Allan and Nicole
Allan and Nicole
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Tour 2008 Galleries

Keith's Tour Picks :

Keith's Tour Picks

Updated: Mar 06, 2009 3:11am PST

Spain: Seville and Barcelona :

Spain: Seville and Barcelona

Updated: Mar 05, 2009 1:50am PST

Spain: Madrid, Segovia and Toledo :

Spain: Madrid, Segovia and Toledo

Updated: Mar 05, 2009 1:47am PST

Morocco : We arrived in Casablanca expecting an exotic location. Certainly the Bogart movie created lifelong expectations. But it is a typical MIddle Eastern city. We only spent one day in Casablanca, choosing, instead, to go to Marrakech the next day (by train, of course). Marrakech, although slightly more exotic and more touristy than Casablanca, also lacked 'a heart'. I guess, by the end of the ten days or so we had spent in Morocco (Casablanca, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier) we left feeling a little deflated. I think I was expecting more character, more regional diversity and more cultural definition. The truth is that tourists such as ourselves (and modernity) have diluted the cultural and economic landscapes of countries such as Morocco. In a sense, we are victims of our own activity. So, as tourists, maybe we all have to change our expectations and accept these nations for what they are, rather than what we would like them to be. This trip has certainly made me look at my own attitudes to travel and the impact I might have on the culture and economies of countries loved by travellers.

Morocco

We arrived in Casablanca expecting an exotic location. Certainly the B ...

Updated: Mar 05, 2009 1:45am PST

Jordan : We came to Jordan, initially, because I was sick. I had a fever I couldn't shake and the prescriptions I had been given in Syria weren't working. The Australian Embassy recommended a doctor who promptly admitted me to hospital for severe pneumonia. Six days later I was discharged, but told to take it easy. The doctors were wonderful. But they told me, "No visits to Petra or the desert". We decided to fly to Tel Aviv. Prior to flying out, we visited Jerash. An amazing place. After ten days in Israel I had recovered enough to go back to Jordan We went via Aqaba. From there we travelled, via Wadi Rum, to Petra, where we stayed for 3 or four days. Overall, we enjoyed our stay in Jordan, and some of the sights we saw were truly breathtaking. The Jordanians, for their part, were welcoming, honest and friendly. We can highly recommend a visit to this place.

Jordan

We came to Jordan, initially, because I was sick. I had a fever I coul ...

Updated: Mar 05, 2009 1:43am PST

Israel :

Israel

Updated: Mar 05, 2009 1:40am PST

Syria : Damascus was our first stop on our trip. We arrived late in the day, so our first day didn't allow much time for sightseeing. I remember that we got lost regularly in the Old City in our first two days. It seemed that neither our Lonely Planet not our local maps were either detailed or accurate enough to maintain bearing. Nevertheless, once you submitted to the idea that you would get lost, it became more possible to enjoy THAT experience. There were times, though, where one had walked long enough without the sign of a cafe to become suitably annoyed with the state of cartography. The appearance of Shi'ite pilgrims was bizarre enough to put aside these concerns however. These Pakistani pilgrims had come on a pilgrimage to the Great (Ummayad) Mosque which holds the the tomb of Saladin, and is said to hold the the head of John the Baptist and the head of Hussein, grandchild of the Prophet. These pilgrims were chanting and breast-beating to the beat of the chant. They weren't doing it faint-heartedly either, you may notice in my photos that their chests are deeply bruised and in some cases, blistered and bleeding. These activities were the source of much consternation amongst the locals, who believed that it gave Islam a bad name. However, it was during our Damascus visit that I fell pray to a virus, and I started developing a fever. We decided to leave Damascus and go as far as Palmyra, but no further, in case I didn't improve. The weather was quite cold, but my fever made it tolerable. We stayed two days in Palmyra, saw as much as possible, but my health deteriorated even further. So we caught a cab to Amman in Jordan.

Syria

Damascus was our first stop on our trip. We arrived late in the day, s ...

Updated: Dec 02, 2008 12:45am PST

Madrid: Bullfight :

Madrid: Bullfight

Updated: Jun 05, 2008 4:11am PST

England :

England

Updated: Jun 05, 2008 3:58am PST