Travelling back 2,000 years to the living museum of Saudi Arabia's AlUla

On the second day of our visit to AlUla the guide throws us a challenge laying out flat rocks hammers chisels and a handbook of the ancient Aramaic language in front of us Carve your name on a piece of rock in Aramaic When in AlUla do as the Nabataean civilisation people did 2300 years ago Therersquos a problem thoughmdashtwo letters of my name E and P donrsquot feature in the language That may be my only grouse with this chapter of history that remains tucked away in the golden deserts of Saudi Arabia away from the eyes of even the most discerning travellers This was until Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened the historical city to tourists three years agoMaraya Concert Hall in AlUla is the worldrsquos largest mirrored building and currently houses Andy Warholrsquos collectionAnd just like that AlUla barely a twohour plane ride from Riyadh was ready to wrestle for a spot on everyonersquos mustvisit list Its biggest claim to fame is Hegra a UNESCO World Heritage Site At first glance the archaeological site reminds us of her famous sister city Petra from Jordan which caught everyonersquos attention in Steven Spielbergrsquos Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 1989 But we go where Spielberg and his swashbuckling hero didnrsquotWe drive through the sunspeckled expanse comprising over 130 tombs built over 2000 years ago taking in the lives of the Nabataeans a prosperous lot that thrived between 4BC and 1 AD According to Britannica Nabataean settlements lay in the borderlands between Syria and Arabia from the Euphrates River to the Red Sea Little is known about them before 312 BC when they were unsuccessfully attacked by the king of Macedonia in their mountain fortress of Petra Their monopoly on the rich caravan trade that passed from the Arabian interior to the coast was the chief source of their prosperityA panoramic view of the Old Town from the top of the castleThe Qasr alFarid the Unique Mountain forms the piece de resistance Like other tombs in the vicinity that have been carved out of rocks it has five steps at the top of the structure which were built believing that they would help the souls ascend to the afterlife the eagle motif at the door represents the tribersquos chief god Dushara But what sets the Qasr alFarid apart is its story Our rawi storyteller in Arabic tells us that the most iconic tomb is in fact an incomplete work of art ldquoLihyan whom the tombbelongs to was not buried here A theory suggests that he may have died in a battle elsewhere and his body was not recoveredrdquo she shares The tomb remains empty and the faccedilade unfinishedGermanyrsquos Linda Krockenberger extreme left was one of the three female jockeys at the Camel CupSomething tells us that the Qasr alFarid or even the Face Rock nearbymdashwhich quirkily resembles a human facemdashwill go on to serve as the backdrop for that perfect Instagram picture for millions of social media users But this writer hopes that Hegrarsquos rich history doesnrsquot get lost in the heap of filterdriven pictures That the past and future can coexistAlso Watch Travelling to Saudi Arabias AlUlaThey can we realise as we come facetoface with Hinat whose skeleton was discovered by the archaeologists in the Jabal AlAhmar the Red Mountain Marrying the past with todayrsquos technology of facial reconstruction the team then rebuilt her face and affectionately named her Hinat Hollywood star Will Smith arrived to great cheers at the AlUla Camel Cup eventIn our fiveday trip to Saudi Arabia the confluence of the past and future of tradition and technology appears as a recurring motif The Crown Prince may be building the futuristic Neom project as part of his Vision 2030 but in AlUla he prods you to go back in timeThe wondrous Jabal Ikmah an open library that we walk through while taking in the 200 inscriptions and petroglyphs on the sandstone cliffs and crevasses tells us all we need to know about the ancient city of Dadan from the 14 kings who ruled it to the animal sacrifices that were performed in the day Before we get too lost in history we are brought back to modern times at the Maraya Concert Hall the worldrsquos largest mirrored building The dazzling structure reflects the rock formations it is surrounded by giving an impression of vast endlessness Our only reaction marvel as much at the creation as at the eclectic Andy Warhol collection that it houses until May A team of archaeologists discovered a womanrsquos skeleton in the tombs in 2014 Her face was then reconstructed and she was named HinatWe are now ready to give history a rest and sample adventure Full disclosure Initially the idea of a fourday camel race sounded mindboggling But when we step into the inaugural edition of the AlUla Camel Cup event we know that they mean business From a special circuit built for the flagship event to a heritage village a la a MiddleEastern souq the warm and hospitable organisers have pulled all stops to give visitors an immersive experience Frenzied excitement greets us at the race as spectators cheer on wildly every time the camels trot by their stands The animal may be no Lewis Hamilton on the track but as we take in the 16 different marathonsmdashsome with human jockeys at the reins and others with robot jockeysmdashitrsquos easy to see the deep investment of the locals The cheering gets louder on the final day as Hollywood actor Will Smith takes to the stands to root for his producerfriend Swizz Beatzrsquos team Saudi Bronx Did we gawk at Smith like teenagersAbsolutely Was he the star of the event for us Not quiteThat would have to be Linda Krockenberger one of the three female jockeys who rode beside their male counterparts shouldertoshoulder on the opening day In a country that is gradually relaxing its restrictions it is heartening to see a woman take on a maledominated sport ldquoI hope other women get inspired by this If they want to participate in camel racing they know it is possible My participation was very wellreceived Hopefully itrsquos not the last race where women will compete alongside male jockeysrdquo the Germanyborn Krockenberger who represented her country at the event tells middayThe Qasr alFarid is the most iconic tomb in HegraThe winds of change are blowing Women tourists for instance no longer have to wear the abaya or cover their head but yoursquod be welladvised to dress in modest outfits that go below your knees and have long sleeves We also spot a rusticthemed Starbucks against AlUlarsquos golden sandy vista an irrefutable sign of the countryrsquos Westernisation Fancy a Starbucks cappuccino Naah Wersquoll take a cup of piping hot zarsquoatar tea by the roadside thank you Therersquos enough in the Arab cuisine to delight your palate The less experimental can try the various varieties of couscous salad or the trusted falafel To the meatlovers we suggest taking generous helpings of the kabli rice a delicious beef preparation that sits on a bed of fragrant grains On the last day of our trip we walk through the Old Town a labyrinth of mudbrick houses and markets When we climb the 197odd steps of the castle at its heart a breathtaking view of the town awaits us the cluster of houses reminding us of the civilisation that lived millennia before us Our day draws to a close with a scrumptious dinner near the Elephant Rock The aweinspiring monolithic geological formation looms large as our group exchanges stories numbers and laughs In that instant we canrsquot help but muse that a champagne toast would have been the perfect way to cap off the surreal experience that was this trip We guess wersquoll have to settle for a toast over cola instead 197No of steps to the castle that sits at the heart of the AlUla Old TownHow to get thereFly from Mumbai to Riyadh direct flights from Riyadh to AlUla take about 2 hours You can also consider travelling by road Hegra is located 22 kms from the AlUla Old Town For more log into httpswwwexperiencealulacomWeather Current temperatures vary between 33 degrees C and 11 Dress in modest summer wear and avoid transparent sleeveless or very short garments Covering the shoulders and knees is good advice we think A head scarf is not essential anymore but carry one along in your bag in case you come across a religious site that you wish to explore and requires you to cover your headTaking local art to the worldIn the course of our trip we are introduced to the Madrasat AdDeera an art and design centre in AlUla Mentored by artist Desmond Lazaro the artisan development programme guides students primarily women to convert the regionrsquos traditional arts into everyday productsmdashfrom handembroidered mats to ceramics and natural dyes that are then sold in the local marketsWant to hear from youWe are looking to visit and write about interesting places of stay and travel near and far If you wish to host us for a fair engaging experiencereview write to us at smdmailmiddaycom