MIDDLE  EAST

By geography the Middle East should be part of Asia but it's a region that seems all its own.  It's always in the news, usually for unfortunate reasons, and it seems as though no one over here gets along.  I have not been here enough to reach any definitive conclusions...but I have been here enough to want to visit a lot more places before coming back.

The personal hardship that people live through in this area of the world is astounding.  It's a shame there is conflict in this part of the world because for thousands of years it was the world's epicenter.  It has some of the most fascinating cultures, food, and historical civilizations.  As soon as the conflict ends this part of the world will remain in the news but for all the right reasons. 

EGYPT

There was a brief window between the over throw of Hosni Mubarak and future elections where I thought I could make a quick journey to Egypt and see the Pyramids before everything went crazy.  Unbeknownst to me there was a primary election occurring the week before I arrived and the protests were back in full swing.  It was a long, long three days in Cairo.  

ISRAEL

Besides the obvious pilgrimage to Jerusalem there's still quite a bit to see and do.  Tel Aviv is a modern, bohemian metropolis that offers a glimmer of what sustained peace in the Middle East could bring.

JORDAN

Oh to be a country in the Middle East without oil.  Jordan was two phenomonal destinations - Petra and Wadi Rum - but the rest of the country feels modern and advanced.

QATAR

The country will host the upcoming 2022 World Cup which will shine a spot light on this small country.  I was only here for a day.

UNITED  ARAB  EMIRATES

Most people (including me) never leave Dubai.  It's worth having a layover here every couple of years just to see how much the country has been changing.