Blogs from Middle East - page 2

Dubai is a total contrast to everything else we have seen. Up to now we have looked at history and marvelled at how the Moors/Arabs and the Christians could build such wonderful monuments to both their religions and their leaders. Most of those lovely places are pretty old. Some of us were very surprised some years ago when we found that a stately castle we were inspecting in darkest Romania was built in the 1930s and had central heating and lifts! We have also commented that there seem to be a lot of new and gorgeous mosques going in as well throughout the Arab world. I guess in my mind the thought has been that while current western leaders and governments build impressive infrastructure, like roads, ports and airport, along with the occasional town hall, parliament ... read more

Our last point of call was Dubai. It was excruciatingly hot. Dubai boasts over fifty five star hotels and one seven star. Here you can receive free of charge a gold plated I pad when you pay your rent for the night. Of course you will be fifteen thousand dollars poorer. Dubai has an indoor ski run with lifts and everything, it boasts the richest horse race, tennis tournaments and all to attract tourists when the oil runs out. The artificial Palm islands are incredible with thousands of homes on each of the branches. The whole area smells of money. We are now at home with the very sad news that Ed Carroll with whom we exchanged homes had a major cerebral haemorrage and is not expected to survive.... read more

8/6/13 hongkong my clock on the ipad says 2.45am so im guessing thats sunday morning in nz wow I've been up for a while! But i got to watch django on the plane which I've wanted to see for ages. I'm at the ymca which i just found out stands for young women's christian association, so its ywca Lochlan didn't mention that bit. Rooms pretty basic and a shared bathroom. Missing brent, my dreams keep drifitng to that horrible night, maybe its effected me more than i thought. I'm glad i got a shuttle from the airport, its a while away and theres heaps of people and crazy drivers, also its raining. I'm not to far from some main shopping streets by the looks of it, i'll check it out tomorrow, along with my awsome new ... read more

Note: by double-clicking on any of the photos you will be transferred to the photo gallery which provides bigger images of the photos. Tuesday 4th June: time to leave idyllic Cirali and head for Fethiye, our last stop. We left the hotel at 11am and drove back to Kas 80miles/127 kms along the very scenic coast road, which for most of the way is along the base of the mountains and right alongside the sea. We stopped at the Sardunya Hotel, where we had stayed previously, for a very pleasant lunch on the terrace overlooking the bay; and it was also good to be warmly welcomed by the very nice staff there. Then back to the car for the second leg of the journey, 67miles/107 kms to Fethiye. This was the same road that we travelled ... read more

Who Guards the Guards? A quiet small peaceful protest in Turkey was designated to be removed by the Turkish Central government. The Turkish Police tried to remove the protesters with extreme brutality. This brutality was re-broadcast in Turkey by social media and the sympathy protests took place in 60 different towns and cities. The Turkish police responded with an evil cruelty and brutality. Television viewers throughout the world were treated to views of wanton beatings, kicking’s, gassings towards the innocent citizenry of Turkey. These were not petrol bomb throwing thugs, but young people walking on the street and minding their own business, or protesters who had been put on the ground, stripped and beaten. As a testament to the toughness of the average Turk, the people denied the police control of the square. The cruelty of ... read more