http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/eldorado/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from eldorado en-us Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:38:46 BST Sun, 12 Oct 2008 01:38:46 BST So here it is my final blog of Kevin's Middle East Vacation 2006 summarizing my time in the fabulous town of Dahab on the Egyption Sinai coastline. This is actually the second time I've been here the first being last year as part of my three week trip through Egypt. The main reason I came back is becuase the first time around I was not a good enough diver to do any of the really good diving s http://www.travelblog.org//Africa/Egypt/Sinai/Dahab/blog-93321.html So this is sort of a blog within a blog as it details my daytrip into Bethlehem from Jerusalem however I figured that since my last blog dealt with Israel and Bethlehem is clearly not an Israeli city I should do it separately. I was somewhat nervous about going into the West Bank given the political situation in the Palestinian territories however the security situation was stable at the tim http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Israel/West-Bank/Bethlehem/blog-92812.html OK yes I'm aware this blog is a little late but I was busy actually doing travelling as opposed to sitting in front of a computer so hence the delay. Sorry to all the people who thought I died since my travelblogs just ended abruptly.Anyway regarding Israel. My first stop in Israel was Eilat subsequent to crossing the land border from Jordan which in itself was quite an interesting experien http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Israel/Jerusalem-District/Jerusalem/blog-90161.html New blog this time from the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. I'm writing this blog from Aqaba which is Jordan's only port city at the southernmost tip of the country. This is my last stop in Jordan as I will shortly be leaving Jordan and entering Israel hopefully. It still remains to be seen what the Israeli border guards will think of my Syrian visa and border stamps but I'm hopeful they will le http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Jordan/South/Aqaba/blog-88774.html Second blog from Syria. Coincidentally also from Damascus however in the intervening time I have been all over Syria. No pictures as yet those will have to wait until I can get to a country that does not have internet censoring. It's very annoying.So anyway cities I have been to include Damascus Aleppo Hama and Palmyra. This was with a tour group and while travelling around Syria I am sure http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Syria/South/Damascus/blog-87570.html My first blog from the Syrian Arab Republic The good news is that I am here and established in Damascus. The bad news is that I don't seem to be able to access my hotmail account. I am unclear if it's just a local problem with this cafe or if access to the hotmail website is blocked across Syria. We shall see. In the meantime I can't get to my emails so anyone who is trying to contact me may http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Syria/South/Damascus/blog-85982.html Hello aga305n. Latest and last blog post305ng from Turkey for th305s tr305p. At the moment I am in Antalya on my way to getting to Damascus by Saturday. Which means the Turkey portion of my vacation is effectively over. So to bring things up to date for most of the last five days I was on a cruise through the southern Mediteranian going from Fethiye to Olympos. The ship we were on h http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Mediterranean/Antalya/blog-85333.html Hello aga305n. So th305s 305s me typ305ng from Feth305ye th305s t305me and aga305n from a Turk305sh keyboard so the I 's w305ll aga305n be wonky. I th305nk s305nce my last blog I've been to Selcuk Bodrum and here so tak305ng them one at a t305me here goesSo after my last blog I was 305n Selcuk wh305ch l305ke Canakkale 305s a crap town http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Fethiye/blog-84273.html Second blog post305ng of my travels. Sorry by the way for the letter I039s 305n th305s blog s305nce th305s 305s a screwed up Turk305sh keyboard. I believe when I left off I was still 305n Istanbul. Well I spent one more night there having dinner with this very nice couple from France where we spent a good chunk of the meal d305scuss305ng Quebec and their stran http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Aegean/Sel-uk/blog-83193.html Ok so this is my first REAL travel blog written from someplace other than Calgary. I arrived in Istanbul with no issues proceeded to check in and went right to the rooftop patio of my hostel to take in the most georgous view of Istanbul that you will ever see see posted photos for verification. After having a shower I went out and had a fabulous meal of beef kabobs tomato sauce yogurt an http://www.travelblog.org//Middle-East/Turkey/Marmara/Istanbul/blog-82541.html