At one point, as I sipped coconut milk by the infinity pool at Habitas AlUla, a resort in the remote Saudi Arabian desert, things started to feel very surreal.
A thirtysomething in a neon thong plunged for an evening dip while Saudi families lounged nearby, resplendent in black burqas and crisp thawbs. No one seemed bothered. We were otherwise charmed by the sun sinking behind towering red monoliths, lulled by the voice of Jane Birkin wafting over the outdoor speakers, anticipating a repast of roasted Red Sea fish and vegetables. When a…
