White Sand? We Have Red!

The first "tourist" attraction Filipinos go to in Riyadh is the Red Sand. The Red Sand is located 80 kilometers outside Riyadh's city center and is less than an hour away so it's the perfect weekend getaway for us who are looking for some change in an otherwise lazy weekend afternoon.

Before reaching the Red Sand, the road leading to this spot is gifted with amazing views as well. Sedimentary rock walls sandwich the road. And the road probably looks like a snake from an aerial view judging by all the bends we have to traverse. The slight shift of the car gear is no biggie especially when there's a surprise that awaits each bend.

The rock walls.

A surprise awaits after this bend.

The well-paved road opens up to this:

The world is out there.
(My photography skills did not do this justice!)

The scene is something from a desert movie with a huge budget for a stunning cinematography. The lighting from the sun's muted rays provides the landscape a serene ambiance under the sweltering desert heat. Very ironic yet beautiful. The huge rocky formation from a distance is a great backdrop for the bleak, dusty highways too. With these, who needs editing?

A scene from Arizona?

And now on to the Red Sand. Though the first view from this place doesn't prove to be as amazing as the panoramic views on the way, the red orange color of the sand is enough for me to be awed.

This sand is red orange and we are like ants in a red orange anthill.

Looking at the hills of sand, I doubted my capability to climb but because of the sand's very fine texture, the uphill trudge was not much of a trouble. Besides, having my feet buried under the warm particles is enough for me to go on. It's like having a free foot scrub! ;)

Once on top, there's a sweeping view of the desert!

Whew!

This is where the sun met the sand.

Footprints... and wheel prints.
Don't forget to become a tourist. Snap away!

There's nothing much to do here except to have picnics on a fine day, run around like crazy, take photos, and observe what other people are doing from the different peaks of the dune. Or, sometimes, there are daredevils who use their vehicles and ATVs in committing suicide going up and down the slopes that we can watch. Some can conquer the almost vertical drops but others are quite unlucky and end up getting buried in the sand with their mean, bad machines flying and landing nearby. Good thing, the sand is soft and cushions their falls.

The Red Sand is the perfect spot to begin discovering the wonders of this desert.

After the Red Sand, it's very likely that the next stop will be the Hidden Valley. This place deserves an entry of its own.