Riyadh reminds me of Las Vegas. Both cities’ name means “meadows”. Both cities are thriving against all odds in the middle of a desert. Vegas has the Strip, Riyadh has King Fahd Road. In both instances, buildings look out of place and fake. That’s where the similarities end.
Vegas has numerous casinos, Riyadh – numerous mosques.
Vegas is “Sin City”, Riyadh has a vice squad.
Vegas gets its water from Lake Mead, Riyadh – from desalination plants on the Persian Gulf.
Riyadh’s population is more than twice that of Las Vegas. Riyadh is also trashier, as in littered with trash.
The Strip is full of people in befitting flashy clothes, Riyadh’s locals are dressed in black and white.
In short – same, same but different.
This week in numbers:
223 km — distance cycled
4000+ — mosques in Riyadh
144 — casinos in Las Vegas Valley