Monday, February 16, 2009
Thursday, July 31, 2008
My Trip Through Africa
I spent over six months in Africa traveling from Egypt to Cape Town, South Africa and then flew up to Morroco. It was an amazing trip that I will never forget and I met many wonderful people along the way. At some point I will write more about my travels but for now here are the pictures.
Egypt – (February – 08) ~
Ethiopia – (March – 08) ~
Rwanda – (April – 08) ~
Uganda – (April – 08) ~
Kenya – (May – 08) ~
Tanzania – (April – 08) ~
Malawi – (May – 08) ~
Botswana – (June – 08) ~
Zambia – (June – 08) ~
Namibia – (July – 08) ~
South Africa – (July – 08) ~
Morocco – (July – 08) ~
Egypt – (February – 08) ~
Ethiopia – (March – 08) ~
Rwanda – (April – 08) ~
Uganda – (April – 08) ~
Kenya – (May – 08) ~
Tanzania – (April – 08) ~
Malawi – (May – 08) ~
Botswana – (June – 08) ~
Zambia – (June – 08) ~
Namibia – (July – 08) ~
South Africa – (July – 08) ~
Morocco – (July – 08) ~
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Jordan
After Lebanon (see Blog) and Syria (see Blog) I traveled through Jordan where it was winter and snowed a few times in Amman and Petra. I was overwhelmed by people saying ‘Welcome to Jordan’ and considering the location (between Israel, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia) the people seemed very calm and relaxed. Jordan has become a peaceful nation and seeks stability in the region thanks to King Abdullah an Oxford graduate and Queen Rania an outspoken advocate of women's rights. After spending the last five months in Islamic countries (not to mention Indonesia and Malaysia last year) I have seen that Muslims are not the ‘death to the infidels’ type that our governments and media lead us to believe. Most of them are very inviting and willing to help in any way.
I started on Mount Nebo where the Bible (Deuteronomy 34) says Moses was shown the ‘Promised Land’ and then died. After that was the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on earth at 1,400 feet below sea level and the second saltiest body of water in the world at 33% salinity (almost 10 times more than most oceans). As we descended toward the shore the temperature shot up by 15°F. The Dead Sea's climate offers year-round sunny skies with low pollution, weakened ultraviolet radiation (particularly the UVB), and an atmosphere characterized by a high oxygen content due to the high barometric pressure. No wonder it was the site of the worlds first health resort (for Herod the Great).
Next I headed to Petra, a complete city carved into the mountains by the Nabateans before the birth of Christ. Al Khazneh (known as the Treasury) made famous by Indiana Jones has been designated as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". Petra was rediscovered for the western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. I just felt lucky to get a picture in front without the typical pile of tourists.
I made my way down to the deserts of Wadi Rum and finally to the port of Aqaba where I caught a ferry to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt (see Africa Blog).
I started on Mount Nebo where the Bible (Deuteronomy 34) says Moses was shown the ‘Promised Land’ and then died. After that was the Dead Sea which is the lowest point on earth at 1,400 feet below sea level and the second saltiest body of water in the world at 33% salinity (almost 10 times more than most oceans). As we descended toward the shore the temperature shot up by 15°F. The Dead Sea's climate offers year-round sunny skies with low pollution, weakened ultraviolet radiation (particularly the UVB), and an atmosphere characterized by a high oxygen content due to the high barometric pressure. No wonder it was the site of the worlds first health resort (for Herod the Great).
Next I headed to Petra, a complete city carved into the mountains by the Nabateans before the birth of Christ. Al Khazneh (known as the Treasury) made famous by Indiana Jones has been designated as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World". Petra was rediscovered for the western world by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812. I just felt lucky to get a picture in front without the typical pile of tourists.
I made my way down to the deserts of Wadi Rum and finally to the port of Aqaba where I caught a ferry to the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt (see Africa Blog).
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Lebanon
After my visit to Syria (see Blog) I made my way through the north end of Lebanon and down to Beirut. It didn't take long to figure out that everyone here seemed to be a bit nervous and the security was high.
In 1975, civil war broke out in Lebanon lasting until 1990, devastating the country's economy, and resulting in the massive loss of human life. During this time, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) used Lebanon to launch attacks against Israel. Lebanon was twice invaded and occupied by the Israel Defense Forces and the PLO was expelled. Israel remained in control of Southern Lebanon until 2000, when there was a general decision to withdraw due to continuous guerrilla attacks executed by Hezbollah militants. The UN determined that the withdrawal of Israeli troops beyond the blue line was in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 425, although a border region called the Shebaa Farms is still disputed.
On February 14, 2005, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in a car bomb explosion near the Saint George Bay in Beirut. The Lebanese accused Syria of the attack due to its extensive military and intelligence presence in Lebanon. Syrian officials claimed that the assassination may have been executed by the American CIA or the Israeli Mossad in an attempt to destabilize the country. This incident triggered a series of demonstrations, known as Cedar Revolution, demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the establishment of an international commission to investigate the assassination of Rafik Hariri. The UN Security Council launched an investigation and published the findings in the Mehlis Report (see Wikipedia Article) on October 20, 2005. It found that high-ranking members of the Syrian and Lebanese governments were involved in the assassination.
Eventually, and under pressure from the international community, Syria began withdrawing its 15,000-strong army troops from Lebanon. The Hariri assassination marked the beginning of a series of assassination attempts that led to the loss of many prominent Lebanese figures. On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and that led to a conflict, known in Lebanon as July War, that lasted until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect on 14 August 2006.
In May of 2007 Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese Armed Forces began a series of attacks and bombings in and near Beirut. The Islamist Fatah al-Islam group is alleged to have links with al-Qaeda and Lebanese government officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence. There have been more than a dozen mysterious assassinations of outspoken critics of the strong role that Syria plays inside Lebanon. To make things worse, a few weeks before I arrived there was a recent deadlock in the Presidential elections. The country was currently under military lockdown.
I spent much of my time in Lebanon going through checkpoints and border patrols but I did have a chance to visit some of the local attractions and get know to some locals. Many Lebanese are opposed to both of the Presidential candidates, saying that they were puppets of Syria and the United States.
For the most part Lebanon is very westernized and modern. Most people speak English and at times I forgot where I was. It's in a beautiful part of the Middle East running along the Mediterranean Coast filled with mountains and ski resorts.
After Lebanon I tried going back through the Syrian border and into Jordan but was denied entry and ended up taking a flight into Jordan (see Jordan Blog).
In 1975, civil war broke out in Lebanon lasting until 1990, devastating the country's economy, and resulting in the massive loss of human life. During this time, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) used Lebanon to launch attacks against Israel. Lebanon was twice invaded and occupied by the Israel Defense Forces and the PLO was expelled. Israel remained in control of Southern Lebanon until 2000, when there was a general decision to withdraw due to continuous guerrilla attacks executed by Hezbollah militants. The UN determined that the withdrawal of Israeli troops beyond the blue line was in accordance with UN Security Council Resolution 425, although a border region called the Shebaa Farms is still disputed.
On February 14, 2005, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in a car bomb explosion near the Saint George Bay in Beirut. The Lebanese accused Syria of the attack due to its extensive military and intelligence presence in Lebanon. Syrian officials claimed that the assassination may have been executed by the American CIA or the Israeli Mossad in an attempt to destabilize the country. This incident triggered a series of demonstrations, known as Cedar Revolution, demanding the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon and the establishment of an international commission to investigate the assassination of Rafik Hariri. The UN Security Council launched an investigation and published the findings in the Mehlis Report (see Wikipedia Article) on October 20, 2005. It found that high-ranking members of the Syrian and Lebanese governments were involved in the assassination.
Eventually, and under pressure from the international community, Syria began withdrawing its 15,000-strong army troops from Lebanon. The Hariri assassination marked the beginning of a series of assassination attempts that led to the loss of many prominent Lebanese figures. On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah kidnapped two Israeli soldiers and that led to a conflict, known in Lebanon as July War, that lasted until a United Nations-brokered ceasefire went into effect on 14 August 2006.
In May of 2007 Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese Armed Forces began a series of attacks and bombings in and near Beirut. The Islamist Fatah al-Islam group is alleged to have links with al-Qaeda and Lebanese government officials also believe it has ties to Syrian intelligence. There have been more than a dozen mysterious assassinations of outspoken critics of the strong role that Syria plays inside Lebanon. To make things worse, a few weeks before I arrived there was a recent deadlock in the Presidential elections. The country was currently under military lockdown.
I spent much of my time in Lebanon going through checkpoints and border patrols but I did have a chance to visit some of the local attractions and get know to some locals. Many Lebanese are opposed to both of the Presidential candidates, saying that they were puppets of Syria and the United States.
For the most part Lebanon is very westernized and modern. Most people speak English and at times I forgot where I was. It's in a beautiful part of the Middle East running along the Mediterranean Coast filled with mountains and ski resorts.
After Lebanon I tried going back through the Syrian border and into Jordan but was denied entry and ended up taking a flight into Jordan (see Jordan Blog).
Monday, December 17, 2007
Syria
Syria was a bit hard to get into as an American but well worth it. My first point of entry was from the Turkish border (see Turkey Blog) where I spent many hours waiting for approval from Damascus. On my second attempt I was coming from Lebanon (next blog) and ended up spending the night (see pics below) waiting for approval. This proved to be an interesting experience because there was a 24 hour period where I was literally 'nowhere' and since I was ultimately denied entry into Syria I did not have an exit stamp. So there was a hassle going back through the Lebanon side. They asked where I had been for the last 24 hours and I didn't know what to tell them. Luckily I was traveling with a British guy who spoke Arabic and they gave me 48 hours to get a flight out and into Jordan.
Archaeologists have demonstrated that the civilization in Syria was one of the most ancient on earth (see Wikipedia Article) and can trace its roots to the fourth millennium BC. Many of the cities are the oldest in the world including Damascus and Aleppo which rank 3rd and 4th 'oldest continuously inhabited cities' (see Wikipedia Article). In the Roman period, the great city of Antioch was the capital of Syria (one of the largest cities in the world at the time) and one of the major centers of trade and industry in the ancient world. This, along with its vast wealth, made Syria, in its heyday, one of the most important of the Roman provinces.
In 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli War, intervening on the side of the Palestinians and attempting to prevent the establishment of Israel. The Syrian army was pressed out of most of the Israel area, but fortified their strongholds on the Golan Heights and managed to keep their old borders and some additional territory until it was converted to demilitarized zones under UN supervision. But then it was gradually seized by Israel and the status of these territories have proved a stumbling-block for Syrian-Israeli negotiations. The international community and the United Nations see the Golan Heights as Syrian lands occupied and illegally annexed by Israel. In 1973, Syria tried to regain control of the Golan Heights in a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Despite initial Syrian advances and heavy Israeli losses, the Golan Heights remained in Israeli hands after a successful Israeli counter attack. Syria and Israel signed an armistice agreement in 1974, and a United Nations observer force was stationed there. Israel unilaterally annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, although the Syrian government continues to demand the return of this territory, possibly in the context of a peace treaty.
On October 5, 2003, Israel bombed a site near Damascus, charging it was a terrorist training facility for members of Islamic Jihad. Islamic Jihad said the camp was not in use; Syria said the attack was on a civilian area. The Israeli action was widely condemned. The German Chancellor said it "cannot be accepted" and the French Foreign Ministry said "The Israeli operation… constituted an unacceptable violation of international law and sovereignty rules." The Spanish UN Ambassador Inocencio Arias called it an attack of "extreme gravity" and "a clear violation of international law." However, the United States moved closer to imposing sanctions on Syria, following the adoption of the Syria Accountability Act by the House of Representatives International Relations committee and George W Bush has branded Syria and a 'rogue state' and criticized its support of Hezbollah (see Wikipedia Article) and turning a blind eye to movements of the Iraqi insurgents.
Here is a direct quote from the LP guide that I was using "Contrary to what the US State Dept may want the world to think, Syria is not populated by terrorists, zealots, etc and are in fact among the most friendly and hospitable people in the world…" After a few weeks in the country I could not agree more. Syrians are very helpful and always inviting you in for tea and snacks. Syria has a population of 20 million 90% of which are Muslim. Syrian food mostly consists of Southern Mediterranean, Greek, and Middle Eastern dishes. Some Syrian dishes also evolved from Turkish and French cooking.
Archaeologists have demonstrated that the civilization in Syria was one of the most ancient on earth (see Wikipedia Article) and can trace its roots to the fourth millennium BC. Many of the cities are the oldest in the world including Damascus and Aleppo which rank 3rd and 4th 'oldest continuously inhabited cities' (see Wikipedia Article). In the Roman period, the great city of Antioch was the capital of Syria (one of the largest cities in the world at the time) and one of the major centers of trade and industry in the ancient world. This, along with its vast wealth, made Syria, in its heyday, one of the most important of the Roman provinces.
In 1948, Syria was involved in the Arab-Israeli War, intervening on the side of the Palestinians and attempting to prevent the establishment of Israel. The Syrian army was pressed out of most of the Israel area, but fortified their strongholds on the Golan Heights and managed to keep their old borders and some additional territory until it was converted to demilitarized zones under UN supervision. But then it was gradually seized by Israel and the status of these territories have proved a stumbling-block for Syrian-Israeli negotiations. The international community and the United Nations see the Golan Heights as Syrian lands occupied and illegally annexed by Israel. In 1973, Syria tried to regain control of the Golan Heights in a surprise attack on Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. Despite initial Syrian advances and heavy Israeli losses, the Golan Heights remained in Israeli hands after a successful Israeli counter attack. Syria and Israel signed an armistice agreement in 1974, and a United Nations observer force was stationed there. Israel unilaterally annexed the Golan Heights in 1981, although the Syrian government continues to demand the return of this territory, possibly in the context of a peace treaty.
On October 5, 2003, Israel bombed a site near Damascus, charging it was a terrorist training facility for members of Islamic Jihad. Islamic Jihad said the camp was not in use; Syria said the attack was on a civilian area. The Israeli action was widely condemned. The German Chancellor said it "cannot be accepted" and the French Foreign Ministry said "The Israeli operation… constituted an unacceptable violation of international law and sovereignty rules." The Spanish UN Ambassador Inocencio Arias called it an attack of "extreme gravity" and "a clear violation of international law." However, the United States moved closer to imposing sanctions on Syria, following the adoption of the Syria Accountability Act by the House of Representatives International Relations committee and George W Bush has branded Syria and a 'rogue state' and criticized its support of Hezbollah (see Wikipedia Article) and turning a blind eye to movements of the Iraqi insurgents.
Here is a direct quote from the LP guide that I was using "Contrary to what the US State Dept may want the world to think, Syria is not populated by terrorists, zealots, etc and are in fact among the most friendly and hospitable people in the world…" After a few weeks in the country I could not agree more. Syrians are very helpful and always inviting you in for tea and snacks. Syria has a population of 20 million 90% of which are Muslim. Syrian food mostly consists of Southern Mediterranean, Greek, and Middle Eastern dishes. Some Syrian dishes also evolved from Turkish and French cooking.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Turkey
This was my second time in Turkey (see first Blog) and this time I came from Bulgaria (see Blog) in the north. I spent six weeks and was only able to see the West and Central parts. Turkey is the 37th largest (by area) country in the world with the 17th largest population. This is where East meets West with one foot in Asia and the other in Europe. It was the first Muslim former-Ottoman land to establish a democracy. The food is fantastic (typical Mediterranean style) and there are many things to see. I started in Istanbul and went south to Pergamum, Ephesus, Antalya, and Cappadocia before going to Syria. I became friends with many Turkish people and found them to be progressive in many ways and always willing to help.
Turkey has something for everyone – beautiful beaches in the south, skiing in the mountains, cosmopolitan cities, more classical ruins than Greece and Italy, many major religious sites, and amazing landscapes. Traveling here is not as cheap as it once was given its strong currency, positive economic conditions, and potential membership in the EU but is still a bargain compared with most of Europe.
Next stop Syria (see Blog).
Turkey has something for everyone – beautiful beaches in the south, skiing in the mountains, cosmopolitan cities, more classical ruins than Greece and Italy, many major religious sites, and amazing landscapes. Traveling here is not as cheap as it once was given its strong currency, positive economic conditions, and potential membership in the EU but is still a bargain compared with most of Europe.
Next stop Syria (see Blog).
Friday, November 2, 2007
Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, & Bulgaria
After Bosnia (see Blog) I spent the month of October traveling through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, and Bulgaria. It was starting to get cold as fall set in and the autumn colors reminded me of home.
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