Happy Holidays!

This is just a short note to wish everyone Happy Holidays and a peaceful and prosperous New Year! Thank you to all of our wonderful clients who have made 2008 a very special year, and we look forward to 2009 with great anticipation!

More blog entries will be coming after the holidays, so be sure to check back. I am hoping to get stories from our first tour of 2009: Yemen. There is still room on this tour if you would like to join it - just call our office.

Anyway, from us to you, all the best for the holidays and new year!

Rita, Brenda, Maha

Yeah, more updates from our Saudi tour participants!

One more addition to our posts about the Saudi Arabia tour. The link below takes you to one of the particpant's websites she created about the tour. Enjoy!

Saudi Arabia http://web.me.com/donamalan/Saudi_Arabia

More thoughts from Saudi Arabia...

I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the trip to Saudi Arabia. All of my friends wondered why I was going to go there, thinking that it was mostly desert with a lot of people who didn’t much like Americans. Boy, were they wrong.

What I saw was fascinating. From the mountains in the south to the tombs in Madinah-Saleh to the fabulous sites in the north to amazing Jeddah on the coast – it was all beyond what I expected to see myself. The people were gracious and friendly, and hospitality reigned all over. We met so many wonderful people, and we had a superb guide during our journey throughout the whole country. I was surprised to learn that we didn’t have to wear our scarves over our heads in many places, which was really nice. The abayas were positively comfortable and easy to wear. I learned a lot about Saudi life on the trip, and I was pleased to see everywhere I went that Saudi men were loving and affectionate with their daughters, unlike what I had read in a couple of books intimating that Saudi men only wanted and cared about their sons and not their daughters. That was great to see. We also visited a couple of homes, which gave an insight into family life and how guests are received in Saudi Arabia.

I was struck by the sense of dignity the Saudis have. They look exquisite in their traditional costume, and they are quiet and reserved in public. I noticed this especially at the airports and the restaurants. Nobody talking loudly or making a ruckus. When I got back to the United States and was waiting for my transfer flight, I was appalled by not only the appearance of our American men (in jeans and T-shirts looking like slobs), but by the loud casual and inane chatter that I didn’t particularly care to hear, along with people talking loud on their cell phones. I wanted to leave and return to Jeddah! It was so nice to see people acting like they should act in public as I saw in Saudi Arabia.

I was also impressed when prayer time came in the evening and all of our drivers (of the 4 wheel drives in the desert) and the security police prayed together in the sand. We had a newspaper reporter with us also, and he did the call to prayer first, and the others came up behind him and all prayed together. The reporter had the most beautiful voice, and as the sun was going down, his melodious voice sounded through the desert. It was a moving experience, and I’m glad to have been a part of it.

In addition, the chilled non-alcoholic beers were excellent!

I would recommend this trip highly to anyone who is interested in Arab culture and all of the historical gems that Saudi Arabia has to offer. The accommodations were excellent, and Hatem (our guide) was kind, considerate, and super efficient. He also had a terrific sense of humor, which brought out the best (or worst) in us. We just loved him.

Thank you for making it possible for us to see this magnificent country. It was one of the best trips I have ever taken.

June Simeth (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Saudi Tour Reflections

This post was sent in from Dona, one of our Saudi Arabia tour participants, upon her return home. It's really entertaining!
-Brenda
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Saudi Saga

Once upon a time in November ‘08
Our group met in Riyadh but Jean was late.
We enjoyed our flight on Saudi Air
Each with their own row is how they show they care.

The arrival in Riyadh was really easy and fast
After long flights, we had arrived at last
We spent some time learning about our group which is small
So it is easy to get all in the loop

Rita was with us the very first day
But had to cut short her Saudi stay
Here we met with our guide Hatem
He seemed knowledgeable, funny and a gem.

Jean’s trip from St. Louis really started wrong
To get to Riyadh she almost had to sing a song
But Finally after dinner she did arrive
At breakfast we met her and she is quite alive.

In Riyadh we visited Masmak Fort
The history here we must try to sort
Very thick walls are on all sides
And much history within it resides.

We visited a bit in a souk to shop
Joshua was the one who made the jewelers hop
June got herself a falcon perch
And a falcon hood and she didn’t even have to search.

The Riyadh Museum is full of many things
From it great knowledge it brings
Now if we can just remember it all
For our memory banks an order quite tall.

The Tower offered up quite a view
We were glad we got there too
But traffic in Riyadh is very bad
Not knowing the rules of the road made us sad.

During our delicious lunch a big rain
When we came out we found water that could not drain
Flash floods, lightning and thunder for us
We had to hurry and get on the bus.

We visited a camel market so sweet?
Later we had to lean off our feet
Our flight to Najran was delayed
But finally we arrived at the Holiday Inn where we stayed.

Friday we flew and drove all day
Had to get to Al Ula for a three night stay
Saturday when we awoke we found an amazing sight
About these rocky mountains much we could write.

The Nabatean ruins are more than great
Our cameras clicked at a real fast rate
For everyone a day to remember
Way past our stay here in this November.

We drove up the mountain and built a fire
Had a bit of tea to keep us wired
We watched the sun drop over the hill
And the Saudi prayer time while we keep still.

Sunday more ruins and a museum quite small
More food and soon we will all be round as a ball
The food has always been more than ample
And of course all if it we had to sample.

Monday was a long day on the bus
With stops and food no one did fuss
As the rocky and sandy terrain we past
While June wrote a chapter at last.

Tuesday was spent on archeology sights
Castles, standing stones and Umar mosque a delight.
Al Noal hotel was a beautiful place
Courtyards and lobbies full of grace

A private museum with coffee and tea
And happily a five star place to pee
then on to a home where the ladies could dance
We had fun watching Linda and others prance.

Four med students joined us for a camel dinner
The conversations were surely a winner
Exchange of views both sides did bring
While dell phones went off with a varying ring.

Wednesday we visited a plant and camel research center
Even a camel pharmacy we did enter
We saw a camel being milked by machine
Some tried camel milk without turning green.

We fed some camels alfalfa and hay
But finally we had to end our stay
We saw some desert with very fine sand
This is not unusual in this Saudi land

Thursday in Hail we saw a few sights
Then off to Jubba without any fight
There a private museum most grand
Then on to the rock carvings where we could stand.

Back in Hail we all went our own way
Our VIP guards were afraid we would stray
McDonalds or Bar-B-Que chicken to eat
The hotel food here took lots of heat.

Till Hail our food has been quite a treat
Seems like all we do is eat
Pita, hummus, veggies, fruits and dessert
We have eaten enough to make our stretched tummies hurt

In Hail we tried to dodge our secret police
They probably thought we were covered in grease
But someone was always following us
Even if we were not on the bus.

Friday a flight to Jeddah - hurray
Hatem could hardly wait for this day
The Intercontinental Hotel is more than swell
Quite a change from the one ins Hail ( hell)

The buffet lunch put us over the top
Eating it we were not sure we could stop
You name it and it was here
We ate with abandon and showed no fear

Afternoon visit at Hatems family home
Men were separated and could not roam
His mom, sisters and nieces were lots of fun
I am sure our hearts they have won.

Then to the souk in the old town
It was hot and crowded as we walked down
Stalls with clothes, perfumes and dates
With this group shopping usually rates.

Off to our farewell dinner tonight
Later Jean leaves us early for her flight
Don’t know what will happen now
But this poem will be complete somehow.

Thanks for everyone this trip has been great
All were on interested and no one was late
Varied discussions have taken place
Many a smile has filled out face.

Friday, thanks for joining us
You have added much to the bus
Hope we have not been too big a shock
And memories os us you will not have to black.

Hatem -- about you what can I say?
You have really made our Saudi stay
You have shared about people and places
And were always met by smiling faces

You are very knowledgeable and fun
And you have really kept us on the run
History, stores, quizzes and jokes
And lots of stories of the Saudi folks

Rita and Caravan Serai you have done it once more
Planning these trips is more than a chore.
Sights, experiences, hotels and food
We have gained from the Saudi hospitality mood.

(This is what I had written for the dinner!)

Saturday morning we drove along the corniche by the Red Sea
Lots of round-a-bouts with statues for us to see
We met Salena and saw her lovely gallery
Her wedding photo albums are far from free.

Off to Green Island for lovely fish
I got a grilled plate which met my wish
Friday said goodbye after lunch
He will be a good guide soon is my hunch

Our last museum in Saturday
Had to complete it for our Jeddah stay
Sunday were off to the airport for our flight
Not wearing an abaya will not seem right.

Bless you all my children from Mother Teresa

Sights and Sounds of Jordan, Syria, & Lebanon

Below is a post from one of the participants from our Oct. 15-28 Jordan and Syria Tour. Enjoy!
Brenda
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Hi Everyone,

It's hard to believe that I'm back in my comfy home after a long journey of 14 days, flying 12 and half hours across from Amman, Jordan and another 5 hours from New York to San Francisco; it was another time capsule of another world!!!The destination: Syria and Jordan..definitely the Middle East , Wonder of Wonders, the Cradle of Civilization and ten thousand years of civilization with twenty diverse cultural eras.

Before going any further, I would like to make a disclaimer that my historical knowledge and dates may not be accurate and my story are only my interpretations. My observations of the sights and sounds are my delight in the world of discovery.

JORDAN helped me complete my list of must sees, as National Geographic did mention that PETRA in Jordan as one World Wonders. No one can really appreciate the grandeur of this site, unless you are physically there. I soon realized that PETRA "Rose Red City" was more than the famed building of the Treasury, but a whole city behind, carved out of sandstone with a Roman amphitheater and spectacular Church to boot.

Little did anyone realize that on this trip, we would be treated to seven UNESCO Sites. FYI: (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage Sites.It was founded to help preserve specific landmarks and natural sites and to draw public awareness to them.

Our group had the pleasure of spending an afternoon at DANA RESERVE (UNESCO site) where we were challenged to go hiking for several hours on very rocky mountain surfaces. Our Jordanian guide gave us the hope that we would find wildlife romping about, but the only rompers, were our exuberant tour members who could have been on a photography assignment as they romped precariously from rock to rock formations to get their pictures.

Little did we expect was to be really doing hard camping at another UNESCO site, WADI RUN. It is the vast desert land with jutting landscapes and more expected wildlife. I really expected to see Lawrence of Arabia reenacted on these vast plains; our group had the pleasure of sitting on the back of open air trucks riding & bumping through the fine sand. Needless to say, our wind tousled sandy hair demanded another shampoo.But not tonight..our camp was a two man Pakistani made canvas tent with two cots and bedding. No more, no less; oh yes, a bright burning lantern outside. Honeymooners would have almost loved this, but it was too challenging to find everything in the dark, much less the bathroom which was in a separate building, many tents away. Now try going to go the bathroom in the middle of the night when you only have a small Sharper Image light to guide the way. However, one lesson learned, the Jordanians cook their dinners like the Hawaiians do a kaula pig for a Luau. Their marinated meats, namely lamb and chicken, are put into huge cauldron submerged in the ground, covered with hot wood coals and cooked a whole afternoon. The end result was a culinary delight.

To compensate for the dire conditions for us "non campers" who are more like princesses, we were rewarded with a glorious stay at the Kempinski Hotel at the Dead Sea, which I have rated as 6 star!!! What awaited us was the chance to play and float in the Dead Sea, 400 meters below sea level, and to slather ourselves with the" cure all, make you beautiful mud." Yes, we all did succumb to bringing our senior bods to test the waters and found it to be truly salty and very buoyant. With the promise of improving all skin tones to rejuvenation, we naively managed to spread this very licorice looking color mud, with the consistency of molasses, on our bodies from head to toe and that meant covering our faces. Before long, we could not recognize anyone, except by body size.

A ride through the Jordanian desert , totally void of any greenery or water on a straight road with an endless horizon, brought us to visit QASR AMRA, (UNESCO) which means "Construction". Once a 8th century Palace, complete with baths and unique Christian frescoes, we were able to find the remains of a beautiful and glorious structure. This palace, in its hey day, was once occupied in a lush valley of trees and water. Again, it was a "Kodak moment" for us or should I say a "digital" moment.

AL MUIJIB, also known as APAMEA (UNESCO),13th century, Roman city,was one of my favorites; it was a "sleeper", There are boulevards of impressive restored columns and my heart just felt my heartstrings tug. It was so spectacular!!! Imagine, avenues of bold impressive columns, " Colonnade Avenue, "where it seemed like miles of tall, majestic columns, with or without it's Corinthian curly cue tops. While strolling through the avenues, we had a well fed stray dog follow our group for a few blocks and he reminded me of my morning walk with my Sheltie dog, Monty. What is impressive is the distance that large stones had to be carried up the hill and be erected to form the columns. At the southern gate, known as the Homs gate, there exists twisted fluted columns, 2nd century AD, which was happily recorded digitally by me.


SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF JORDAN
*Each morning, at 5 am, I am awakened by the Morning call to Prayer with a lingering chant.
*The city of Amman, consists of seven hills, dotted with very concrete,boxy looking, homes everywhere. It looks like Lego land and there seems to be a lack of color, like no one paints their homes with any color, very neutral sandy
*There hasn't been any rain in the area since April 2007, very arid
*Hard to believe, there is a Sam's Club and Safeway.
*All rooftops have an unfinished look: pillars with exposed metal.This is done in anticipation of adding another floor to the building for a family member to move in
*As we leave the city of Amman, the outskirts are hilly and dotted with rows of olive tree farms and pistachio farms
*One does not forget you're in the 21st century as there is plastic everywhere: plastic bags of every color are scattered all over the countryside, as there are water bottles.
* Phosphorus is the country's biggest natural product and loaded onto trains to be transported to different areas of the country. While at Wadi Run, our morning call was the rumbling sounds of a train, transporting phosphorus
* Camels are likely to cross a highway or be lumbering around the countryside on it's own. Most of these camels are white and are smaller built as compared to their counterparts.
* One of my favorite little towns was Madaba, the city of mosaics where it was discovered a Byzantine mosaic map showing Jerusalem and other holy sites from Biblical times
* Jerash, a forgotten Roman ruin was also another visit that called for more digital moments.

Not reading my itinerary too carefully, I found out that we were going to be in LEBANON for one day. That was one of the most historic days in my life, for I have found another site that I have fallen in love with. This has to be another UNESCO site, if not a World Wonder: please let me introduce to you BAALBECK.

It is a fabulous Roman city ruins which could surpass Petra.Our visit to the Temple of Jupiter where amazingly ,much was in tact. However the piece of resistance was the Temple dedicated to Bacchus, the god of grapes and wine. Those Romans were party timers from the get go...as we were able to witness a Wine Hall that was extremely well planned and perfect for having little groupies of a 1000 for drinks and nibbles. ( ah, hummus again) Because of the recent excavation of this project, we were able to see all the many finer carved details and appreciate the grandeur. One historic note, most of the rocks and stones were monster boulder size and were secured with imbedded metal rods and moved by animals and hundreds of slaves. Each boulder had been carved up to eight steps and would be placed at each building. Water systems were "no problem" ..hot or cold, the Romans had it figured out. Their water pipes have held up for centuries!!!

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF LEBANON:
*Did you know that they make wonderful wines,they have their own Napa Valley, Chateau Ksara has garnered the title of best little ole winemaker with multi awards; they used the old caves of the Romans who stored their wines there in the early days
*the architecture of their homes are nicer and more imaginative
* There are imported cars of every vintage and every make
*Kids all wear uniforms to school
*We are again reminded of the world of plastics, where plastic bags of every color are strewn all
over the countryside giving a confetti look
* Did I mention that you can purchase anything with your American dollar;?
* Taste of Lebanese food:similar to their other Middle Eastern neighbors:
Hummus, fattoch, baba,muharahma, kibbeh, cheese rolls, sabosa, lamb, chicken kabobs, and fresh fruits of the season. Persimmons were abundant and very sweet

Crossing the borders from Jordan to Syria and vise versa was serious business; strictly no picture taking and very serious border guards from both sides checked and double checked our passports to make sure that we weren't on their undesirable list. Fortunately, our tour leader, Rita Zawaideh American Jordanian, kept everything light with her great sense of humor.

Upon arriving into SYRIA, it was like going into another world. They have water and their whole world is a lot greener. It boasts of the two major cities, Damascus,the capitol and Aleppo, former capitol. Their must see showcase is Palmyra.(UNESCO) Believe me, I had never heard of this ancient city and was truly delighted to know that we would be exploring another Roman ruin. As it was dusk, our group managed to drive up to the top of a hill where there was another castle awaiting our tired feet and begging us to explore. and to see the sunset. I chose neither. I was in "shoppers paradise". All the Syrian or Bedouin vendors were hawking their gorgeous table covers & silver necklaces. Bargain, bargain and when you pay in Syrian dollars, you're not sure if you paid too little or too much. But what a adrenalin experience.

Our morning walk in Palmyra was amongst the ruins and columns and camels;it was also another adrenalin rush, because the vendors from the night before chased us on motorcycles, yes motorcycles, trying to make a sale.We went from site to site and the motorcycles and vendors were right under our noses. We were in our element. Oh, yes.

Afew other must sees and also UNESCO site materials were in the major cities Damascus and Aleppo. Not to forget, the Citadel in Aleppo,the Street Called Straight in Damascus, the Omaryyad Mosque, also in Damascus.

We were beginning to feel "ruined ' out" but still manage to drag our tired bodies to see the other plums. The city of Bosra was nice and neat and their claim to fame is the largest Roman amphitheater. And who would have thought that the Syrians would have named a castle in French; Krak Des Chevalier.(UNESCO) It's a complicated story, but a remarkably well preserved Crusader castle.

SIGHTS AND SOUNDS OF SYRIA
* I'm still awaken by the 5 am Morning call to Prayer with a lingering chant
* The traditional women of different sects all have their version of a black dress, called a burka or kaffeiyehs. If you go into the souk, (market place) you'll see every conceivable black dress with many embellishments of trims and flowers. The best one was when I saw a lady in her black burka and it was trimmed with the Burberry plaid. Now how stylish can you be??
* The souks, a local market since time, is the Whole Foods of the Middle East; you will find the most fascinating and complete store in the world. I was more intriqued with all the fancy women's lingerie that rivaled Fredericks of Hollywood. I certainly didn't see the women wearing them, so I suspect there is a lot going on that doesn't meet the eye under those black burkas.
* The souks gave us Americans of having a chance to interact with the merchants; when one of the merchants found out we were from America, he expressed his choice of our presidential candidate. We want" Obama, we want Obama" I had to hold my tongue.
* In the downtown area of Damascus, in the morning,the shop keepers all wash and mop their floors and even the frontage of their side walks. Shades of Japan and Korea.
* If you want a little morning exercise, try walking in downtown Damascus and try crossing the street. You have to play the game of chicken when you cross between a million yellow cabs and dodge quickly all the other oncoming cars. Great for your mind and agility
* If I haven't mentioned it before, our bathroom stops were quite challenging. Question??? Is it a Western?? No, it's a HOLY ONE!!!
* Did I mention that we traveled in a Chinese made bus ?? Yutong
* Many gorgeous pashmina scarves found in all the stores are from the Far East and even have the same familiar labels
* Upon entering the Holy Mosques, we women were required to rent a robe that covered us from head to toe and had to have our heads covered during our visit. Shoes were not permitted. It made us feel so "local".

From our Christian background, it was exciting to be visiting the many places that Jesus Christ had been to or to relive a happening from our Biblical stories. Our stop to the Baptismal site of Jesus in the Jordan River, gave way to our getting our selves wet with the same water. The visit to the Church of Annais, Basilica of St Simeon ruins and the tiny villages of Ma'alaula and Sednaya, where it is the only place in the world that speaks Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ. We heard a priest say the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic.

My head is still reeling from all this saturation of history, architecture, culture, religion, people, foods etc and feel so blessed to be able to do another Trip of a Lifetime. Now I can check off my list of Wonders of the World and add more UNESCO sites that I've seen.

AH, now for a good nights sleep....perhaps, I'll be awaken by the early morning Call to Prayer.

MURIEL KAO

Wondering what to wear on a trip to Iran?

Many people, especially women, are concerned about what is appropriate to wear on a tour of Iran. Below is a photo from our tour in September showing what is appropriate. You can see that there is a variety of choices!

The idea is to keep your clothing loose - no tight or form fitting garments. Skirts that are ankle length and tunics that go to just below the elbow and below your hips are fine - you don't have to have the manteau or long coat. A scarf is alwas required to cover your hair.

I hope this helps when considering what to bring on a tour of Iran!

Brenda

Photo Album for Levantine Adventure Tour

Visit my photo album for the Levantine Adventure Tour! Click the link below.

Photo Album

enjoy!

Brenda

Home at last

Wow, what an action-packed last 2 and a half weeks! I am at home now, reflecting on my trip to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, and what a trip it was. Where else can you see ancient wonders such as Petra, natural wonders like Jeitta Grotto in Lebanon, cosmopolitan cities like Beirut and small villages and Bedouins still living the nomadic life?

I learned about insurance for camels- what happens if a camel runs out on the road and is hit by a car or bus? This a very real problem, and camels are very valuable to their owners- one figure I heard was about $1500 US dollars per animal. Obviously something you don't want to lose. But the camel herds, and the goat and sheep herds, too, often cross highways or graze alongside the roads. So what happens if one gets hit? Well, auto insurance includes provisions to compensate the animal's owner for their loss, as well as for fixing the car and taking care of other costs. I am sure Geico has never been asked - do you cover camel accidents?

I also got to see some places I had been before and noted the many changes that have taken place. One change in Jordan is the notable increase in visitors. Sites are more and more popular as word gets out that these sights really are amazing. Other changes were not so monumental, such as noting that the cafe I used to spend lots of time at in Aleppo when I was there 12 years ago, has been upgraded with new chairs, tables, and umbrellas, and the street it sits on is now blocked off to car traffic - that was half the appeal to the place before- watching the cars zoom around the base of the citadel! Oh well, time marches on, as the sculpture of Father Time reminds us at the Jeitta Grotto caves, and things will change either in large chunks or small drips.

My next project will be to upload a web album of the photos I took throughout the whole trip.

Aleppo, Syria

Aleppo's Ommayad Mosque after a brief rainstorm.

The only day it rained during our entire trip was our day in and around Aleppo on October 15. We got lucky, though. Our day started at the Citadel of Aleppo, then the Museum afterwards. As we were leaving the museum for St. Simeon, it started to rain. We had decided to stop and get some "pizzas" for lunch to take on the way and eat while we were at St. Simeon. It rained all the way there and and while we ate our lunch in the bus, but as soon as we were done, the rain stopped! We were able to visit the site where St. Simeon the Stylite, a Christian ascetic, settled in 412. He lived for nearly 40 years on the top of a column, surrounded by pilgrims. The surrounding basilica and baptistry are on a hill top overlooking the surrounding countryside and you can see Turkey to the north. As soon as our visit was over and we were heading back to Aleppo in the bus, the rain started again!

Once back in Aleppo we went to visit the Ommayad Mosque and the souk with its miles and miles of covered passageways, located at the foot of the citadel. The souk is ancient, having been in use for centuries because of Aleppo's important location on the trade routes between east and west. You can spend days and days exploring all of the souk, and you can buy everything from kitchen utensils, fabrics, clothing, gold, souvenirs, soap, spices, nuts, sweets, and more. It is an asault on your senses, but in a good way- the odors of the spices and the sounds of the merchants moving more goods to their shops on the backs of donkeys, colors of all types of fabrics. The souk is a world of its own. Once inside, you leave the city behind, and it is very easy to get lost. I don't know if the is a map of the layout of the souk, but I doubt it would do any good. But half the fun and adventure of visiting the souk is to emerse yourself if this age-old insitution of trade and commerce, and forget about what might be going on outside.

Brenda

Beirut - the Paris of the Middle East

I have done some previous studying of the vibrant city of Beirut and it is really quite inspiring to be here at last. One thing I hadn't really realized about the city and the country of Lebanon is that there really isn't much flat land, except in the Bekka valley. The rest, almost right up to the Mediterranean Sea is mountains! Beirut is located on a natural peninsula that is relatively flat compared to the surrounding landscape. It really is beautiful here, with the warm sea breeze and the zest for life is evident everywhere.

Beirut and Lebanon have gone through so much in its history - I won't even attempt to summarize here as it would be pages and pages long even in summary! - but every time seems to snap back, rise from the ashes, and becomes even better than before. OK, some propaganda there, but for the most part it is true. While not everyone is happy about some of the reconstruction plans, or the handling of archeological sites newly discovered in the city, or the price of real estate in the downtown area, for the most part with little exception you would not know there was a war in this city as recently as 2 years ago.

There are a couple of reminders, or souveniers as our guide liked to say, of the recent war but also of the civil war in the 80s and 90s. For example, a theater that was opened just days before fighting broke out in the civil war is in ruins, but part is still standing and will some day be repaired/rebuilt and used for different purpose. There is also the shell of a Holiday Inn hotel that is a remnant from the civil war - also to be repaired someday and used again. They are reminders to what has happened while at the same time providing a stark contrast as to what has become of the city since then: new construction, pedestrian streets, a beautiful coriche to stroll on, and more have been built - the city is as modern as any western metropolis. Mercedes and BMWs and other luxury cars zoom long the streets next to Hondas and the new Chinese car - Cherry.

Today we visited Harissa to the north of Beirut to see the giant statue of the Virgin Mary and see the modern cathedral as well as enjoy the view of the city of Jounieh below, the coastline and Beirut in the distance. Our next stop was the Jeita grotto- which is a candidate for the new 7 Natural Wonders of the World. These underground caverns are spectacular - stalactites and stalagmites and the undrground river rushing through the rocks below- amazing! This place is not to be missed, it truly is a natural wonder. It is hard to imagine how long it has taken these rock formations to develop into their current state - and they are still growing and changing. There is a sculpture of Father Time outside the caves.

After the Grotto, we went to the south of Beirut to visit the palace at Beitedine. this is a 19th century palace and is still a governemt facility. The architecture is really beautiful once you get inside- don't be fooled by the somewhat plain exterior and main square. However, before our visit there we stopped for lunch at a little restaurant not far a way from the palace and we were in for a treat! The woman that owns the retaurant was warned ahead of time we were coming so she was waiting at the door and as soon as she saw our bus she ran out waving and greeting us with so much enthusiasm it was really cute. She was running around like crazy to make sure we had places to sit, took our orders, suggested I have the special Amina pizza- her specialty, and the green tea rather than regular tea - OK. Good choices/recommendations on both counts. It was really one of the most fun lunches we have had -relaxing, entertaining, and good food. Al Amina Restaurant is a good place to stop when visiting Beitedine.

Our day was completed with a walking tour of downtown Beirut. We could see some of the new construction as well as the uncovered Roman ruins. The city was alive with families enjoying the late afternoon at the cafes and strolling through the streets, and also there were a few weddings going on. We ended at the Green Line, that separated West Beirut from East Beirut during the civil war and is now a park commemorating the martyrs of the cicl war. Also, a commemoration of Rafiq Hariri's death and the still unsolved mystery of his assisination was nearby.

Ok, I think I have rambled on long enough. Maybe tomorrow I will sit down and write a more coherant summary of the trip so far.

brenda

Lebanon at last

After continuing our journey through Syria we are finally in Lebanon. I am sorry I have not been able to write since arriving in Syria - we have seen and done so much since my last post! Palmyra was incredible, and of course Aleppo is my favorite.

Aleppo is Syria's second largest city and in the very northern part of the country. I must admit, I wish we could have stayed longer. In any case, I did run into someone I had met when I was in Aleppo 12 years ago - Aladine who runs several kiosks in the famous covered souk of Aleppo - it is his family's business. Anyway, he is quite a crazy character and does a brisk business! I chatted with him for a bit before continuing on with my own exploration of the souk, which brought back a few memories. And a few things have changed in the city, and elsewhere in Syria since my last visit.

We are now in Beirut and enjoying the sites. I am about to get cut off on my computer time so I wil lhave to finish this later! Sorry for the brevity! Back as soon as I can!

Brenda

From the Dead Sea to Damascus

Ahhh, Damascus, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world! Unless of course you are in Aleppo! Ahhhh, Aleppo, the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world! OK, so why do they both claim the title? Well both cities have evidence of continuous human habitation dating back longer than any other cities in the world, but I heard today the Damascus gets the official title because it is and has been a capitol city throughout much of its existance.

OK, but before we get to Damascus, I must tell you about the Dead Sea. We had a morning to spend a few hours soaking the Dead Sea, or just relaxing. I opted for the swim in the Dead Sea since I have studied a bit about Dead Sea salt and all its benefits so I could not pass this opportunity up to soak in the real deal. The water is like bath water. You wade in and when you get up to your hips you can just sit back and start floating. And let me tell you, float on your back! Don't try to float on your stomach - it doesn't work very well. You are so bouyant that your legs will not want to go back down to stand up. This creates a dilema when you want to get out! I tried and tried to get my legs under me but no way! I was thrashing around but it just wasn't happening - everytime I would try I would roll over or tilt and not get my feet down. I finally ended up having to go into the very shallow water and then I could get my knees under me and stand up! Glad no one had a video camera.

Next was the mud treatment. Soft, silty mud can be found along the shore of the Dead Sea and it is loaded with minerals. You just reach down and scoop some up and start smearing it all over yourself for more youthful looking skin and to help with sking conditions and to draw out impurities. Once covered in the mud, you just stand or sit and let it dry in the sun for a bit, then wither rinse off in the Dead Sea or shower it off at one of the beach showers. One other thing is a must - completely rinse yourself after soaking the Dead Sea or you will experience chaffing and itching like you wouldn't believe - I heard about that before from someone who apparently decided to skip the rinse and just got dressed strait from their soak. Big mistake, they discovered!

So after the Dead Sea we went to Amman for overnight, then the next day we departed for Syria with a stop in Jerash before the border, and then at Bosra after crossing into Syria. Both sights are very impressive and I highly recommend visiting both - the theater at Bosra is amazingly well preserved and the black basalt stone it is constructed with is unusual - most of the Roman cities we think of are white with the limestone and other lighter colored stones used in their construction.

Finally we made it to Damascus - yeah!! Damascus has a history dating back even further than the pyramids of Egypt. It figures prominently in Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic history and has remnants of almost all of its history still visible. The Ommayyad Mosque, for example, started out as a pagan temple, then bacame a Roman temple, then a Christian church and is now a mosque. All of its past can still be seen in the architecture - from the columns, minarets, mosaics, and arches. St. Paul was converted to Christianity in Damascus.

I won't go into the complete history of Damascus here- it is far beyond my scope and I certainly don't have the amount of time necessary on my free interent access at the hotel to do it justice! But to really start to see and understand the importance of Damascus, you really must walk the Street Called Strait and visit St. Hannaniya's church, and walk the marbel floor of the Ommayyad Mosque to just scratch the surface.

One more thing not to be missed- the ice cream at one of the oldest shops in Damascus - the ice creamery in the Hamadiya Souk! YUM!!!

Tomorrow it is on to Palmyra, so more to come then!

Brenda

Wadi Rum and Lawrence of Arabia

I have found that a new recommendation we should make for anyone traveling to Jordan would be to read up on Lawrence of Arabia and the Great Arab Revolt when the Arab tribes rose up against the Ottoman Turks in the early 1900's. A trip to the Desert Castles starts you off with a bit of history of Lawrence and his adventures, but to really get into it you must go to Wadi Rum and see where he and the Arab leaders initiated attacks against the infrastructure of the Ottomans, namely the railway that passes through the desert.

Our tour took us on a long journey from Amman to Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Kerak castle, and finally Wadi Rum and the Jabal Rum campsite. It was a long day, but worth it to spend the night in the camp in the middle of this historic and beautiful but barren landscape. Our camp was actually not too far away from the rail line that was bombed by Lawrence, but is now repaired in use today. We had dinner under the stars- a real Bedouin meal, followed by entertainment and a mock wedding where bride and groom are paraded out and then celebrate the marriage with singing and dancing. This camp is pretty nice as far as camping goes- individual tents with beds, blankets and pillows, a bathroom with showers and toilets! When the sun went down, there were foxes singing to the stars and moon to serenade us to sleep.

Our next day included a tour of Wadi Rum which shows off the beauty of the desert and mountain landscape - not to be missed! We ended up finally in Petra with a full day of sightseeing the next day. I have been to Petra before but it is always a spectacular sight. A group of us decided to do the candlelight tour through the canyon and to the Treasury - the whole way is lit by candles and at the Treasury the crowd is entertained by Bedouin music and story telling. The next day when we visited the sight we did the usual horse ride to the entrance of the canyon, then walk the rest of the way to the treasury. A little further on, three of us decided to hire donkeys to take us to the Monastery at the other end of the canyon - something I had not done before. Let me tell you, it is well worth the $20! We rode the donkeys almost to the top of the 800+ stairs, climbed the last little bit and there it was! The Monastery is like the Treasury, but without the crowds. What an exciting trip to ride the donkey up, visit the sight, then walk down to meet the donkeys again to ride them back to the Treasury- it is well worth it because we were able to see a lot in our short time there, and it was just a hoot, any way- but watch out, you have no directional control over the donkeys! They know where they are supposed to go, so don't try to change their minds!

OK, enough for now. Others are waiting to use the computers, so I better get off this one so I don't get in trouble! More later about the Dead Sea and Bethany.

Brenda

Levantine Adventure is underway!

We had our first day of sightseeing today, starting at the Desert Castles in the eastern desert. Many of the group were intrigued with the idea that we were on the road to Iraq. But, we never did get any closer than about 150 miles or so. We were very close to the Saudi border, though!

The bus picked us up this morning and we headed out of the city, which is becoming a more involved adventure than it used to be. The traffiv situation in Amman has become very congested. Certaininly it is nothing like Cairo traffic or from what I hear, Tehran traffic, but it is taking longer and longer just to cross town due to the increased population of the city. This is the result of a huge influx of Iraqis fleeing their homeland. In the early days of the war in Iraq in 2003, those with the ability and money to get out of the country did, especially when they could see the situation deteriorating into chaos. So they went to their neighboring countries like Jordan and Syria, and have since put a squeeze on housing and other goods and services, while swelling the populations of their host cities. Our guide, Okla, said that apartment rents in Amman tripled! I heard this was also true in Damascus. Anyway, the end result is that there have been far reaching and unintended consequences of the war in Iraq that are not talked about at all.

OK, back to the Desert Castles. I do have to caution anyone that the term "castle" is used loosely here. The three structures that we saw were of differing types of design, use, and size. Probably the one closest to being a castle is the desert fortress of Azraq, the furthest to the east. It was built of black basalt stone, and is a large walled structure with many rooms around the interior of the walls, and one in the middle. It also has a more recognizable place in history for many westerners - Lawrence of Arabia spent time there meeting with the Arab leaders as they planned the great Arab Revolt to take the Arab lands and people back from the Ottoman rulers.

The other castles were used as a private hunting lodge and a meeting place between the Bedouins and the Ommayyad leaders, who would trade with them and make deals with them to keep the Bedouins from attacking their caravans! At the Qasr Amra, we stopped to have tea in a Bedouin tent, and were greatly entertained by a young man who gave a dancing demonstration, and showed the group a traditional Bedouin welcoming and coffee preparation (even though we had tea).

The day was capped off with a visit to the hilltop ruins of the original city of Amman- Pagan Roman, Islamic, Byzantine - all represented! And a great view of the city can be had from here as well. We had a short visit to the museum on the sight, which is well worth a look!

OK, I am about to fall over because I am still very tired- didn't sleep to well last night so I need to get to bed early tonight and try and catch up. More to follow, probably from the Dead Sea. I will be able to report on our night out under the stars in Wadi Rum, and out visit to Petra.

Good night!

Brenda

Arrival day...

At last, after a very long day of flying - I left my house outside Seattle at 4:30am Saturday the 4th, and now it is 10pm Sunday here in Amman - we have arrived and the tour has officially begun. I am here with a group of 14 people to see the spectacular sights of Jordan, Syria and Lebanon over the next 2 weeks. I am already hearing from people in the group how friendly thay are finding the Jordanian people, even in the short time we have been here. I am sure this positive feeling will continue throughout the tour as the group expereinces more and more of the Arab hospitality.

Tomorrow we will start the day with a visit to the Desert Castles in the desert east of Amman , so hopefully when I write tomorrow I will have some photos to post with my entry. I am really looking forward to this tour and getting to know the rest of the group and to hear about their perceptions as the days go by.

This is a short post, mostly because we have only just arrived, but also because I am about to pass out from being so tired! Good night, and more tomorrow when things start to happen!

Brenda

Checking my packing list

Countdown, T-minus 2.5 days and counting. On Saturday morning I will be hopping on a plane to go to New York to meet up with our group going to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon for 2 and a half weeks. I can't wait! I just need to finish my packing. I am one of those who waits to the last minute to pack.

I will be posting updates during the tour so you can read all about our adventures, and if I can, I will post photos, too.

So check back - the first entry will probably be on the 6th of October from Amman, Jordan.

Brenda

Iran Travels #7

The final post from Dane in Iran before returning home...


Subject: Iran Travel 7

Hellow All,

Having arrived in Tehran once more, this will be my final dispatch from Iran. It has been both a long and a short trip; a sweet and sad goodbye.

Looking back, I had hoped to meet more Iranian people in a more personal way, however, that was not the intention of the tour. The tour is set up as an introduction to Iran. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a deeper understanding about the Iranians and their culture. Given the short time in a large country under the current political environment, it is difficult to deviate from a set Itinerary. It is possible to create your own itinerary, and perhaps that is what I will do in the future.

I can't overly express how valuable I think it is for Americans to travel to Iran at this time. Iranians are truly genuine people who have a strong desire to connect. Their history is deep and varied for which they are quite proud. They have a lot to offer in the way of culture with a personal world perspective.

As I have experienced in the once Soviet Union of 1987, 1988, and 1989, I have had the same experience here in Iran. In both cases, the People are aligned with Americans - the People. In both cases, the People had/have disagreements with our U.S. governmental policies AND with their own governmental policies.

What this says to me: People the world around have more in common with each other than they have in difference. America is a good country, well respected for the strength and integrity of it's people. People of Iran aspire to be like Americans just as the Soviets did, separate from our governmental policies, separate from their governmental polices.

This has been the main premise and motivation for this trip. People to People Diplomacy, in my view is the only way we are going to be able to go forward into the future. There are more than enough nuclear weapons already in existence to insure the total annihilation of the human species. Whether Iran has this technology is less significant than the fact that the U.S., Israel, China, Russia, Great Britain, France, India, Pakistan, and North Korea already have these weapons. We live in a time where these weapons are obsolete, their time has expired.

We will either rid ourselves from these weapons, or we will perish from them. According to the latest from the IAEC Iran is not missing any fissile material. Iran has 0 bombs, the U.S. has 30,000, Israel has 300, Russia has similar count to the U.S.

Eisenhower once said, paraphrased,

"I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them to it."

Thanks for staying with me, my captive audience. It has been a fun ride and I look forward to being home. With any luck this is only the beginning of an opening communication with the Iranian people and the people of America. I hope this is not my last trip to Iran, only time will tell.

In the mean time, I will continue to promote citizen to citizen diplomacy as a legitimate alternative to the often flawed and glacial pace of governmental diplomacy.

Thanks again for listening.

-Dane

Impressions of Iran #4

I am getting caught up on Dane's posts from Iran, so here are 2 that I missed earlier. Enjoy!! - Brenda

Subject: Iran Travel #4

Things just keep getting better and better. We took our bus on a 6 our ride from Kerman to Yazd today. Our hotel is magnificent. The hotel in Tehran and Kerman were nice, but they were large and impersonal whereas this hotel in Yazd is built in the traditional Persian style with central fountains and canals running through the building. The food is excellent, best we have had this trip, being prepared by the Chef who once was employed by the Shaw. Apparently, he was allowed to stay.

We visited a couple of mosques and look at a few carpets today. The architecture her is very traditional, not the new construction you see in Tehran and Kerman.

I went for a walk today by myself and had two meeting with Iranians. As I was walking by a iron gate welding shop a friend of the proprietor stopped me to talk politics. He said he taught English at the university. He was very direct with his questions.

"Where are you from?" "What is the population of America?" "What do you think of the people of Iran?" "What do you think about the tensions between Iran and the United States?" "Do Americans love war?"

After my answers, he said to me that Iranians like Americans and want them to come here. He said Iranians don't want war with America. He thanked me for my time and we both went our different ways.

Then after a short walk further I crossed the street and started to walk back to the hotel. Another man crossed the street, took out his cell phone and said, "It's for you." I looked at him. Then I took the phone and said "Hello?" You know, like your supposed to do. The man on phone had seen me walk by earlier. He called his friend to come get me.

We chatted for a little bit but ran out of time. Provided there is time I may meet up with him again before we go to our next destination. These are ordinary hard working Iranians who are very interested in meeting and talking with Americans.

We saw a very interesting thing today. On our way out of Kerman ALL of the trucks loaded with goods for transport were lined up three deep, a quarter of a mile long waiting for the only open gas station in Kerman. These guys must have to wait 2 or 3 hours just to fill up. We were allowed to cut in line because tour buses has some kind of special license. We filed up with 175 liters of diesel.

Well that's it for now.

Tomorrow we're going camel shopping.

-Dane

Postcards from Iran #5

Here is another posting from Dane about his experiences so far in Iran. This is labeled as #5, so I got this one a little out of sequence. Just keep that in mind and scroll down through the list to see the other posts he has submitted. Thanks again for visiting and if you have any comments please email them to me at brenda@caravan-serai.com. - Brenda


After looking back through the last communique I now realize that my spelling is both horrendous and atrosous. In my defense let me just say that first; the connection can be a little slow; second, I'm a little road weary at the end of the day, and lastly, I can't spell. One of you has already commented on my "barely" soup comment which of course was suppose to be barley soup, etc. Thank you for your understanding.

And, I've noticed that I have been giving glowing reports on my Iran experience, and now fear that I may be accused of working for the Iranian Chamber of Commerce. I assure that I am not. In fact, though every personal experience I have had has been positive in regards to the Iranians and their good nature, we did see propaganda in Tehran.

While in Tehran we did get to drive by the building with the American flag in a vertical direction. At the end of the stripes are falling bombs. The caption reads "Down with America". Our guide made the point that this graphic has been up for 25 years. This is the building that FOX News shows over and over on their news casts. The point here is that this is a Iranian government sentiment, not an Iranian people sentiment. Propaganda works in two directions.

Even today, we stopped on our way from Yazd to Shiraz to look at (another) :) mosque. I talked with an Iranian who wanted me to know that he likes Americans. It was a small exchange but that was his main message. Shopping in the Bazaar in Yazd yesterday resulted in the same message over and over, young and old. "We like America, we want them to come here and spend money." They didn't actually say they want us to spend money, but that is essentially the message. Come to Iran, exchange cultures, leave your money and bring a little bit of Iran home.

Speaking of the Chamber of Commerce, Dick Cheney is either visiting or has just visited Azerbaijan. Can you guess who is the CEO of the American-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce? If you said James Baker III you'd be right. And, his sidekick Henry Kissinger is a member too. Azerbaijan borders Iran. I mention this because I think it is significant in understanding the politics between Iran, the United States, Russia, and Georgia.

ON the way to Shiraz we stopped to see Cyrous the Greats' Tomb and the ruins of his palaces. Some columns of the palaces still exist with some minimal relief sculpture, the tomb is more complete but has scaffolding all around it. We will see Persepolis tomorrow along with tombs carved into the limestone mountains. Tomorrow there should be a lot more detail and intact architecture. I am looking forward to this.

I should talk a little about Shiraz. It is very cosmopolitan here, even more so than Tehran IMHO. At first blush, this feels like a place where many Iranians come for vacation. Our hotel even sports a couple of palm trees and the climate feels more temperate and less arid. The hotel is huge and feels like it could be in a major European City. Though there are many differences, Shiraz reminds me a little bit like Tashkent, though Tashkent is a much larger city. Shiraz has a population of 2,000,000. The feel here is much more relaxed and the dress is less restrictive here then in Kerman or conservative Yazd.

Well, you've wasted another 30 minutes -That's it for Car Talk- until next time.

-Dane

Continuation of Post #6 from Iran

Subject: Re: Iran Travel 6 continued

I have just a little more time to finish my letter from last night.

My attempt is to give you impressions of what it is like here in Iran. Snippets of my experiences may help give you another perspective of this country. The only way to find out what Iran is like is of course to come here.

I learned that visas are not hard to get IF you go on an organized tour like the one I am on. Getting a visa for an individual from America is next to impossible. Americans must hire an Iranian guide while in the country. That is not to say the guide has to be with you 24 hours a day. But, the cities of interest and places of stay have to be arranged for Americans. For Australians, Germans, Japanese, etc. you are free to roam the country without guide. If you have an Israeli stamp in you passport you will not be allowed entry.

Alcohol is forbidden. Having alcohol is worse than possessing drugs. Having said that our guide says that people do buy and drink alcohol in their private homes. Think the prohibition.

People are very pleasent in Esfahan. Again I have had the same conversatoins about the U.S. and Iran about how the people can get along, why not our governments.


Yesterday we visited an artist who paints miaturettes. His work is excellent and I have taken pictures of his work. He has some exquisite jewlery boxes that are selling for $3500. I didn't buy one.

Got to go my time is out. -Dane

Impressions of Iran #6

I think i might be missing a few posts from Iran, but I wanted to get this one posted. When I get the others they will be posted ASAP. Thanks for visiting!!


Subject: Iran Travel 6
Start with this image: Iranian parents walking hand in hand with their little girl who is just begining to walk. Her shoes squeek with each step that she takes. The shoes help her learn faster because she can coordinate her steps with the sound of each shoe hitting the pavement. Unfortuantely, I didn't get a picture.

Because I had read a lot of news about the politics between Iran and the United States before I arrived here, I had the notion that the Iranian military would be visible and everywhere on the streets. This couldn't be a more wrong picture. We are now in Esfahan which has roughly a population of 1,000,000. There is no visible militray present in any of the cities we have visited. We have driven past small bases with manned gaurd towers high above, but rarely do we see anyone other than policemen in uniform. So, this was a surprise for me. My origianl view was not accurate.

Esfahan is a lovely city with a large river running through it. Esfahan is a city of bridges, 400 year old bridges. In fact, all of Persia is full of ruins and ancient sites of civilization. I can't go into Pesian history because one could spend their entire life studying the different rulers and eras, starting several hundred years before the birth of Christ.

The people on my tour are all Americans. We have a couple who are Japanese American, a Chinese American, a Filopenea American, and the rest of us of European decent. We are all 100 percent American, and everyone is extremely well traveled. Quite a few are travel agents in their own right, most are retired.

The typical food we have been having is a kabob of lamb, chicken, and fish with rice. Tonight we had a deep dish pizza and it was quite good.

I have to cut this short because my time is about to run out, but I'll send another dispatch from IRan. -Dane

Iran Tour Report #3

Subject: Iran travel #3


Today we are in Kerman which is interior in the country south and east of Tehran. We flew on a small jet yesterday, and thankfully we will not be getting on another airplane until Thursday. I say thankfully because Iran is conducting anti-aircraft military exercises for the next three days. There is no outward appearance of the exercises, life is normal here. Just glad not to be in the air if you know what I mean.

In spite of the back and forth between Israel, Iran, the U.S, and now France no one seems to be outwardly concerned, in fact it is much the same feeling I got when in the States. I read on the Internet that the Israeli President does not want an attack, so I think that takes some of the tension off. Anyway, enough politics because in our travel we are remote from these thoughts. It's been a great experience so far.

Kerman is a small desert town that is now being rebuilt after it was destroyed by a devastating earthquake in 2003. Bam, an outlying town was home of the largest adobe structures in the world. It was also destroyed by the earthquake. Instead of going to Bam, we traveled to a magnificently restored citadel in Rayen. The countryside is reminiscent of the Serra Nevadas, or the Mojave Desert, or perhaps parts of the Yakima Valley. Mountains surround us.

The weather is hot and dry, but it seems less hot than Savannah to me.

We've seen a couple of mosques today and went shopping in a bazaar. I bought a nomad camel saddle bag and tomorrow I'm going to shop for a camel. (Just kidding Gail, I'm not really going to buy a camel)

So far, every night I wake up around 2:30 in the morning. This makes no sense because that is 6:00 PM in Savannah, seems something is out of whack. At this point, I'm going to keep getting up at 2:30 so that when I get back to Savannah I can sleep until 6:00PM. (Just kidding, Gail)

People don't understand a lot of English, but they usually understand a few words. It is fun to connect with some of the Iranians because they want to know where I am from. They think we are from Germany; guess the Germans are Iran's number one visitors. When they find out I'm from the U.S. they are always friendly. And, even though we don't get to have an in depth conversation they are grateful that we are here because it shows them we are interested in them and their culture. And of course, they like it when we buy things.

Some even thank me for being here, though that could just mean they don't know what else to say.

It is fun to watch the girls (Just kidding, Gail). The ones in their 20's seem to be stretching the envelope. They wear bright colors and show more of their hair. One girl had a pierced lip (in Tehran), and another had bright eyeliner on. They only have their faces showing so they are very adept at make-up techniques.

Our guide tells us that many of the girls are getting nose jobs, and in fact, I have seen women with bandages on their petite noses (in Tehran). He also tells us they have other types of augmentation as well. Seems things are the same the world over.

Somewhere I read that Iran needs to create 800,000 jobs per year to stay up with the growing population. The majority of the population is under the age of 30. Gas is now $2.50 a gallon, up from 40 cents per gallon equivalent not long ago. This is putting the average Iranian in a pinch just like in the U.S. and it seems their economy like ours is not looking very bright at the moment. The Iranians would like more Americans to come here and spend their dollars.

More later.

-Dane

Another day in Iran

Subject: Iran Travel #2

Hellooo Tehraaannnnn, (shades of Robin Williams)

Another great day of travel to many museums and surrounds of Tehran. This morning we visited Saad Abad complex where 18 historical royal palaces have now been turned into various museums. We didn't see them all, however we did see the Farshcian Museum consisting of Mr. Maumoud Farxhician's exquisite paintings many based upon Persian stories and fables. The painting are quite fanciful and colorful and meticulously drafted.

The complex is located farther to the north of the city in a higher elevation, with the temperature feeling more pleasant. London Plane trees are everywhere here and in the center of Tehran. It is the dominant tree as are larger junipers.

Yesterday, we did get to see the ceramics museum, the glass museum, and the carpet museum. If it sounds like we are seeing a lot of museums we are. From my experience, I think this is typical for countries to put their best foot forward to show their cultural histories and accomplishments. It also is a way to insure tourist dollars are coming into the approved places. And while, as with any tour, it can feel like we are being lead from place to place, at no time does it feel like we are being kept track of or being discouraged to explore. In fact, from the guide books there is some good trekking to be had in the mountains surrounding Tehran. You can certainly travel here without an organized tour, though you will want a guide unless you are a seasoned traveler up for an adventure.

Bahman, our guide, has mentioned drugs are becoming an issue in Tehran. This shouldn't be a big surprise considering that drugs have made it into every major city in the world. Why should Tehran be exempt? But, it certainly isn't on the scale that it is in Savannah, for instance. Violent crime is not an issue throughout most of Iran. If there is violent crime it probably occurs along the borders of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq as you might expect.

We are here during Ramadan where people are fasting everyday. People fast from dawn to dusk, then break fast in the evenings. It is not compulsory to fast though it seems that people want to honor the holiday, like we would honor Christmas. It is time spent with family. But, business continues and if a Muslim can't fast because of travel or another commitment, he/she can do it at another time.

There a mixing attitudes from what I can discern about the women's dress. Women do not wear burkas contrary to a common held belief in the States. They are required to cover themselves in gowns of their choosing, and head scarves. But, their hands and feet are visible, and now even are letting their hair be exposed. Also, they have no trouble expressing their individuality or even sensuality in the way they wear there clothes. Some even wear more shear coverings, though this is met with some suppression for some, but not all of the authorities. What I understand may be happening is that the police see these pretty women, make them come down to the station to be closer to them. Same man / woman relationship going on for centuries.

Our meals are very good, consisting of chicken and lamb on top of rice. Barely soup with lemon is common. And fish, either fried or filleted is a main item.

This is enough for now I think, I'll be in touch again soon, if not tomorrow then the next day. -Dane

Reports from Iran

Below is the first of several posts just received from a member of our tour group in Iran. Enjoy!

Hello family, friends and neighbors:

I've landed in Tehran this morning around 2:30, got into the hotel with the group and into my hotel room around 5:00AM, woke up around 7:30 so I'm operating on about 2.5 hours of sleep.
I don't have many experiences to report naturally, but I have many impressions. One of the questions that someone asked me back in the States was "Where are you flying out of to go to Iran?" The answer is London, and I've since learned that there are flights from London, Paris, and Frankfort five days a week, so not as rare of an occasion as one might think.

We flew in a Boeing 747 which was 75% to 80% full. Our Iranian tour guide tells us that 1000 non-Iranian American-Americans flew to Tehran last year. I'm guessing the number of Iranian Americans is much higher than that, and of course there are many, many other nationalities that come and go.

As I was reading the English translation Iranian Newspaper I came across an article on a recent Iranian 747 whose engine caught fire and had to have an emergency landing. The article also stated that another plane had to turn back for another major mechanical failure not that long ago. It went on to discuss that because of the U.S. sanctions, getting parts for the Iranian domestic air fleet was not possible.

Someone needs to tell the State department that 747 airplane parts are not interchangeable with military plane parts and therefore should not be included as part of the sanctions. WHY? Because, I still have to get home! Call your congressmen now. Thank you.

ON a more serious note, the breakfast was very good. And the coffee, too, was excellent.

Today, we will explore Tehran and I'm hoping, Gail, that we will get to see the ceramics museum. IN any case, ceramics will be explored sometime on this trip.

Rita is our American tour guide an organizer. She is absolutely great. She has taken so many of these trips that most of the 12 of us (my first trip with her) travel only with her where ever she goes, she has done this for numerous years. She has taken U.S. congressmen to Iraq for instance, so she is the right person for this trip and her knowledge is extensive. I trust her completely.

No big surprise to me, but perhaps to many of you, people here are open and hospitable. People are friendly and there are no open hostilities toward Americans. Of course people are aware of the tensions between our two countries, but the people here are very apt at distinguishing between another country's policies and it's people. Something that I fear may not be as widely held in our dear United States.

Well, that's it for now but I intend to write everyday as long as internet is accessible and it seems that it will be.

Hope you are all doing well, and for my wife and friends in Georgia (the state) hope that hurricane goes somewhere other than near you all.

-Dane

Countdown to our first tour of the fall season!

With only a couple of weeks left until the kickoff tour of our fall season, things have been buzzing around the Caravan-Serai office. Iran is the first tour, and we are finalizing the visas and preparing all of our predeparture materials for the participants.

This tour is now sold out, something not many people would have expected considering the current political climate between the US and Iran. But the fact remains that Iran is one of our most popular destinations! In spite of efforts to portray Iran as a country bent on disrupting the Middle East and threatening the existance of Israel, word seems to have gotten out that the people of Iran are warm and welcoming, and want to have Americans visit their country. They want to show off their country that has a rich history and culture as well as a varied landscape - from desert to high mountains, to lush forests.

So this tour departs in two weeks, followed by our tour to Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, which is also at capacity, and a similar tour to Jordan and Syria, which is sold out as well. Right now our small office is bustling with activity as we prepare for these groups and make arrangements for our independent travelers who will be going to Morocco, Tunisia, Dubai, Egypt, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, and many other destinations this fall and winter. Over the next few months, things are going to be cazy, but somehow we get it done every year, year after year.

Be sure to check back for updates from Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, and more in the coming weeks!!

Saudi Arabia on TV

I don't know how many people watch Anthony Bourdain on the Travel Channel, but I highly recommend his show for several reasons. One is his sense of adventure and sense of humor. He is willing to try anything at least once on camera and is very open minded. His show, called No Reservations, is on Monday evenings and takes you to places all over the world- from Europe to Asia, to Africa and South America. If you are a fan of travel and food, I highly recommend his show.

The reason I bring this up here is because of his most recent episode last night - it was about Saudi Arabia. Travel Channel ran a contest for its viewers to submit their request that Bourdain travel to a country they choose. The winner was a Saudi-American woman who wanted to show Bourdain what the real Saudi Arabia is like. It was a really great episode and I think is a must watch for anyone who has questions about traveling there and you kind of want to see it first. I know we at Caravan-Serai Tours can tell you how great a time you will have on any one of our tours, but for many, it takes more than that to get them to actually want to go.

There is another reason this show really impressed me. The winner, Danya, really helped to demonstrate what her life is like in Saudi Arabia. I recommend not only trying to find and watch an encore presentation of the episode, but to also read all the blogs and diaries of the crew, Anthony Bourdain, and to learn more about Danya. Here are the links to the Travel Channel's websites:

Crew Blog:
http://no-reservations-crew-blog.travelchannel.com/2008/07/under-the-abbaya-female-produc.html

Anthony Bourdain's main page: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain?idLink=abc6513412eb7110VgnVCM100000698b3a0a____

Meet Danya: http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/ci.Meet_Danya_Alhamrani.show?vgnextfmt=show

Enjoy!

Questions people always ask

At Caravan-Serai Tours we get a lot of questions about our tours and the region we go to. One of the questions we get a lot of is "how safe is it over there?". I know the first time I traveled to the Middle East (I went to Syria for 2 months about 10 years ago) I had a lot of people ask me why I would do such a thing and wasn't I scared? The short answer was that I found the region extremely fascinating and I was not scared because I had learned enough to know that there really was no danger in me going to Syria. I could have been in more danger visiting New York City or Washington, DC, or some other major US city. The hazards that we face here at home on the highway, walking down the sidewalk, being out alone after dark in certain neighborhoods, etc... are as prevelant or worse than what you might face anywhere else in the world. And in countries like Syria, you are actually very safe - just be careful crossing a busy street! The crime rate is very low in Syria and at no time did I ever feel threatened. Our past clients also remark on how safe they felt during their travels - visit our website at http://www.caravan-serai.com/ and click on "Testamonials".

Just about any country in the world has places considered unsafe, places to avoid due to crime, gangs, drugs, etc, just as we do here in the US. But know that at Caravan-Serai Tours, we are up to date on any issues that might affect a country we are to visit or have clients visiting, we have the ability to reroute your tour to avoid any problems should they develop, and we are in constant communication with our in-country coordinators and our clients during the tour. Your safety is of utmost importance to us.

The bottom line is, if you worry too much about what can happen to you when you travel, pretty soon you won't even want to leave your house! Travel is an adventure and a great experience that should be embraced, not shied away from because you are worried something might happen. Get out and see the world- it's amazing!

Wow! Time is really flying by!

Time has just flown by this year. It seems like it was only a few weeks ago that we began planning our group tour to Iran for September. Now the tour is less than 2 months away. Pretty soon we will be sending off the passports for everyone to get their visas. We always get lots of questions about traveling to Iran, and I know that anyone who has gone there on a Caravan-Serai Tour has been amazed and deeply impressed by what they found there. The people are very welcoming and happy to talk to visiting Americans. The sights there are amazing, too. The Persian culture goes back over 5,000 years and the Iranian people are very proud of this. There is a lot to learn, see, and do in Iran and I hope that if you ever have any questions about traveling there you will call Caravan-Serai Tours at 800-451-8097. We are planning another group tour there in May 2009, but you can also have a private tour arranged for you as well.

When traveling to Iran there are some things to keep in mind. It is a dry country- no alcohol allowed. Follow a very conservative dress code (long loose pants or skirts for women and pants for men - no shorts, loose shirts or tunics with mid length sleeves or longer, or you can purchase a manteau - the Iranian cover that looks like a loose overcoat), especially for women and be sure to always have a scarf to cover you head. No prosletizing (not sure if I spelled that right!) - which means no preaching other religions or distributing literature about other religions. Saudi Arabia is very similar in these restrictions, but for both countries, these don't interfer with your ability to enjoy the sights and activities available on our tours.

My part in these tours is to help flesh out the final itineraries, write the brochures, help with registrations and other tour administration. I will be helping to get the visa applications completed and obtaining the visas, and putting together final documents for the group. Once in while I even get to go with one of the groups!

This is just the start of our Caravan-Serai Blogs. Soon you will be able to read posts from us while we are on a tour, with the first being Iran. I hope you will enjoy this blog!

Brenda

brenda@caravan-serai.com
http://www.caravan-serai.com/