It was Saturday. The weather was chilly and cloudy, an early spring morning in Istanbul. I stood on the corner, munching on bread, trying to figure out where I wanted to explore this day. Just your average Saturday morning that you often have while traveling and wandering. It wasn’t even noteworthy to photograph; places I had been so many times … [Read more...]
Category: Travel
Travels in the Eastern Province: Hofuf – Saudi Arabia
- It was one of my first weekends in Saudi Arabia, finally getting here after a disastrous attempts at getting visas that required me at one point to even replace my passport. The folks had already been here for several months, mostly just traveling to Bahrain and sitting around the hotel pool. They were antsy to go and seemingly since I was … [Read more...]
Travel Information: Baku Azerbaijan
Where is Baku Located? Baku, the largest city in Azerbaijan is located on the banks of the Caspian Sea in the eastern tip of Azerbaijan. Baku is the capital and commercial hub of Azerbaijan with a population of over 2 million people. The city itself covers 830 sq. miles (2100 sq. km) and actually sits below sea level at –92ft (-28m). The GPS … [Read more...]
To the Border – Turkey
“Is the gate open today?” “What gate?” “The gate at the border” “What border?” The Syrian guy looked at me like I was an idiot as the mini-bus wheezed out of the station. My Arabic almost coming out as second nature given that it was the only language I could successfully speak in this area of Turkey. I realized quickly around me that everyone … [Read more...]
7 Reasons you should Visit Philadelphia
After having lived in this region on and off for many years I feel that I’m always “defending” Philadelphia from the Naysayers. Sure there were some problems back in the day, there were a lot of dangerous areas (and still are). But things have been improving a lot and have improved a lot. Philadelphia is the king of turn around stories and this … [Read more...]
Mount Nemrut and Beyond – Turkey
There is very little to do in Adiyaman you almost wonder why any would come here. If it wasn’t for the nearby Mount Nemrut National Park very few probably would. We arrived here on the morning bus unsure of how we were going to move forward. So what is Mount Nemrut and why would you come here? Honestly before coming I really only knew it … [Read more...]
50 Great things to do in Tokyo Japan
There are easily more than 50 things to do Tokyo, so it was not hard to come up with this list. But start here and see how many you can get through. Do you have your own places you love that you would want to add? Have breakfast sushi at the Tsukiji Fish Market Watch a show at the Kabuki Theater in Ginza Get a beautiful view of the city … [Read more...]
Haydarpasa Gar – Hejaz Railway Beginning – Istanbul Turkey
Sitting alone in the café in Jordan I was working hard to try to plan my holiday travels. Holiday from Holiday travels perhaps is the proper term as I was on Holiday in Jordan (although studying Arabic). After purchasing my tickets and telling friends I was going to Turkey one of my friends from my old Jordan visit told me that I must visit … [Read more...]
Visiting Rumelian Fortress – Istanbul Turkey
Where’s that? When my friend recommended we go to Rumelian Fortress I was surprised I had no idea what that place was. Even my other friend who is living in Istanbul had not heard of it either. It wasn’t until I actually saw the place did I realize I had seen it from afar. That fortress on the hill from all the boat ride along … [Read more...]
My trip to Bangalore and Mysore – or why (most) day tours are terrible
He looked at me, his nose scrunching at the idea and a look of dejection ran down his face. I could tell he was not pleased with my suggestion. “But, But, But, how will we see…everything?” – he asked. I sighed, past experience dictated it would not work out, but I knew I didn’t really had it in me to fight. Sometimes with new travelers only through … [Read more...]
Notes from an Indian Train
It’s been 20 years… Wow 20 years…seems almost unbelievable. I really can’t believe its been that long. I had to recheck my math to verify that. But yes strangely in fact 20 years since my last train ride in India. And you would probably think so much has changed in that amount of time, but maybe not as much you would imagine. To be honest I’m … [Read more...]
Wandering in the Jungle – Andhra Pradesh
“Time spent in India has a extraordinary effect on one. ” – Tahir Shah He clearly never spent much time at an Indian bus station, or perhaps that effect might be anger, frustration, or confusion. I jest…sort of. It’s 600am and we are wandering through the crowds of the city bus terminal in Hyderabad. Buses, cars, rickshaws, carts and people of … [Read more...]