We got to the Al-Faisaliah Hotel about midnight last night — it’s a striking sight against the Riyadh skyline, somehow more welcoming than the Kingdom Tower.
We’re here because the King Faisal Foundation very kindly awarded Frank a King Faisal International Prize in Science.
Other prizewinners got here several days ago–we missed camel rides and a picnic in the desert–but Frank had a previous promise to Delft that could not be broken. The KFF was understanding about our delay, and gave us a royal welcome even at midnight.
After meeting a number of charming dignitaries, drinking watermelon juice, eating cotton candy with salted almonds (and not eating even more tempting things we were offered), and then unpacking, we finally got to bed around 2 a.m.
Then we got up at 7 for today’s very full schedule. So if I’m incoherent, that’s my excuse!