The atmosphere is electric as the Traveler gets off the taxi and finds himself instantly immersed in the sounds, smells and colors of this land. Gone are the solitary, vast open plazas and wide, shady boulevards of Central Asia. Gone are the artificially restored Silk Road cities of Uzbekistan. Gone are the forest of shiny new skyscrapers of the oil rich Gulf States This is the Middle East, chaotic, noisy—no stops pulled. Here, despite the wars and destruction, cities often preserve the same layout they've had for thousands of years... which means, very narrow streets not designed for car traffic and growing populations. And food. Food is everywhere. Any where you turn you see an enticing snack tempting you. Communism never crushed the entrepreneurial spirit of these cultures. People have been honing their business skills uninterrupted
... read more