Surely you have heard of the country of Jordan? You know, Indiana Jones, right? Raiders of the Lost Ark? Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom? Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull? I don't know about you, but I grew up watching this series of movies. And of course, I daydreamed about going to some of
Doha, Qatar is located within a tiny Arab nation that has unbelievable architecture, a huge expatriate population, and the highest per capita income in the world! As the smallest country in the Middle East, it has grown in population super fast over the last 40 years. Back then it was a desolate desert with virtually little going on other than a lonely Sheraton Grand Hotel
Air travel has become such a hassle over the last couple of decades, especially since 09/01/01. I can almost remember what it was like BEFORE that happened. Now, lines at the airport have continued to get longer while the list for prohibited items on a plane has increased. However, the one thing that has improved about air travel is the business class choices that are
Chora Church - No Ordinary Place The sights and sounds that are Istanbul are so difficult to explain, I tried to show you this thru my streets of Istanbul photograph post. At first, I was so overwhelmed with the mass difference between the USA and Turkey, that I had a hard time describing my emotions and thoughts about Istanbul. It has taken me a while
Truly we all have wondered what it would be like to travel to an Arabian country after watching Disney's Aladdin, a tale from the book One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights, كتاب ألف ليلة وليلة) and the joys of a camel ride in the desert! Indiana Jones also sparked my interest in Indian Jones and the Last Crusade. In his search for the Holy
Petra, Jordan By Night - A Practical Guide Petra by night is an after-dark, guided excursion down the Siq to the Treasury in Jordan's famous carved city. It gets mixed reviews on the travel forums and Tripadvisor about whether or not it is worth it to go while visiting Jordan. I thought it was an amazing experience and one worth doing, so don't let the
Things to do in Istanbul For so many years, I have wanted to go to the city of Istanbul. I never really had an idea about what it would be like, but knew that it was a right dab in the middle of the East and the West. Straddling both Europe and Asia, making it the only city in the world to sit across two continents.
There is no place on earth more important to the religions of the world than Jerusalem the old city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is made up of several key sites to many religions, such as the Temple Mount and the Wailing Wall for the Jews, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for the Christians and the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque for the Muslims. People from all these religions come
Many women in the Middle East are known for their exotic beauty. Almost all of them looked beautiful to me! Actually, it was difficult to figure out if they were beautiful or not, based strictly on their eyes. However, it is understandable that they would use any form of Kohl eyeliner to deepen the mystery about their eyes. They also use Khol (كحل) Eyeliner with excellent precision.
The flag of Istanbul, Turkey Quotes on Patriotism: Republic Day in Istanbul While I was in Istanbul, it was a national holiday known as Republic Day, and the flags of Turkey were out in full force. It was the best display of patriotism I have ever encountered. The flags of Istanbul, Turkey There was a religious holiday going on as well,
Wanderings Through Istanbul, Turkey It is an early weekday morning as I stare out the window of my yellow taxi passing a multitude of red and blue celebration flags. No matter how often I visit exotic Istanbul, Turkey, I always feel like there is something majestic and mysterious about it. Something wafting in the air that makes this place different than all the rest. Maybe
Best Places to Visit in the World 2016 Written for Expedia By Dr. Cacinda Maloney “For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return.” - Leonardo da Vinci As a world traveler, I am constantly asked: “Where are the best places to visit in the world?” I have
By Cacinda Maloney As I enter the Holocaust Memorial, an Israel Museum in Jerusalem, I am overwhelmed with it as a space. The Israel Museum has a well thought-out architecture that leads you down the path of the Jews during the holocaust, which is a horrific time in our world’s history. The triangular shaped Holocaust Memorial is made of cold-to-the-touch, gray concrete and takes you
Desert Night Camps - Feynan Ecolodge We were in the van for what seemed like hours. Gazing out the window, I noted how the landscape was changing and soon it felt as if civilization was slowly creeping away on our way to Feynan Ecolodge. Dana Biosphere Reserve, in the lands of Jordan's desert, was vast and diverse. Occasionally, I would see herds of sheep
And I am off to Jordan! With the changing angles of the sun, the desert displays dramatic rose-red colors in the sand. For some moments I am blinded. But once I am able to regain my clear sight, I spot him in the distance. He is sitting quietly with what appears to be his Grandfather. He never moves. I am mesmerized that a child this
By Guest Author Jennifer Anders A trip to Turkey is like a trip through history. As a bridge between the East and the West, empires ranging from the Ottomans to the Romans have inhabited this land. Turkey has seen some of the world’s most remarkable figures pass through, including Julius Caesar and St. Paul. That said, Turkey is still a mystery to many Westerners, where
Cistern Istanbul Cistern Istanbul is an extraordinary subterranean structure, built by Justinian in 532 AD. It is the largest surviving Byzantine cistern in İstanbul City. Apparently, there are several cisterns in Istanbul. It is now one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. It is especially popular during the summer when its cavernous depths stay wonderfully cool. The line to get in is a little
Aqaba, Jordan and the Red Sea A bit off the beaten path... We arrived into Amman at 10:45 pm at night. Damn Crazy Americans! By the time we made to the car rental place, it was almost 11:15 pm. The plan was to drive from Amman to Aqaba, a three-hour drive, in the middle of the night in the middle of the desert. It seemed
A candlelit night in the city of Petra, A night I will never forget Making our way down the long Siq, deep into the night, I wondered how the event would unfold. With each step, anticipation into this unknown world of rock walls and the famous "Treasury" in the city of Petra. I had waited years for this moment. I had often heard of
Things to do in Istanbul Now honestly, I didn't start out taking photographs of Istanbul cats. I was just going about my day, shopping in Istanbul, when I would spot one or two. Istanbul Cats Istanbul Cats In fact, I have to say that while I was there, I did notice an abundance of felines, but was so enamored by
“Istanbul was Constantinople.” “Now it’s Istanbul, not Constantinople.” “Been a long time gone, Constantinople.” Istanbul, not Constantinople “Now it’s a Turkish delight on a moonlit night” Istanbul, not Constantinople Didn’t we all have to learn that song while in school? Istanbul is a journey unto itself. Istanbul, not Constantinople I barely scraped the surface as to what
Honestly, I didn't even know what a Bedouin was before I went to Jordan. I guess I have spent entirely too much time in USA cities to even vaguely understand that these people still exist. Not only do they exist, they seem to thrive. I saw hundreds of bedouins inside the UNESCO world heritage site of PETRA. When I saw this cute little one, I
