Paris Both long daylight and a lot of sun made the 2008 summer solstice an ideal opportunity to explore one world's most beautiful cities: Paris. I stayed for three days which was barely long enough to see the main sights only. Although a bit pricey St. Christopher's Hostel was in fact one of the best hostels I've ever stayed at (dormitory B&B for EUR 35). Plus, it is located near the Gare de l'Est which is convenient if you arrive there by train as I did. On the first day I got up early, had my free breakfast and headed to [View Full Entry]

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Start spreadin' the news, I'm leaving today I want to be a part of it: New York, New York. Frank Sinatra, Theme from New York, New York With over 8.2 million residents within an area of 830 km² New York City is the most densely populated major city in the United States. It has been the largest city in the US since 1790 and comprises five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and of course Manhattan where I spent my 2008 Easter weekend. Manhattan One of my first stops was at the sunny and lively Pier 17. I had the [View Full Entry]

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Jerusalem Jerusalem is the capital and largest city of Israel. Its history goes back as far as the 4th millennium BC, making it one of the oldest cities in the world. Jerusalem has been the holiest city in Judaism and the spiritual centre of the Jewish people since the 10th century BC. The city contains a number of significant ancient Christian sites and is widely considered the third-holiest city in Islam. Jerusalem is a festival and a lamentation. Its song is a sigh across the ages, a delicate, robust, mournful psalm at the great junction of spiritual cultures. David K Shipler [View Full Entry]

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My first visit to Dahab was back in 1996. Back then, it was even cheaper than today - actually a bit too cheap and rather dirty. The accommodation was limited to basic camps with shared bathrooms (with both other people and cockroaches). Living cost next to nothing and diving was excellent. I returned in 2005 and at least once every year since. A lot of things have improved: the dusty road along the beach has been transformed into a nice pedestrian area, spreading out for some 3km from the Laguna south of Dahab to Eel Garden in the north. Numerous restaurants [View Full Entry]

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My other blogs on Egypt Sinai Mountains and Saint Catherine's Monastery From Abu Simbel to Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu The ancient temples of Luxor and Karnak Tombs, temples and a hot air balloon Diving in Dahab Cairo A visit to the pyramids is definitely one of the highlights of a trip to Egypt. However, there is much more to see than only the well-known Pyramids of Giza. There is a number of other sites where pyramids were built during the Old Kingdom. Besides Giza, the most famous sites are Saqqara - which features the first pyramid ever - and Dahshur [View Full Entry]

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The Pyramids of Giza at the edge of the Western Desert and the great Mosque of Mohammed Ali (not the boxer) in the east ... between these two monuments sprawls a vast city, the largest in Africa and the Middle East: Cairo. Its population is estimated at around 18 million and is swollen by a thousand new migrants every day. Unlike London, the amount of green space per citizen has been calculated at 13 square centimetres only. The polluted air makes you cough on a good day and is throat-rasping on others. However, it is impossible not to find yourself carried [View Full Entry]

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The above panoramic photo shows the funerary procession in Ramose's tomb My other Egypt blog entries Diving in Dahab Egyptian pyramids - Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur Cairo Sinai Mountains and Saint Catherine's Monastery From Abu Simbel to Aswan, Kom Ombo and Edfu The ancient temples of Luxor and Karnak Thebes Thebes was the capital of ancient Egypt during the 11th Dynasty (Middle Kingdom) and most of the 18th Dynasty (New Kingdom). Today, Thebes is probably the richest archaeological site in the world and also one of the largest. It can be divided into three areas: the cultivated land between the Nile [View Full Entry]

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The above panoramic photo shows the Ramses colossi at Abu Simbel I arrived in Aswan just after lunch on the morning train from Luxor (1st class LE41). Despite the fact that I had already spent 4 days in Luxor and Thebes I was keen on visiting some more ancient Pharaonic sites - both Abu Simbel and Philae Temple were on my agenda. When I travelled back to Luxor I was even able to visit the temples in Edfu and Kom Ombo as well. Aswan Aswan has been a favourite winter resort since the beginning of the 19th century, and it is [View Full Entry]

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The above panoramic photo shows the First Pylon at Karnak Temple As soon as I stepped off the plane at Luxor airport I realised that late November is an ideal time to visit southern Egypt. I could feel a warm, dry breeze on my face when I left the plane. Humidity levels are low all year round due to the surrounding deserts so I didn't see a single cloud on the clear blue sky for the duration of my stay. I got my visa at the airport (US$ 15) and negotiated a taxi ride from the airport into the centre of [View Full Entry]

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Miami By far the best-known city in Florida, Miami is a gorgeous tropical city. Palm trees are everywhere and the temperature never rarely dips below balmy. The Hispanic origins nearly of two thirds its population make Spanish the main language in most areas. Miami Beach is actually a city on its own, located on a long slender island. It is linked to Miami by four main causeways. South Beach is the best known area of Miami Beach, made popular through the TV show Miami Vice. The most striking feature of South Beach is its famous Art Deco Historic District - over [View Full Entry]

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