JORDAN: Aqaba & Amman II
I must say, it’s good to find myself on the Red Sea after so much desert action. It will be nice to commune with my aquatic friends for three days here in Aqaba. A nice steamy shower proved euphoric as I rinsed away the red sands of Wadi Rum, and prepared myself for some some […]
JORDAN: Wadi Rum – “Lawrence of Arabia” filmed here in 1961.
My 6:20am departure from Petra went smoothly in an otherwise crowded minibus. It was worth the tight squeeze for the $10 trip to Wadi Rum where we would be met by our respective hosts. Khaled, a fellow who could have passed for a Jordanian prince, took me to his house to discuss the details of […]
JORDAN: Petra – A National Treasure
I left Amman with an Aussie named Wendy at 3am in order to reach Petra at dawn. Upon arrival I dropped my gear at Peace Way Hotel, headed straight for the ticket office, and bought a 3-day pass. Since the park was delightfully bereft of people, I hopped on a horse and played Indiana Jones […]
JORDAN: Amman – 1st. Visit
After a taxi ripoff, a taxi who tried to rip me off, two check points, a bus, and one last taxi, I finally rolled into Amman, Jordan. Much to my joy, the man at the desk of my hostel was a most welcoming chap. He directed me to a restaurant that served mansaf which is […]
ISRAEL: Jerusalem – Second Time Around
I returned from Bethlehem feeling recharged after indulging myself in Banksy’s wonderful sensory experience, the Walled Off Hotel. I returned to a six bed dorm in a very nice hostel just 100 feet from my previous hotel. Unfortunately, the room was occupied by a pig who had no concept of hostel etiquette. Not only was […]
PALESTINE: Bethlehem, Hebron & The Walled Off Hotel
Approaching the checkpoint heading into Bethlehem, this foreboding sign reveals itself. Of course for Palestinians trying to navigate their way around Israel the options run the gamut from annoying to impossible. Many people have to endure crushing daily routines of waking at 3:00 am to cross the border to work jobs to feed their families. […]
ISRAEL: Jerusalem – Nexus of the Abrahamic Faiths
It was hard to appreciate my new plush living quarters in Jerusalem to their fullest due to the fact that a sinus infection was beginning to have its way with me. Passover was also preventing me from properly feeding myself. However, a nice rainwater shower in a roomy, private suite with a large, comfy bed […]
ISRAEL: Tel Aviv – Country #95
A large menorah at the Ben Gurion Airport welcomes me to Israel, and I experience the satisfaction of setting foot in my 95th. country. In a little under two months I will arrive in the Maldives, my 100th. country. I gave myself five years to reach this goal, but if all goes well I should […]
FRANCE: Paris – The Most Celebrated City on Earth!
As usual it is an enormous pleasure to arrive in Paris, my favorite big city in the world. Whether it’s history, culture, food, or romantic venues that you seek, Paris will not fail to exceed your expectations. It has everything a person could want while still being an eminently walkable city. There is also good […]
UNITED KINGDOM: London
LONDON – SOHO Thankfully, treated to an uneventful trip to Waterloo Station, I hit the tube for the last leg to Oxford Street. I paid five quid for an eight minute ride. Time to […]
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