Blogs from Middle East - page 1092

The next part of our riding escapades was a ride for a few days along the Euphrates river. The aim being to cross the border into Turkey. I was finally through the valley of bowel explosions and we were both super pumped to be on the steeds again. Happt days ahead. Firstly we had to exit Alleppo. Mmmmm poolution. That is the stongest memory of riding out of Alleppo. It pretty much tasted and smelt of diesel fumes. The best example I can give is when Spectacle was riding about 100m ahead and went through a tunnel. I could literally see him ride through a thick, soupy brown haze. Knowing what I was in for I held my breath all the way through the tunnel. Exited the other side, and of course gulped in a deep ... read more

Saudi Arabia did not want tourists. Foreigners were restricted to the area near the Persian Gulf where ARAMCO’s settlements and areas of operation were. Relatives of employees could visit for a limited time, but others needed to be requested by ARAMCO for specific reasons. Christian clergy serving our community lived in Bahrain and were admitted as “consultants” on Fridays only. When Lowell Thomas visited, he was called an entertainer, which he fulfilled by having a slide showing for the residents of Dhahran. Only those who had business in Riyadh were allowed to go there. A woman doctor from our clinic went to Riyadh to treat a female member of the royal family and returned with the king’s gift - a brocade sari, made with real gold, which she put on display one day for us to ... read more

today me corie and audra decided that we would go into the old city just the three of us to look around and kill some time. none of us had class until late this afternoon, which was nice because is was one of the first free days that i have had since i have been here and probably one of the last..ever. A bus picks you up at the Moshav and supposedly takes you into 'jerusalem'. we got on the bus fine and the bus driver was really nice. it cost about 8.5 shekels to take the bus into jerusalem-which isnt very expensive. i met a very nice women on the bus from the next town over. she had lived there for 34 years but is orginially from south africa. i liked her accent. The bus ... read more

So do you know what's weird? I flew home from Israel on Janurary 14th and that is the last time I will have to fly back to the states to live. Because in less than 4 weeks, I will be the newest immigrant to the state of Israel. That's kinda mind-blowing. It's been a crazy month of January. Not only did I have to get all 40 of my participants ready for the trip (I staff birthright trips) but then I also had to pack a bag of stuff to leave in the country with my best friend until I come back in February. Then, I had to pack my own bag because I needed clothes for the 10 days, plus stuff I could wear in Florida for my other vacation after Eretz Y'Israel. (Land of ... read more

I arrived here @ 2am on the 23rd and it is truly a new world. After the age and stability that Istanbul represents Dubai is a city in motion...outward and upward. The population is growing everyday and the Shiek and administration of the emirate are planning for the future after oil .Tourism is the second largest industry and they are developping it rapidly. There is construction going on everywhere .Offices ,apartments ,hotels ,resorts each more spectacular than those built previously...last month. Today we attended a special Robbie Burns day meal and celebration at a friend of Lesley's. Their apartment ,on the 28th floor with an incredible view of the Persian Gulf 'is considered old . It was built in 2001! Lesley has a series of activities planned while I am here and I am looking forward ... read more