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February 2021Couchsurfing in Saudi Arabia
My Journey through a Country between Middle Ages and Future
by Stephan Orth
Stephan Orth has a penchant for countries with a bad reputation– and when Saudi Arabia finally takes the step of issuing touristvisas, he is one of the first individual travellers to visit its shores.As a seasoned couchsurfer, he is able to gain insights into aclosed society hitherto inaccessible to any Western visitor. He venturesinto uncharted territory and witnesses the country's rapidtransformation at first hand: today, women are allowed to drivecars, having fun is no longer frowned upon, and billions are lavishedon mega-events. Orth dances at a huge desert rave, makes acelebrated appearance at the Dakar Rally on a bicycle, and attendshigh-tech shows in the grounds of ruined fortress in Riyadh.But that's only one side of the coin – behind all the glitz, draconianpunishments remain in force, and the sound of bombs on theYemeni border is ever present.
