Why on earth would you ever want to go there???

Last night, I was having a conversation with a friend, and a friend of hers that I had just met. Of course we all talked about what we did and I said I work for a tour company that specializes in the Middle East and North Africa. My friend, who knew this, said how interesting and exciting the tours sounded. The woman I had just met exclaimed “why on earth would you ever want to go there?!?”

As you can imagine, we at Caravan-Serai, hear this a lot. To us and our clients, the region is a world of amazing sights, people who are extremely hospitable, a land with a deep history and traditions rooted in their land and environment. There are modern cities and traditional villages, an exciting variety of foods and shopping in markets as old as Moses. Invariably, though, the conversation turns to women and the requirement to cover in some of the countries.

Me, in Iran near Yazd. This is an ice-making building!

So here is what I said: First of all, we are visitors and we respect the cultures and traditions of the countries we visit, and I can handle wearing a scarf on my head for the short time we are there. And while some of the reasons for the requirement of the scarf or abaya are religious (women are commanded to be modest), it is also part of the culture of the region from before Islam. And there are practical reasons for the traditional dress we often associate with the Middle East, mostly it’s protection against the elements. A scarf covering your hair and part of your face can go a long way to keeping blowing dust and sand out of your eyes, mouth and hair! If you are wearing an abaya or galabyia, it also keeps your cloths from getting dirty and gritty. There have been several times when traveling that I have found that covering up is actually helpful and more comfortable. Our American casual dress isn’t always suitable for every environment we find ourselves in!

My friends said they had never thought of it that way. This is just another reminder that when we see something that we don’t like, it can be very helpful to learn a little more about it. You might just find there is more to it than what first meets the eye.

I was also asked about the safety of traveling to the Middle East, and I have to say, the thing that scares me the most about being there, is trying to cross the street in some of the major cities! Really, that is a hair-raising experience to try and cross the street in Cairo, Fes, Tehran, etc.!

Members of our group talking to a group of school girls in Tehran.

As for the rest of the discussion we had about travel, I told them of my trip to Iran a few years ago, and our trips coming up. Iran remains one of my favorite places to visit, and I hope to go back there again soon. With all the saber rattling going on, I know people are shocked to find we still have tours to the region at all. But once you get there, you find that the people are most welcoming. And not going means missing out on the best history lessons and cultural experiences of your life.

~Brenda Pierce

Caravan-Serai Tours

Iran Tour Route

Another map has been created to show you where the Iran tour goes in October! Just follow the link to the Google Maps page and you can see the route day by day.

Iran Susa Tour Map

Relief carvings at Kermanshah

Iran Susa Tour
October 7-22, 2012
$4595 pp/do land only
Click here for full itinerary, pricing and other details.

Where does the tour go?

We have had some requests for maps of our tour routes recently, so I am trying to create route maps in Google Maps. I just finished the map for our Caucasus tour this fall, and will post the link to the others as I complete them. Please excuse the roughness- I am still figuring it out. :)

Map of Caucasus Tour Route

Enjoy!

The Caucasus: Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia

October 27 - November 9, 2012

$3875 pp/do, land only

Oct 27: Welcome to Azerbaijan! Upon our arrival at Baku airport, we will be met and assisted, then transfer to our hotel for overnight at the Park Inn Hotel at the heart of the City.

Oct 28: After breakfast we will depart for full day tour of Baku including lunch at the open-air restaurant Chanag Gala. Baku, Azerbaijan's capitol city has a cosmopolitan air about it with oil wealth used to create a unique blend of Soviet and Islamic architecture. Oil has been a part of Baku for many centuries but the city did not become an oil "boom town" until the late 1800's. Tour includes visit of open-air museum Gobustan (rock paintings), Old City with Shirvan Shah Palace and Maiden Tower, visit of local Teza Bazaar and walking tour of pedestrian zone. Dinner at Bah Bah Restaurant, famous for its delightful cuisine prepared on the basis of old Azerbaijan culinary recipes. Transfer to the hotel after dinner. (B/D) 

Oct 29: After breakfast we will depart Baku for the mountain town of Sheki via Shemakha, the royal seat of the Shirvan Shahs from the 9th century to the 18th century. Lunch and sightseeing en-route (see Diri Baba, Yeddi Gumbaz in Shemakha). Continue to Sheki. Upon arrival in Sheki, check in at 5* Sheki Saray Hotel. Overnight. (B/D) 

Oct 30: After breakfast we will check out and depart for a half-day tour of Sheki including visit of magnificent Khan's Palace, Panorama point, shabaka shop, sweet shop, and the local bazaar. Depart Sheki for the Georgian / Azerbaijan border (Lagodekhi) via Zakatali where we will stop for lunch. Zakatali is located at the confluence of several rivers that come down from the Caucasus Mountains to the north. Meet at the border with our Georgian partner and exchange bus / guide. Welcome to Georgia! After we get our Georgian bus and guide we will drive to Telavi. Overnight in guesthouses. (B/D) 

Oct 31: After breakfast we depart for Tbilisi with stops on the way. We will visit the town of Tsinandali and a noble family house/museum of the 19th century with a beautiful park. In Signaghi we will see the 16-17th century town, renovated, so called town of love, all surrounded by the wall. We will have a chance to wander around and to explore the city. There are nice cute restaurants there as well and we will have time for independent lunch there. Continue on to Tbilisi for dinner and overnight at the Holiday Inn or similar. (B/D)

Nov 1: After breakfast we will have a city tour of Tblisi which will include the State Museum of Georgia, which has a vast collection of icons and metalwork, and also include a walk along Sharden Street and the new Peace Bridge. Afterwards we will drive to Mtskheta, the ancient spiritual capital of Georgia. Visits will include Svetitskhoveli Cathedral (11th century) and Jvari Church (7th century). Return to Tbilisi for dinner and overnight. (B/D) 

Nov 2: After breakfast we will depart for David Gareji, one of Georgia's most important and remarkable ancient religious sites. The area contains several monasteries carved out of the limestone rock, and built in the 6th century by the Davit, one of the 13 Syrian fathers. The area had fallen into neglect and was even used by the Soviets for military exercises, but the 19 known monasteries in the area are now being restored. We will have a picnic lunch along the way. Return to Tbilisi for overnight. (B/D) 

Nov 3: Check out after breakfast and drive to the Armenian border. Upon arrival at the border crossing of Bagratashen, proceed through usual immigration and customs formalities and we will change to our Armenian bus. Welcome to Armenia! Drive to the Haghpat Monastery, perched on the edge of the Debed Canyon. The monastery has UNESCO World Heritage status and the view alone with worth the visit. Built by Queen Khosrvanuch in 976, it is a splendid architectural monument in a spectacular natural setting. Also visit another UNESCO site - the Sanahin Monastery. Overnight in Alaverdi. (B/L)

Nov 4: Check out from the hotel and continue your Armenia trip from Alaverdi, Vanadzor to Dilijan (visit Haghartsin and Goshavank Monasteries in Dilijan -magnificent and beautiful ecclesiastic monuments which are the highlight of the medieval Armenian architecture. Continue to Lake Sevan. Visit the peninsula and enjoy your lunch here - fresh fish from sweet waters of the lake! Spend some time exploring the wild nature and sunshine as well as visit 9th c AD Sevan Monastery. Head to the hotel and check in for overnight in spa town Tsakhkadzor. (B/L/D) 

Nov 5: Check out after breakfast at the hotel. We depart for and Noravank (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and Khor Virap via the famous Selima Pass - one of the main junctions on the Great Silk Route. We will stop to visit the caravanserai recorded as best preserved of its kind, the gather place for travelers along the Silk Road where they could re-supply, exchange news and information, and rest from their long journey. We will have a picnic lunch near the monastery of Noravank, known for its architecture and dramatic setting. Continue on to Yerevan with an optional visit to a local winery en-route to the capital. Arrive in Yerevan; check in at the hotel. Free evening and overnight at the hotel. (B/L) 

Nov 6: Today we will have a full day of sightseeing around Yerevan, Armenia's capital. Yerevan is a diverse city with a very intense cultural life. There are dozens of theaters, museums, concert halls, galleries, and live music clubs. People are relaxed and go at relaxed pace. The city itself has a history dating back to 782 BC, and its past is as diverse as the present. Visit Matenadaran, the repository of ancient Armenian manuscripts (UNESCO World Heritage Sight). Lunch will be at a local restaurant, then continue your tour to Etchmiatsin, the Vatican of the Holy Armenian Apostolic Church, and Surb Hripsimeh Martyria Church. Free evening for independent activities and optional dinner. (B/L) 

Nov 7: After breakfast depart for a full day tour to Ashtarak to visit the Saghmosavank (1215) and Ohannavank (1216-1221) Monasteries as well as the Byurakan/Amberd Fortress (weather permitting). Both monasteries perch on the edge of the precipitous gorge of the Kasakh river. The book repository of Saghmosavank, built in 1255 under Prince Kurd Vachutyan is among Armenia's buildings rare in their purpose and original in their composition. Amberd Fortress is on the slopes of Mt. Aragats at 2300 meters above sea level. It was built during the 11th to 13th centuries. (B/L)

Nov 8: This morning we will visit Garni Temple, the only survivor witness of Hellenistic period in the history of the country. Dedicated to the goddess of Sun Mihr (Mythra) it dates back to the first century, AD. We then continue our excursion and visit Geghard Monastery (UNESCO Heritage Sight), named after the lance that pierced Christ's side at the crucifixion. The spear was once housed there but now resides at Etchmiatsin. Lunch will be hosted by a local family in Garni. Return to Yerevan and visit one of the most fascinating museums - the History Museum. Return to hotel for brief rest before farewell dinner. (B/L/D) 

Nov 9: Group transfer to the airport for final departure (breakfast is served from 7:00 AM). (B)
End of services.

Armenia - Post by a recent tour participant

This was sent in by Julius W. who went on our April tour to the Caucasus, including Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia. Thank you Julius for sharing!

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A small group of 10 of us recently returned from Caravan Serai’s tour through the Caucasus- Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Armenia.  What an incredible time!  Caravan Serai organized a very fascinating and educational tour through the former Soviet Union.  It was amazing to tour many of the scenic places in the region and learn about these countries on a historical, political, religious, and cultural level.

One of the many highlights included visiting the Mother of Armenia monument at Victory Park in Yerevan, Armenia.  It was erected in 1967 to replace a statue of Joseph Stalin and is made entirely of copper.  This pride of Armenia symbolizes peace through strength and stands tall with a sword and shield, overlooking the city.  Our group picture is taken here, with a view of the capital in the background (one tourist is not pictured).

 Our next stop was a visit to the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide memorial, which was completed in 1965.  This visit was exceptional because the national day of remembrance for the holocaust happened during our time there.  Thousands rallied at the site during the holiday.

 Armenians continued to visit the site throughout the week.  The site was beautiful decorated, notably with a tall building and a circular monument next to it.  An eternal flame was installed at the very center of the circular monument, in remembrance of the 1.5 million victims who died in the Armenian genocide.  As we got closer, our senses were overcome by the strong floral aroma from the circular wall of flowers. 

  

Many visited and paid their respects with prayers and pictures.  Many parents lifted their children to lay flowers and see the eternal flame.  I tip-toed just high enough to take a picture of the flame.  This was both tragic and beautiful but an important part of learning about Armenia’s history.

Caravan Serai’s unique combination of tour experience, knowledgeable tour guides, and well-designed itineraries really came together to produce a great tour.  I’d recommend this tour for anyone who has a thirst for culture, history, and good food!

Traveling and Your Money - FAQ's

One question that we always get about this time of year as people are planning their summer holidays is how to deal with their money (cash, credit cards, ATMs) while traveling.  What kind of currency, the use of ATM machines, what credit cards to take, should I exchange money before leaving, etc. I hope this article gives you information that might help you with your plans.

Credit cards and ATM machines have eased the challenge of spending and exchanging money on a trip overseas, but occasionally you will be in a country where the ATMs don't work or they might reject your card since it doesn't have a chip in it like most European credit cards do. US cards usually have a magnetic strip, rather than a chip, but some US card issuers are now making their credit cards with a strip and the chip.  Make sure to check this out with your card issuer or the bank.

Finally got cash out of the ATM in Syria!

Before leaving the US, make sure to let your credit card company know that you are traveling so they do not decline your card or block usage for “suspicious” activity.  They usually want to know what countries you will be traveling to.  When traveling to Iran you can use a credit card, but not American Express, for a large purchase such as a carpet.  The Iranians have set up a program where they are using merchants in Dubai or Abu Dhabi to get the transactions to go through, because of the sanctions.  So remember, if you are traveling to Iran, be sure to include the “UAE”, “Emirates”, or “Dubai and Abu Dhabi”, when you notify your credit card company of your travels, otherwise they might not give the authorization code for the purchase.  They do not have ATM machines in Iran that can be used with American cards so you will have to travel with cash so make sure to figure out your budget before departing.

You can check out the exchange rate for your destination before you leave for your trip.  There are numerous websites that will give you a quick conversion and one site that will create a “cheat sheet” for you – listing different quantities of currency and the equivalent in US dollars, and vice versa. That site is http://www.oanda.com/currency/converter/. This is handy in case you are trying to pay for something in dollars that was quoted in the local currency. 

Cheat Sheet from the for-ex site OANDA

 Also, make sure to only exchange the money that you will need for the next couple of days. It is more difficult to exchange back to US dollars and you will lose money on the exchange.  It takes some planning, and you don’t want to be in a situation where you run out of local currency and then have to try and find an ATM or exchange office at the last minute. Most hotels will exchange money, as well as banks and exchange offices. So if you are getting low, its best to stop at the front desk on your way out for the day and exchange some more money, rather than have to interrupt your sightseeing with a trip out of the way to find an ATM or bank.  On the other hand, a lot of merchants will take US dollars and you will be amazed at how quickly they make the conversion in their heads! But remember, not all places will take US dollars, so be sure to ask your guide about this. Generally they will not take dollars for small purchases like a soda or sandwich, but will for the more expensive items.

When planning your cash to bring with you, be aware that particularly on the larger bills like $50s and $100s that they may be too old to be acceptable. If the issue date on the bill is prior to 2003, it may not be accepted for exchange. There are new security measures in place on the US currency and prior to that there was a lot of counterfeit money being exchanged. Naturally the merchants, banks, and hotels don’t want to get stuck with a counterfeit bill and lose their money. Also make sure the cash is clean and not too worn or damaged, even if it is after 2003.

Sometimes your guide will also exchange money for you (and may add a small percentage to do it). It will be a convenience to you that helps, but generally do this on the bus, but do not let officials see you to do this - it is usually not considered legal. 

Make sure to check with your bank and see what fees they will be charging you for using the ATM machines and your credit card overseas - it might be higher then you think.  With the new laws out that all banks and credit card need to list all the fees that they charge their customers it is easy to look this up on line.

Have a great trip and enjoy your summer bouncing around the world! Let us know if you have any questions ~ we are here to help and make it an easier trip for you!

Preserving Petra

Here is a great article about the pressures of tourism on Petra, in Jordan. The government is trying to balance the need to preserve the site while allowing visitors to still have access. While tourism is a good thing, too much creates problems, degrades sites, and in the end, if not managed well, can be its own demise.

Petra, Jordan’s famous city of stone, faces a preservation struggle

 

Last day in Oman

May 5th was our last day in Oman and we started with a tour of the Grand Mosque. It was built not too long ago and it was the Sultan's gift to the people. No on knows how much it cost to build or how many people worked on it. It can hold thousands and thousands of worshipers at a time, and is absolutely beautiful inside and very elegant outside.

After visit the mosque we headed off to the mountain oasis city of Nizwa. It is located on a former trade route and has an ancient fortress in the old city that is a main attraction. The giant round tower is different than what most people expect in a fortress.

After visiting the town, we were taken to a mountain-top camp to enjoy the views and the cooler breezes. This is one of the newer places being developed for people to stay one or two nights in a camp, enjoy the wilderness and get away from it all. After lunch we took the dirt road back down the mountain and headed back to Muscat for one last hotel inspection and dinner. The hotel we visited is called The Chedi and is a very nice place that I would not hesitate to recommend - it's in the middle of the new part of Muscat, on the beach, is in a quiet, serene setting, closer to the airport, and has excellent food. Maybe next time I will get to stay there!

We had an early flight back the next morning to Dubai to catch our flights home. Yet again, the service on Emirates was impeccable. When we arrived a week earlier in the evening at Dubai airport, it was pretty quiet. Now, in the morning, the place was extremely busy. Every gate was full and the shops and restaurants in the departure hall were crowded. Make sure, if you are departing from Dubai airport, that you give yourself time to make it through security and through the huge terminal- the walk to your gate alone can take much longer than you might expect. They have moving walkways, but still it can be a long ways to your gate.

Also, a note about going into Oman. If you are traveling by land from the Emirates into Oman, the process is a bit different than arriving by air as I described in a previous post. Be sure to read back through Rita's blog post as she went by land.

Caravan-Serai plans to have a group tour to Oman and the Emirates later this year so keep checking our website or sign up for our email alerts. We also can put together a private tour of these countries at any time for you, just give us a call!

Video Slide Show of Dubai and Oman

Dubai 2012 Slideshow: Brenda’s trip from Snohomish, Washington, United States to 3 cities Dubai, Muscat and Nizwa was created by TripAdvisor. See another United Arab Emirates slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

Another Study in Contrasts - Dubai to Muscat

On Friday we left Dubai's shiny, glitzy airport and landed in Muscat, a much smaller, less shiny facility, but nonetheless a welcoming airport. Our first stop on entering the airport was the arrival priority lounge where we could sit and wait for our visas to be processed, rather than wait in line out in the main arrival hall. This is a service provided by tour companies to assist their clients and make the process a bit easier for them. I was also told that if you are not able to use this service, then you go to the window that looks like a cashier's window and pay for your visa, then get in the line for immigration. Once we had our visas ( US $15, or it can be paid in dinars or rials or euros) we picked up our luggage, finished the customs and immigration process, then went out to our bus.

Muscat is different in so many ways from Dubai. The skyline is modest, but the most striking difference is the landscape. The mountains come right to the sea in Oman. Muscat is nestled in between the water and the jagged peaks, and instead of seeing miles and miles of dunes at the edge of the city of Dubai, you see white buildings and stark mountains.

We drove to our hotel for the night, the Shangri La Resort, located outside the city of Muscat on its own private beach. There are three sections to the resort: one that caters more to families, one that is more for the business traveler, and one for people who want a more private, relaxing resort experience. After getting settled into our rooms we departed for a tour of the resort, then later in the afternoon we went for a dhow cruise.

The dhow cruise was very pleasant and it was nice to get out on the water. In spite of the heat, once we were out in the light breeze on the water it was much more comfortable. We had an excellent view of the villages and the mountains, and the rock formations jutting out of the water. We also saw a few of the many watch towers that dot the hilltops all throughout Oman, as well as a fortress, and one of the Sultan's palaces. After watching the sunset, we returned to the port, then headed to Muscat's famous Mutrah Souk. It is much like other souks in the Middle East, and has spices and jewellery, as well as clothing, shoes, housewares, and more. You can find the typical Omani curved daggers - khanjars - with their ornately decorated scabbards, and frankincense here. Frankincense was once a commodity worth its weight in gold, but now is readily available and much less expensive, making it a good souvenir of Oman.

Just judging by what we have seen here so far, two days is not enough time to see everything Oman has to offer. Tomorrow we go to Nizwa for a half day, then return to Muscat for dinner and another hotel inspection, then it will be a late transfer to the airport to leave already. We have been hearing from the local tour operators that at least 5 days is a good stay, but you can easily spend more time in the country, going to the north to Musandam, and to the south to Shalalah, and visit the sites in between. I think we will have some more sample itineraries for Oman on the website soon!

A Study in Contrasts

Wow, this has been one full trip! I am sitting here trying to remember what we did yesterday and am at a loss. I think the heat is getting to me. I know we ended the day with a desert safari, which was a blast! We had the best driver and the ride through the dunes was crazy. We also stopped to watch a falconry demonstration, watched the sunset, then continued on to the desert camp where we had a great dinner, excellent conversation, watched a belly dancer, and enjoyed shisha under the stars. It was really a good evening. The falconer also came by the camp with 3 of his birds so we had an opportunity to talk one on one with him and learn even more about what he does, the birds, and the tradition of falconry. I got to hold two of the birds!

This morning we went back to the desert to the Al Maha desert resort and spa. If you want to really get away from it all and have a luxury vacation where you do nothing but relax and enjoy the natural beauty of your surroundings, then Al Maha is the place. It is located about an hour and a hald drive from Dubai on a nature preserve. You can enjoy the spa, activities like riding, archery, etc. Each room is actually a private bungalow with its own infinity pool overlooking the desert. The oryx and gazelles roam freely through the area, and you are likely to see one by your pool or grazing on the grasses by your front door!

After visiting the resort, we returned to the city to visit the other extreme in Dubai accommodation - the Burj Al Arab. Where Al Maha is quiet and peaceful, the Burj is bustling with people and activity. The Al Maha is designed to blend in with its desert surroundings and the Burj is designed to stand out. The Burj has an excellent view of the city, the ocean, the Palm and The World, and the rooms make a bold statement with bright jewel tones and gold chrome. Understated is not a term used in conjunction with the Burj.

I got to see the Ski Dubai indoor ski hill at the Mall of the Emirates. Its really an interesting operation. For the price of a lift ticket in the US, you can get a 2 hour pass that includes  the lifts and your equipment. Then you can ski down the 400m long slope on the man-made snow. There is a poma lift and a chair lift. The mall itself is HUGE! And much like the malls at home. Lots of designer names and common brands you see in American malls. The people are a mix from everywhere in the world, and all are taking part in the national sport of Dubai - shopping.

There is a lot to do in Dubai and the surrounding emirates, and with Emirates Air you can stop over for a few days on your way to other destinations. From Seattle you can fly to Dubai, visit for a few days, then continue on to Jordan, for example, for a week or so, making a really great vacation! Just sayin'.....

Ok, off to Oman tomorrow bright and early (ugh). More from Muscat tomorrow!

Last day in Oman

Sorry for the long delay in getting this posted! We have been busy at the office getting ready for our next tours coming up - Iran, the Caucasus, a private group going to Morocco, clients on independent tours to Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and more. And Maha is in Egypt right now - I have a post from her that is going to be entered next! - Brenda

Monday March 12th

Today is the last day in Muscat and there is a lot to do and see before we leave.  We start out early this morning at 7:30am and go straight to the Big Mosque, built by his Royal Highness Sultan Qaboos.  It is about a 20 minute drive from our hotel.  The rules to go into the mosque are more restrictive than most.  Before getting on to the property of the mosque, women need to have their arms, legs, and hair completely covered.  No hair showing at all, no short sleeves - the sleeve of your shirt need to come down to your wrist.  Once you get to the door and the guard sees that hair or skin is showing he is able to turn you away.

The mosque is beautiful but not elaborately ornate.  The dome is made from gold and the marble has been brought in from Italy. The mosque can accommodate 20,000 people at one time.  The carpet was made in Iran and weighs over 27 tons, and covers the floor of the prayer room. The driver, who is Yemeni, said he prayed there only once since he kept looking around at everything that was there and you should not do that when praying.  

 I had a discussion with some of the guides outside the mosque while the group toured around, asking them questions about marriage, etc.  There is no civil marriage in Oman, most Omanis do marry someone from their own country.  A couple of drivers knew Omanis that went out of the country and fell in love but with other Arabs in Morocco or Syria, etc.

They talked about watching TV and seeing the American stations and how families lived, and about divorce and the fighting and what happens to the kids.  This is the impression they have of us.  The discussion went on about the age of the person when they get married is about 18 for the girl and older for the man.  If he finds a younger girl he is interested in he will tell his family and they will talk to her family and say they are interested but will wait until she is old enough for the marriage.  The average price that is given is 4,000 riyals and it can go up depending on the family wealth, but it will not be less.  If for some reason the woman wants to get a divorce and is able to prove he is not good or something they will get divorced and she or her family will need to repay 50 percent of the price they were given.

When the group came back I discussed this with them and they asked questions, it was a good conversation. After the visit to the mosque we were rushed to the port for dolphin watching. We drove to the Marina to embark on a search for dolphins and we found them - beautiful coastline and clear blue waters with a variety of fish and other sea life here.  

Oman is a blend of the old and new and it has done very well with the architecture incorporating all of this.  While on the sea we were able to see the city skyline and also the rugged mountain range that come right to he city walls. The city builders built right next to the mountains so you have the jagged mountains blended with the Islamic architecture of white stucco buildings.

We went after this to the Bai Al Zubai museum which shows you the traces of Omani history and development.  I remember the first time I came here, it was about 10 ears ago, and there was a small city and the center was near the marina and the fish markets- now it has spread so wide and far, and a bigger population, and new industries.

Took the group to the souk, which is ok but it is mostly run by Indians and Pakistanis, rather than Omanis.  If you have traveled in the Middle East before you will be somewhat disappointed with the markets here – they are not like Syria, Egypt, or even Turkey, but for the first time visitor it is a good introduction to bargaining and seeing the buildings of the covered souks and the small alley ways. There are a lot of different buildings and some old homes inside, and you do need to wander around to see them. 

Still one more visit to a hotel before we leave for the airport.  We were invited to the Grand Hyatt and also had a hosted dinner at the property- very nice and upscale.  They tried to incorporate Middle Eastern design and also North African in this place.  They had a meeting of Ministers so a metal detector was brought in to check people at the door, otherwise Muscat is a very safe city and this is not normal to have these in the hotels - first time that we saw this in Oman and also in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

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It is 2:30am and our driver and guide are downstairs to take the group to the airport. This is still the old airport but there are plans on the walls of what they are planning to do for a future airport.  The flight is 45 minutes only to Dubai and then you get to this incredible new airport with masses of people from all nationalities and so many different languages being spoken.  It is a huge shopping mall - everything you heart can want is available - almost too much that you just want to find a spot to hang out in and get away from the mobs.

Our flight is almost empty we have only 82 reservations in economy class and a full business class - I decided to spread out on the four middle seats and just sleep. The 15 hour flight to Seattle was not as bad as I thought since I was able to relax.  One of the people in the group mentioned that each flight attendant was more beautiful then the next.  It seems that we are back in the days of PanAm, where you had to be a certain size and look and weight, etc. They were all so pleasant and so accommodating to the passengers.  Also, the trip back had a number of languages spoken - I think it was about 8.  Now to sleep and I will wake up in beautiful Seattle.  I was told it snowed there so I am looking forward to the cold after the heat of the Arabian Peninsula.

1000 Arabian Nights Camp in Oman

Sunday March 11, 2012

We arrived last night at about 5pm into our camp after driving 11/2 hours in the desert. Before coming into the desert we had to stop at a garage to let the tire pressure out of the 4x4 tires to be able to drive on the sand. If the tire pressure was kept at the rate for city driving we might have rolled over or got struck in the sand.


Driving through the sand dunes.

 We got checked in after having a glass of ginger tea and went to our tents. The tents have their own bathroom facilities and two beds or double beds with carpeting on the floor and towels sheets and blankets supplied. If you are someone that gets hot like me, I suggest that you bring a little motorized/battery operated fan that you can use. I took one of the chairs and sat outside and just looked at the sand dunes and watched the sun go down. It wasn’t that clear to get a great sunset because of the fine sand that was blowing around, but it was very pleasant, and so quiet. I think of living in the city, and forget how noisy it is and not sure of how to deal with silence. It is like the silence that you get when you have a hearing problem.




 


Our camp in the desert of Oman.




One of the tents at the desert camp.

 The weather got cooler in the evening and when the sun goes down it gets very dark, except for the moon which was full the night before last and it was fading a bit. The stars are so clear. The group slept early and this morning I got up at 5am and waited for the sunrise over the sand dunes. Some adventurous people decided to climb up the dunes to get a better view. It was so much fun watching since I do not think they realized that it is very hard to climb in fine sand, each step you take you sink farther and farther in. Once the person got to the top they would just sit and think to themselves “I made it up here, now how do I get down?” Well, you get down either by sliding down on your butt or having a snowboard to do some sand surfing, which is quite a sport in Oman enjoyed by the locals and the foreigners.

I was asking the group what they thought of this trip since I have two people in the group that have never traveled to the Middle East before. They said that what they saw in the Emirates they expected from the media, but they were very surprised at the amount of English spoken in all the countries, also the amount of foreign workers.

They expected that their would be more local workers even though I tried to explain that it was not the case except for Oman, where the ruler has been pushing for the Omanization of the country. English is spoken by so many that they thought it would be an area they could come back to and not worry about traveling on their own or with a partner. They were surprised at the beautiful color of the water, not having pollution, and the beautiful sandy beaches.

They were not sure how they might be taken as Americans, but found that everyone was very friendly.

They expected the foods like chicken and lamb, but for some reason did not realize the amount of seafood that we would have on the trip. They were also surprised at the mixture of foods from India and Pakistan, and some of the spices that are used.

Some comments from the tour group:

• Great food everywhere
• Vehicle 4 wheel drives are comfortable
• Drivers are excellent
• People are warm and friendly
• Hospitality
• Hardly anyone speaks Arabic
• Many speak English well
• We were the only Americans that we saw
• People have a sense of the future
• Felt very welcomed, no issues being American
• Very different then she has been before
• Not expecting so much of a Indian and Pakistani influence
• Very clean was not expecting to see this
• Was not expecting a Nigerian guide
• Thought before he came that this would not be safe- people perceptions are very negative
• Told people that he is going to Dubai and they said I thought you were going to the Middle East
• Thought of the movie Sex in the City that was filmed in Dubai
• Loved the food since it was all natural and very good food of vegetable tomatoes, onions
• Oman is the Vermont of the Middle East
• Lots of Germans and Italians

Finally on the ground in Dubai

6th Mar

We land in Dubai after a 15 hour flight and are totally exhaust. We are met at the airport and taken to the hotel for check in and dinner for the group. Everyone eats and afterwards we go directly to bed.

7th Mar

Today we start the city tour, but before that I have arranged a meeting with the tourism board and they give us a presentation of where Dubai is now and how it got there. For a country that is still so young, it is growing fast.

There are 7 million people in the Emirates which is Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Fujairah, Ajman, Um Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaima, and Sharjah, but out of those only 950,000 are Emiratis, the rest are foreign workers that are in the country.

In Dubai you have a total 2.4mil and 200,000 locals, Abu Dhabi has 2.2million and 400,000 locals. I also found that the prices in Dubai are quite a bit higher. So you have people that are commuting from Abu Dhabi to Dubai for work and the distance isn't that bad with the freeways, but now a trip that years ago would take only one hour is now taking two hours or more depending on rush hour traffic. When a lot of construction was taking place in Dubai it was even worse. The average rental prices for homes outside of downtown Dubai in the suburbs is $1500 a month, and in the city is two to three times the price. There have recognized "expat" neighborhoods where the foreigners in the Emirates live.

All Dubai citizens, once they get married to another person from Dubai, is automatically given $20,000 cash USD and a house, not an apartment but a house and for each child they are given an allowance of $300 per month.Their education and health care is all paid for. They do have a pretty nice life in that there are no worries for them. This is one of the reasons that even if an a person goes to study in the US they will return home to Dubai. Wouldn't you?

Quite an interesting discussion. Then we started to see the city, and all the construction - every kind of building that you can image from the beautiful high rises to the very unusual architecture. Every architect that wants to try a new way of bldg or a very different looking build if they find someone from the region to sell this to he can get a permit to build here,

We went to the Dubai Museum, which is one that I really love and the best interactive one that I have seen in the Middle East. Upon entering, there is a map and it shows digitally how the area was total desert and how, with money, water and building started. Their is greenery everywhere. With desalination plants they are able to bring water from the sea to keep this going. Most of the workers are from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, Philippines, etc.

This is one of the only Arab countries that I can come to and not speak Arabic. One of the group members was taking Berlitz class in Arabic and each time he tries it I would laugh since the people he was talking to would look at him to figure out what he was saying or what language!!

We took one of the boats across to the Creek to the old side of the city and into the souks of gold and spices etc. Not like the souks of Egypt and Syria, etc, also most of the shop keepers where from Pakistan or India. Saw a lot of Afghans and people from Sudan and Somalia, too. The Americans that you see here are mostly people working for big international corporations like Microsoft, medical companies, or were visiting their family members who worked for those companies. There are branches of the big medical centers in the US such as Mayo Clinic. We also heard that diabetes is quite big problem here and they have now opened an education center about this disease and how to control it. There is so much sugar in the diet, which back in the 60's they did not have this problem since the sugar was always natural. You did not have it in coffee - you were served coffee that was just coffee and a date next to it for the sweetness. Now you are getting coffee with sugar and also a date.

In the afternoon we went on a number of site inspections at some of the hotels in the area, since the group I am escorting are travel agents that come to check out the destination and see the properties that their clients might like. Afterwards we went to the Jumeirah Mosque and then to the Madinat Jumeirah Hotel.

After this we headed to Abu Dhabi going by Jebel Ali Port and world largest man made port and onto Yas Island. We saw the Corniche and the water that is beautiful turquoise today, and then went to visit the Heritage Village.

Arrived into Abu Dhabi late and went directly to check in and have another beautiful dinner at the hotel. Real fresh seafood, Arabic cuisine, and wine was flowing for the group and they did drink!

On the flight to Dubai

Here is a post from Rita about the flight experience on the new Seattle-Dubai route of Emirates Air.

The Emirates is really a very interesting group of people that are flying this carrier. It is definitely more multicultural then any other flight I have ever taken. If you take Royal Air Maroc most of the people will be Americans or Moroccans. When flying Saudi Airlines you will have Saudis and also Americans and Europeans. But this flight you have Ethiopians, Europeans, Indians Pakistani, etc. You have flight attendants that from all different countries. On the flight I am on you have almost 11 languages spoken. You have people that have never been on an airplane, which I have not seen since the early 70's when traveling with Royal Jordanian. I talked to the flight attendants and they also mentioned the same thing.

I was so hoping that I would be on one of the newer Emirate airplanes that would have a shower in the first class cabin, but it turns out that is only on the New York, London, and other Dubai to Europe flights, but not on the Seattle leg yet. They do have the individual cabins with the bed and a sink and bathroom and the door closes and you can really sleep, but no shower! This is the Boeing 777-200 fleet.

The service is good and the flight attendants are really very good and quite considerate and accommodating to all the people. The food is excellent for plane food - lots of different choices. Also there are over 100 choices for movies - from the top shows to the older shows from the late 50's.

Off to the Emirates!

Rita is off to the Emirates, trying out Emirates Air's new non-stop service from Seattle to Dubai. She is traveling with a group of travel agents to help them understand the region better and provide better service to their clients when booking vacations in the Emirates and Oman. Below is her first post on this tour from late yesterday afternoon.

Today is the day that I am flying out of Seattle on the direct Emirate flight that started on the 1st of March, 2012. I was told that the first flight on the 1st was sold out, and actually oversold.

I got to the airport and checked in, all went very smoothly. They had a lot of new agents that are being trained by Swiss Air reservation crews, very strict on the size and weight of the luggage and especially the carry on for now. They make everyone put their carry on bags into a bin to see if they will fit, or if they will have to be checked in. The staff is very friendly and they seemed very excited about the new route. I talked to a number of the Emirates Air employees and they are hoping that this will be as big as the Los Angeles and San Francisco routes for them. They are also thinking that this will probably be in demand by the corporate travelers and also for people going into India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, more so than other parts of the Middle East since the connections are long and may require an overnight stay in Dubai.

I am in their lounge right now typing this out and it is similar to other airline lounges in the US. They have all the drinks you want from soft drinks, coffee tea and alcoholic products, and fruits, cheese and crackers, cookies etc. The lounge in SeaTac is at Gate 9 in the "S"concourse. It is being staffed by Club International. The lounge today is pretty empty as they said that the flight was light today. I think the full flight on the first day was all the people wanting to take the inaugural flight.

Looking forward to the trip to Dubai and Oman, but still not sure how I will be after 14.5 hours flying all at one time without stopovers - even in business class or first it will be hard.

More to come after I arrive in Dubai.

A Poem about our Tour of Saudi Arabia

This poem was written by one of our participants on our tour of Saudi Arabia, which just returned home last week. Thank you! 

 

A trip of a lifetime for all of us..........

Encompassed the sites of Saudi by bus!

 

Maneuvering the abaya was a challenge to be seen...

Especially in squat toilets and if you know what I mean!

 

The scarves were a blessing on a bad hair day

But more important kept the mutawa's at bay

 

From Riyadh to Najran we arrived by plane

All of our friends thought we were totally insane

 

Yalla Yalla was one mantra early each morn

"Delightful Dawi proudly shared where he was born"

 

With warm hospitality and led us to very awesome sites

 stunning and thrilling in a myriad of different lights

 

With a naughty boy laugh and a gleem in his eyes he taught us where ancient civilizations lies

 

We photographed many magnificent carvings in the rocks but "Oh my Allah" the sand in our socks

 

Being so close to the Yemen border was sad

For it could have been another country to add

 

The souks were enticing for all that we sought

spices and fragrances were mostly bought ( and a much needed warm coat)

 

The site of Qraya an archeological dig of all of the trip highlights that was quite big

 

The markets for camels and goats were fun

We envisioned the caravans enduring the sun

 

We were escorted by police that monitor our time

Of course I had to include that in this dumb rhyme

 

It really is a mans world here

Womens liberation is unheard of - I fear

 

Kabsa is a delish Saudi meal

yet eating with our hands we couldn't get the feel

 

Such a vast history of remnants of past

How special for us that it has lasted

 

So lucky we are to have experienced it

In our hearts the memories will always sit

 

Thank you "our remarkable Rita" for giving us this wonderful opportunity that opened our eyes to Saudi - a beautiful land

Our last day of the tour in Saudi Arabia

Wednesday February 22

Today is the last day in the Kingdom and Jeddah was it.  We started out early again today and went to the museum of Abdul Raouf, a private museum, but it was closed.  We kept calling the people to let us in but no one was around even though we had purchased tickets and we had made an appointment.  I felt bad for the group so Dawi, the guide, and I kept thinking of different things we could do.  We took them to the Sudanese market which was about 35 minutes outside of town.  This is an area where they have a camel market and milk the camels.  The group, I was surprised, really enjoyed it. They got to see the camels being milked and then they all tasted some of the fresh milk.  It was their first time and it was good, sweet and not so heavy.  Then they played, if you can calling playing, with the camels - they were petting them and one woman since she had milk on her hands the camels would come up and nuzzle her and lick her hand with their lips, not the tongue.  While I was taking a picture another camel came up and started to nuzzle at my ear, WOW it felt good.  LOL!  These guys were really friendly.  The camel herders watching them were having fun watching us interact with their camels. Lots of pictures being taken.  

After about a 30 minute visit we decided to take the group for a boat ride on the Red Sea.  Called and reserved a boat and went to the dock- a nice young Yemeni was there to take us around the coast for about an hour to see the homes and the skyline of Jeddah.  The water was beautiful and so clear you could see the coral and the small fish below. They were a number of men on jet skis out and when they saw us taking pictures they decided to put on a show.  What a show some of these guys got the jet skis standing. upright as they were zooming around us.  The group was surprised to see women on some of the smaller boats without their hijabs enjoying the water and sunshine.

We then went to the Sea Garden restaurant.  Way too much food – one member of the group said she had gotten on the scale yesterday and had gained 5 pounds, even though we have been doing a lot of walking and climbing.

Everyone’s flights were about 2am so off to the hotel to freshen up before we have our last visit to another private museum, also for the Raouf Khalil family. Beautiful place that has been built into a showcase of the Saudi way of life.  The place was not open all the way so we toured some of the rooms and then saw a film about Jeddah and how the museum was developed.  Around the museum were antique shops, which is my passion.  We walked around and people bought some things and I had to resist buying everything that I saw!

Back on the bus I asked the group to give me their thoughts on Saudi before coming here, and now.

Before coming they thought:

Restrictive

Not friendly

Mysterious

Scary

Fear of offending people

A Mans world

Distant

And after:

Fabulous sites

Generous

Warm

Kind

Caring

Sweet

Modern society

Crossroads of different nationalities

Shows more wealth than Levant

Not all desert - lots of different terrain