Blogs from Middle East - page 1224

Middle East » Cyprus September 10th 2004

Hedonism seems to be a way of life on the distant Mediterranean island of Cyprus. A party spot not that different from say, Ibiza or Ko Samui, where the world’s youth gather to sunbathe, club and go wild. Like all of these areas most of the people who travel here seem to leave their inhibitions at home. They are game for anything and the most pressing matter at hand is to have fun. Throughout the day, the white sand beaches are covered with bronzed girls strolling about openly in nothing but skimpy thongs and Gucci glasses as muscled thugs meander around them with a drink in hand and one thought in mind. Some get lucky, some don’t, but they all seem to be thinking the same thing. The numerous bars and clubs that line the beaches ... read more

The sound of silence

Middle East » Jordan September 10th 2004

The Treasury, Petra

Sken like a Ribble fluke

Wadi Rum, Jordan. Famous for the Arab Revolt, Lawrence of Arabia and all things Bedouin. As we walked though the wilderness, there was a perfect silence, a sense of timelessness until my mobile went off with a text from JordTelecom inviting me to phone friends and family back home for special rates in the evening. As we arrived back in the small village, there was a large gathering of arab guys shouting and waving their hands in the air. According to one of the "Bedu" a non local entrepreneur was trying to divert the tourists to his new visitors centre and screw the Bedouin out of a living, so they were there to make a demonstration. So much for avoiding "political gatherings". Petra: ancient city, built by the Nabataeans (who?), carved out of a narrow rock ... read more

Where is Halban

Middle East » Saudi Arabia August 28th 2004

Camels

rickmoore

As part of working for a living I was able to visit Jeddah, Riyadh, and Halban. Riyadh is a bright new city in the middle of the country. By comparison Jeddah is a 'laid back' city on the red sea. I had seen a recommendation to visit the souq in Jeddah as one of the 1000 places to visit before you die - I found it not nearly as interesting as those in Damascus or Tripoli. All of the interesting balconies, shops and old streets have disappeared, replaced by the new. Before the trip, friends were concerned about the security situation and how we could live in a place like that. During our visit, Saudis would ask us how we could live in a country with huge forest fires (they were showing them on CNN) and ... read more

Amazing Turkey

Middle East » Turkey » Marmara » Istanbul August 25th 2004

Blue Mosque in Istanbul

Viviangc

In the summer of 2004 we decided to go to somewhere exotic. We chose Turkey! The resort we stayed was in Fethiye. It was a massive resort and we didn’t need to go out for anything. The swimming pool was the biggest one I have ever seen. The beach was nice, too. We did loads of aqua sports, sunbathing, eating, etc… After 7 days we flew to Istanbul and it was amazing. I loved the diversity of things and people. The landscape is remarkable because we can see the contrast of the catholic vs. muslin, European vs. non European. People are kind, food is great, it is not too expensive, lots of people speak English. And if you like hot weather….Turkey is the place! ... read more

Istanbul (or is it Constantinople?)

Middle East » Turkey August 19th 2004

Aya Sofya

Sken like a Ribble fluke

Istanbul is the city that has, er 16 million people. There is so much to see here, it is ridiculous. Capital of the eastern Roman empire, Ottoman empire, etc. The old bit has all of the museums, etc and has a distinctly Arab feel (although one suspects that it is ramped up for the tourists). The new part, across the river, is all funky shops, bars, cinemas and cafes and you could be mıstaken for thinkıng that you were in any western city in the world. This is a good place to be stuck - because I am. I am tryıng to get a visa for Iran and it ıs a red-tape nightmare. Gallipoli was okay, but I could not help in thinking that the Australiasians have gone over the top with this one. The casualty ... read more

Far too many sunflower seeds

Middle East » Turkey August 15th 2004

The Library, Ephesus

Sken like a Ribble fluke

Got a ferry from Kos town to Bodrum, Turkey except when we arrived we discovered that it was not actually Bodrum, but somewhere nearby and there was a 'free' coach to Bodrum via some leather warehouses having a 'one day only sale', etc. You know the scam. Bodders was yet another seaside resort and I am a little bored of that sorta thing at the moment, so I decided to get out as soon as possible and head to Selçuk and see the ancient Roman town of Ephesus. Saint Paul preached here and he pissed them off so much wıth all of this 'one God' malarkey that they did away wıth him. The site was definitely worthwhile (see pics). After that I went out for food wıth some cool people from my hotel (a Texan a ... read more

My Journey Of Southern Cyprus

Middle East » Cyprus August 12th 2004

Arturia

...My Journey Through Cyprus... We landed at Larnaca International Airport, which we then had another 2hr drive ahead of us to Peyeia, to our Holiday Maisonette. Once we had it was about 6am and I didn't go to bed because I had slept on the plane, so I went and got change into my swimwear to go in the pool, there was a slight breeze when I had finished so I went inside to watch Athens 2004 on the tv set. 2 days later, we had set of on our journey through the Troodos Mountains it was absolutely terrifying when we were going up the windy and small roads up to Machirases Tomb and the Kykkos Monastry, although it was well worth the drive, if your into that thing. Check My Second Part, Next Time ... read more

Turkish Aegean Coast

Middle East » Turkey August 3rd 2004

Bodrum Seafront

Soicowboy

Ayvalik was the next pleasant harbour town. Linda was starting to realise that harbour towns tend to be built on hills as she hauled her baggage up through the narrow alleys while we hunted down the recommended pension. She was just on the point of refusal when our efforts were rewarded by by the double oak door of the pension. This converted Ottoman house was actually quite a treat as the elevation provided a splendid view over the rooftops of Ayvalik down to the sea. In addition to the double bed our room was large enough for two separate lounging areas and about 14 puffed up cushions (at £11 per night). The town is full of interest and bustle (and the first couple of large supermarkets we have seen). We ate most nights in a small ... read more

Behramkale

Middle East » Turkey July 14th 2004

View over Med

Soicowboy

We were in Behramkale, a small town with a harbour. The town sits 780 feet above sea level on the landward side of a hill. On the seaward side the ancient city of Assos spreads from top to bottom. Many of the ruins are still intelligible, particularly the large amphitheatre. A helpful local spent 20 minutes with us pointing out the locations where daily life occurred 2500 years ago. The temple at the summit looks out across the sea to the Greek island of Lesvos as well as for miles along the Turkish coast. We took a pension in the old town and set off for the harbour. It took an hour in the blazing sun to descend the hillside as the road zig-zagged to its conclusion. The harbour was fully occupied by fish restaurants, all ... read more