Dubai

We arrived in Abu Dhabi yesterday to a blast furnace of 45 deg hot air and dust haze from the desert.  The airline limo service drove us to Dubai and the driver gave us a good running commentary of life in UAE as a "Guest worker".  He said that overall he was treated very well, but for the 11 hour shifts 6 day weeks.

Today we met up with Will's friend Ron, who has purchased two apartments on the 45th floor overlooking the Palms.  He had to do an inspection as the building will be finished in June and handed over to him.  Well, they had the fire alarm going the entire time that we were there.  We joked that after we leave they can turn it off until the next owner turns up for an inspection.  Regardless, the views from the 45th floor were pretty spectacular.

Hotel at top of The Palms

We then went for a drive all through the Palms to look at lifestyles of the rich and famous who are now broke.

Ski field in Mall of the Emirates

We went to the Mall of the Emirates where the internal ski field is.
This shopping centre was mostly designer shops and I didn't really think it had that much to offer.  Robina on steriods - who needs it?

We then moved on to the Dubai Mall which is one of the largest shopping centres in the world, and largest in the Middle East.  It was much nicer.  It had an indoor ice skating rink and a 2 storey high aquarium, and 2 storey waterfall.

Over all shopping is cheaper here but I would say about 30% cheaper than Aus.  The USA still beats it hands down, but I suspect that is because here they are really all designer shops and no Outlet shopping like USA.  The taxi's are as cheap as anything, most rides $2.50 - $3.00. 

We have travelled by the Metro because of the long distances between places - and so hot you can't really walk anywhere.  The metro is about average 50c per ride.

Will getting up close and personal with a camel in Dubai Mall

We have found Dubai to be everything that we expected.  It is very modern, sophisticated, clean, efficient and people are very well behaved.  The ruling Arabs will not allow the "Guest workers" to ever become residents, even ones who have lived here for 35 years!  This allows them to control the behaviour of people as they will take their visa off them if there is any trouble at all.  People (guest workers that is - they are the vast majority) are very friendly, helpful and everyone speaks English very well.  You hardly even notice that you are in an Arab country but for the Arab garb of the men and the burkas.

Jordan

We are sitting in the business class lounge in Amman, scrounging free internet, waiting for our flight to Dubai.
Jordan has been interesting and informative, far more advanced that we thought.

We stayed 2 nights at the Dead Sea at the Moverpick Resort - and I thought they only sold Ice Cream!

The Dead Sea was an experience.  I went down and mudded up with the miracle Dead Sea mud and then layed down in the waters.  It is impossible to drown in it.  In fact it is so hard to even get your legs down.  You just float on your back and then battle to turn over on your stomach.  You can't get the water in your eyes or mouth - stings like hell.  If you manage to stand upright, the waters are so dense that you cannot touch bottom, it just suspends you at chest/waist level.



Petra - The Treasury

I did two treatments of mud, and I convinced Will to do one as well.  His skin has taken a turn for the worse and he has broken out in a rash all over his arms.  Although everyone says, "It's just the impurities coming out", well, I have doubts about that.  They tell you to limit your time in the water to under 20 minutes - like bathing in acid!
People come from all over Europe to "take the waters" as it is supposed to be excellent for psoriasis, excema and other skin conditions.  One of our travel companions swore by it.

We then moved on to Petra, after seeing more Biblical sites: Mt Nebo where God supposedly told Moses that this was their promised land of milk and honey, looking towards the Jordan valley.  Well you had to imagine that, when the Jordan river actually flowed.  They have been taking the water out on both sides, Israel and Jordan, and it is no longer the land of milk and honey.  Well, it is for Israel anyway.  They have turned the barren land into viable farming land.  You can't help but admire their tenacity.



Camel Ride home

Petra is an ancient city on the major trade routes believed to be started in 1200 BCE.  The Nabatean people where believed to have built most of it, but over run by many other civilisations, including the Romans, who added their own architecture on top of the ancient buildings.  They are all carved out of the sandstone.  Unfortunately, it has been eroded over time and will not be there at all for too much longer.





In Jordan's fine dining restaurants, they boast having Australian beef - Stockyard label which comes from the Darling Downs.  We have had two really great steak dinners here, and they also boast Australian Wines, particularly Jacobs Creek Shiraz.  We also had a guy with reddish brown hair and white skin singing country and western songs and Aussie songs as well.  When Will asked him where he was from he said "Iraq" - sure didn't look it - must have been Persian heritage.

Jordan has educated their citizens well, teaching English from year 2.  In fact it is their second official language.  You don't see women around much, except  ducking in and out of a few shops.  They don't participate in life as we know it.   They stay home in their burkas and look after family.  The men are really dumb in my opinion as at the very least, they are halving the economic potential of their countries.  All over the Middle East, men are out in the coffee shops, women at home or working in the fields.  So different from our culture and one I would really take issue with.  Thank God for Australia.  The more you travel the most you know it to be true.




Jerusalem Day 3 and 4



The famous Wailing Wall

Our excellent guide, Avi,  is a History lecturer from the Hebrew University.  He did his Master’s in the Holocaust.  He took us to the Holocaust Museum and guided us giving us a very good insight into the history of events during the Holocaust.  We already knew most of what he said, but it was a very good reminder of why the Jewish people need their own State. 

Today we visited Bethlehem.  The significance, in my opinion, was going through the check point; through the wall that the Israelis built to protect themselves from Palestinian suicide bombers.  It reminded me of Checkpoint Charlie and the Berlin wall.  The Church of the Nativity is a “have to go there” site but really not at all spiritual and not really believable as the site where Jesus was born. 

Tomorrow we cross into Jordan and visit the Dead Sea.  We will be staying at a luxury resort and going for a dip in the Dead Sea.

Jerusalem Day 1 and 2

We are sitting in a trendy cafe outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.  It is Jerusalem day, which Israeli's celebrate the reunification of Jerusalem when they drove the Jordanians out in the 1967 war.  They are dancing, chanting and generally making a meal of it.  The thing is, they even do this in the Arab parts of the city, in the Arab markets. I think that this really pisses off the Arabs - provocation if ever I saw it. The Arab's have another word for it, but the correct wording escapes me, but definitely a day of mourning.
One thing I notice is that the Israeli youth are full of exuberance with no alcohol required.  A refreshing change from Australia.



View of Jerusalem from Mount of Olives

We are getting such a wonderful education on this tour.  We have an Israeli/American guide who's knowledge of history, religion and politics is deep.  We have been to the Wailing Wall; The Church of the Holy Sepulchre; Mary's home/tomb; the grotto where Jesus was betrayed by Judas and arrested; garden of Gethsemane; Mount of Olives.

We went for drinks at the King David Hotel last night.  It has a great history going back to the British rule when the Zionists bombed the hotel and killed 50 people in their quest for the Israeli State.  Yesterday's terrorist is today's freedom fighter!

Will outside the Garden of Gethsamane

Our hotel has been rated as the second best hotel in the Middle East, second to the El Rashid in Dubai.

Haifa, Sea of Galilee and Nazareth

Mary's House in Nazareth

We took a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee and saw all of the points that were relevant to Jesus's teachings including the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus gave the sermon on the mount.  The Christians on the tour were taking water from the sea to take home.

We drove within 40 kms of the kibbutz that I lived on for 4 months.  Our guide told me that my kibbutz  was still working as a kibbutz, unlike most of them that have been privatised.  In hindsight, I would have liked to hire a car and drive there.

We went to the towns of Tiberis and Nazareth.  The Catholics have built a church over what they believe to be the original home of Mary, mother of Jesus.  The church is totally devoted to Mary with no mention of Jesus at all.

Israel has developed almost beyond recognition in the last 30 years.  The population has doubled and there is high rise bildings everywhere.


Mount of Beatitudes, Sea of Galilee

2000 year old boat found in mud
 on Sea of Galilee

Tomorrow we head into Jerusalem for 4 nights.We start with a tour to the Church of Holy Sepulchre. 

Israel - Tel Aviv and Haifa

Will's cap fell off his tooth so we had to find an emergency dentist in Tel Aviv.  That was all ok but walking back to our hotel we were decidedly unimpressed with Tel Aviv.  The next day we went on a tour of Tel Aviv.  Our guide took us to a street that was supposed to be like the Champs Elysee in Paris.  It was called Rothchild Avenue.  Well, they obviously hadn't been to Paris.  The whole experience left me wondering about the good opinion that I have always had about Israel.  The streets were dirty, the buildings were left unmaintained, and it generally looked like a slum.
Today, we left Tel Aviv and on the way out, we saw the residences and apartments and suburbs that you would expect Israeli's to live in.  Beautiful buildings, good suburbs, parks etc etc. I don't think the guide did a good job of introducing us to his city.
We are now staying in Haifa, the home of the Bai'hi faith.  The philosophies are all good and very similar to the Whirling Dervishes.  They maintain these beautiful gardens for meditation and prayer.  They don't believe in churches and believe that everyone, especially men and women are equal.  Similar to Quakers as well.  Will won't join the faith as they don't believe in alcohol!

Bai'hi Gardens overlooking Haifa, Israel

Athens and Santorini



View from our Balcony

What a view! Priceless

We arrive in Santorini late at night after spending the entire afternoon and evening just getting from Istanbul.  But, it sure was worth it!
Everywhere you look, the views are just spectacular.  It is the quintessential tourist trap and and absolute pleasure.
We hired a quad bike for the day and rode over the entire island, 40 kms long.  We loaded up all of our laundry on the bike and dropped it off at the laundromat for pick up 2 hours later.
We rode uphill and down dale, stopped for coffee, lunch, a look at a few beaches - great fun.
All good things have to come to an end, and we headed back to Athens.
It was a "How to see Athens in 3 hours" tour.  Will wanted to see his famous "Antikythera mechanism" which was on display at the Archeological museum.
The copies that were made of the original lived up to his expectations.



Antikythera Mechanism


We then headed off to the Acropolis and Parthenon for a lightning visit.  Just so Will could see it in person.

The Acropolis