of the holy places Mecca and Medina.
You were a tourism pioneer in Saudi Arabia, with a special approach. In your experience, which travelers can the country be a worthwhile experience for?
Orth: Excursions into the desert are spectacular. To the east lies the Empty Quarter, the Rub al-Chali, one of the largest and least explored deserts in the world. But you should definitely be out there with people who know their way around – there are already some off-road vehicles missing.
In the west there is a top attraction with the ancient rock tomb town of Hegra that can compete with Petra in Jordan. On the other hand, you have to think about whether you want to spend a five-star luxury holiday in Saudi Arabia, whether you think that’s okay in view of the dictatorship. I couldn’t imagine booking a relaxing vacation there.
About the person: Stephan Orth, born in 1979, is a freelance journalist and author. He has published successful travel books on couch surfing in Iran, Russia and China.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210217-99-481665 / 4
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