The Holy Land

After my trip to Oman I headed to Jerusalem for a couple days. Despite how close Jerusalem is, making your way there can be very time-consuming because of Israeli border control. My friend, Vanessa, and I went across the land border an hour from Amman. The border crossing is just about the biggest cluster I’ve ever seen in my life. We were greeted by well-armed IDF soldiers who spent most of their time yelling at elderly Palestinians who have clearly decided that bathing is overrated. There are ridiculously long lines of Palestinians waiting to cross into the West Bank but we were moved to the front of the line since we’re westerners. Our biggest concern was not getting Israeli stamps in our passports because that can make it very difficult (and sometimes impossible) to travel in the Middle East. You can ask to have a separate piece of paper stamped but there is no guarantee that they will do this. Most of my friends who traveled to Israel this summer were not able to avoid the dreaded stamp. I spun a lovely story for the IDF soldier that was half true and half not so true, and I breezed through with no stamp on my passport. Mumtaz (Excellent)!

I expected Jerusalem to be an amazing experience but I was sadly disappointed. It certainly wasn’t a bad trip, but it was not what I wanted my trip to be. It was amazing to walk amongst such amazing history, but it was also a lot like being at Disneyland- long lines and rude tourists. The local residents were very friendly, but my fellow tourists/pilgrims were quite rude. Sadly, most of the rude people were also Americans. We also encountered a disgustingly racist American during our travels. We overheard him saying how unsafe he felt when he unwittingly wandered into the ‘A-Rab’ quarter. My friend and I believe everyone who wants a passport should have to pass the Foreign Service Exam before they’re allowed to leave the country. That would certainly cut down on the number of ignorant people who leave the country. We also think all Senators and Congressmen should have to pass the FSO test- that would guarantee they have a basic understanding of the Constitution.

We spent most of our time within the walls of the Old City. The Old City is divided into four quarters- Muslim, Jewish, Christian, and Armenian. The Muslim quarter felt very much like a typical Arab souq- full of energy and noise. We visited the Temple Mount which is where Muhammad ascended to heaven. The Jewish quarter was quieter, cleaner, and it was also full of much-welcomed directional signs! In the Jewish quarter we saw the Western Wall which is especially beautiful at night. We also spent a peaceful Shabbat afternoon there, watching Jewish families play games and talk in the park. The Christian quarter is dominated by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre- the site of Jesus’ crucifixion. The Armenian quarter is smaller and quieter than the rest. 

We also made a day trip to Bethlehem where we visited the Church of the Nativity and the site of Jesus’ birth. The most interesting part of our trip to Bethlehem was passing through the separation wall. The wall is covered with political graffiti and art, similar to the Berlin Wall. Living in the Middle East I am constantly exposed to strong and varying political believes. I try not to preach my political beliefs to others but seeing the separation wall was one of the most profound moments of my time here in the Middle East. Both sides have valid viewpoints but looking at that wall I found it impossible not to compare it to the Berlin Wall or the walls that surrounded the Jewish ghettos in WWII. Hopefully one day we can start seeing each other as fellow human beings, not animals to be caged or killed.

Even though my Jerusalem experience was not what I expected, I’m definitely glad I went. Big thanks to the lovely little Palestinian man who shared a cab back to Amman with us and got us an AMAZING deal on our cab ride!

Oman

Last week was Eid so I was off from school and did some traveling around the region. My first trip was to visit my friend, Jen, in Oman. Oman is a truly amazing country that most westerners have never heard of. It’s on the Arabian Peninsula bordered by Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Iran sits across the Strait of Hormuz. With these neighbors you might wonder why anyone would want to visit Oman. The Sultanate of Oman has been ruled by Sultan Qaboos since 1970 and during his rule the country has changed tremendously. The Sultan is responsible for building massive infrastructure, developing a quality education system, and establishing diplomatic relationships with most western countries. Oman is one of the only Arab countries that has good diplomatic ties with the rest of the region (Jordan has also accomplished this difficult task). Oman was largely responsible for the release of the three American hikers who were imprisoned in Iran.

Muscat is the capital and where the majority of the population lives. I was amazed with how beautiful and green the capital is. They have developed a massive irrigation system that makes it possible to create a tropical environment in the desert. I’ve never been in such a clean city (think Singapore for those who have been there) - it’s actually illegal to drive a dirty car in Oman. The Omani people are incredibly kind and welcoming. Almost everyone speaks English- there is a large British expat population so Omani English is very proper with a hint of a British accent. Omanis are conservative Muslims but very welcoming of other cultures.

My first night in Oman we went to the newly opened Royal Opera House to hear Yo-Yo Ma and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. All of the expats showed up for the event- including the American Ambassador. This is the first opera house in the region and the interior is stunning. 

Omanis are very outdoorsy and there are plenty of beautiful areas to explore in the country. Hiking, camping, and dune-bashing are the most popular weekend activities. We headed south one day and went hiking in a wadi a couple hours away from Muscat. With the exception of some pain in my post-surgical foot it was great. The beautiful scenery was well worth the pain.

If you ever make it to the Middle East Oman should be on the top of your list of places to visit. Thanks to Jen for showing me around this amazing country!

Istanbul

Marhaba, friends! Blogging is so difficult for a procrastinator like myself. I spent several wonderful days in Istanbul but haven't had the inspiration to write about it. I will start by saying that if you haven't been to Istanbul it should definitely be on your list of places to visit. I was there for 3 days but I could have easily spent a week exploring the city. The city is huge but very easy to get around. I stayed in Sultenhament and could easily walk to most of the tourist sights. The city also has a great (and cheap) public transport system- buses, ferries, trams, and trains.

I typically take after my father and plan my trips but in Istanbul I enjoyed wandering aimlessly and visiting various sites whenever the mood struck. The two largest sites in Instanbul sit directly across from each other- the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Both buildings are architectually gorgeous and incredibly crowded. The Blue Mosque is a functioning place of worship and I was amazed with the insensitivity that people showed to those worshiping there. So many people were acting like they were at Disneyland when their were devout Muslims trying to worship. I was appalled at how a lot of women were dressed. Logic should tell people that if they plan on visiting a mosque they shouldn't wear shorts and a tank top. The mosque provides scarves for women to cover their heads but the majority of the scarves are used as skirts and shawls to cover exposed skin.

If that wasn't enough to shock me, I was molested inside the mosque! Just minding my own business, I suddenly felt someone stroking my lower back. Completely shocked, I stood there thinking that there had to be some logical excuse for what was happening. I must look exactly like someone's girlfriend. I turned around and found a grinning Turkish boy behind me. In an attempt to be diplomatic (as a Foreign Service wanna-be should be) I just gave him a dirty look and moved away. For those who have seen my dirty looks, you know that should have been enough to dissuade this kid. It wasn't. He followed me and starting touching me again. Regretfully, I resulted to physical violence. Okay, not regretfully- I rather enjoyed it. I elbowed the kid in the gut and yelled at him. A little old Turkish lady saw what was happening and she proceeded to shame the kid and his friend into leaving. One of my friends reminded me that this is not the first time I've lured a man away from Allah. This summer I passed a man praying in the street, and he was so intrigued by me he proceeded to stare at me while continuing his prayers. I'm quite sure he will go to hell for that.

The most amusing this about Istanbul was the unbelievable number of street vendors selling spirographs. They were everywhere! I felt like I had been transported back to the 80's.

This is the only thing I found amusing about the street vendors. They were quite aggressive and bothersome. There were also a large number of young men wandering around telling young women that they were looking for someone to 'practice their English with.' Right. At one point I decided to pretend that I only spoke Arabic. Sadly, the guy I tried it on also spoke Arabic. On the next guy I tried Spanish but he spoke better Spanish than me (not a hard thing to do). I finally attempted Polish and that stumped them. Of course, with each Arabic word I've learned, I've forgotten a Polish word. That meant I was just stringing random words together. Luckily, they didn't know that.

If you ever make it to Istanbul don't be fooled by the descriptions of the Spice Market. I was expecting an old-fashioned souq filled with spices and food. I got a handful of spice stalls mixed in with a lot of non-traditional stalls. Toys painted with lead-based paint, black market Viagra & other performance enhancers, and boot-leg apparel. Enteraining, yes. Just not what I was expecting. Sadly, I never made it to the Grand Bazaar because it was closed when I was there. Whoever thought it was a good idea to close a major tourist attraction during a Muslim holiday weekend should be fired.

Well this blog post has proven to be just as random as my trip to Istanbul.

Aanjar & Baalbeck

While in Beirut I took a day trip to the Bekaa Valley. The Bekaa is best known for being the headquarters of Hezbollah and cannabis farming, but it's also full of interesting historical sites. My first stop was Aanjar where you can explore the ruins of an Umayyad city. The Umayyads were the first hereditary dynasty of Islam and ruled from 660-750 AD. The population of Aanjar is predominanty Aremenian. The town was founded by Armenian refugees who fled Turkey during the 1915 genocide.

After exploring the ruins in Aanjar I headed to Baalbek. The town is the administrative headquarters for Hezbollah. While there are Hezbollah flags flying, there are certainly no masked militia men. I was offered a souviner Hezbollah t-shirt. While that would be just about the best souviner ever, I didn't buy it because I figured it could mess up my security clearance when I apply with the State Department. The site was originally Phoenician and was settled in the 3rd millennium BC. In 64 BC the site was made part of the Roman Empire and it became a large city. The ruins are extensive and extremely well preserved. Incredibly impressive considering the age of the ruins and the number of wars that have happened in the area.

After Baalbeck our tour group went to Zahle for lunch. Zahle is the largest Christian (Catholic) city in Lebanon. We ate at a beautiful restaurant set back in a gorge. The majority of the restaurant is outdoors with tables mixed among gardens and fountains. The Birdawni River also runs through the middle of the restaurant. We had a delicious Lebanese lunch and headed to our last stop- the Ksara Winery. I won't say much about it because the wine wasn't very good. What makes the winery interesting is that their wine is stored in caves that have the perfect temperature and humidity for storage.

Beirut

I recently had a break from school and had the opportunity to do some traveling in the region. My first stop was Beirut. Beirut is a lovely city and very un-Middle Eastern. I would describe it as a mixture of western Europe and Miami. They've done an impressive job of re-building the city after the civil war, but there are still signs of the war- some of them left intentionally so that the people won't forget what happened.

I spent most of my time walking around the city and eating at great restaurants. The city is fairly easy to get around by foot, with the exception of the fact that they don't have street signs. Beirut drivers are also quite frightening. The city has created the illusion of being pedestrian friendly with sidewalks and walk signs (unlike Amman). I learned fairly quickly that red lights mean nothing to drivers in Beirut. Not just the occasional running as the light changes; the light could have been red for a minute and people will still run it. Needless to say, I had some near-death experiences until I figured this out. I would very much prefer that they remove the walk signs so that pedestrians know that they never have the right-of-way.

Beirut lies on the Mediterranean Sea and has a beautiful pederstrian promanade. Walking along the promonade is a great way to see a wide cross-section of Beirut society. Lebanese women showing off their newly purchased breasts, men laying out on the rocks along the coast, college students, and traditional Muslim families. Beirut was not a good place for me to practice my Arabic. I heard more English and French than Arabic while I was there.

The Dead Sea & Petra

I apologize for my lack of blogging but life is quite boring when you’re in an intensive language program. I have managed to take two trips over the past few weeks.

The first trip was to the Dead Sea- the lowest place on earth. As we all know, you can float in the Dead Sea because of the high salinity. What you may not know is that your skin will not wrinkle in the Dead Sea- it’s quite amazing. Other than that, there’s not much to say about our trip. It’s relaxing, salty, and hot. We stayed at a nice resort and had a lovely time.

Our second trip was to Petra. Petra is one of the New Wonders of the World and it’s absolutely beautiful. It is a massive city built by the Nabataeans more than 2000 years ago. To enter the city you walk through a narrow canyon with huge rock walls.

What truly adds to the experience is the strange encounters with Bedouins. Sexual harassment is notorious in the Middle East but Jordan has fewer problems than most countries. In Amman we just get a lot of stares and the occasional comment. The harassment in the desert is significantly increased. Men will follow you, make overtly sexual comments, and offer free services in exchange for sex. We even heard some extremely obscene comments from young children- it was quite disturbing.

A lot of movies have been filmed at Petra so you might recognize it from Indiana Jones, Arabian Nights, or Transformers.

The Treasury





On a another note- I’ve decided to stay in Jordan until December. As I’m sure you can imagine, Arabic is extremely difficult so I’m going to increase my proficiency by staying another semester (Insha’Allah- God willing).

Ajloun Castle & Amman

Here’s a recap of a couple trips we’ve taken. Our first week here the school took us on a trip to Ajloun Castle in northern Jordan. The castle was built in the 12^th century as protection against Crusader attacks. We had a very knowledgeable tour guide who is an archeologist that has worked on the excavation of the castle.

The trip to the castle took us through rural Jordan. North of Amman there are hills filled with filled with olive trees. Ajloun sits on a mountain (Qalaat al Rabad). On a clear day there are views of the Dead Sea, the Jordan valley, and Lake Tiberias (the Sea of Galilee). Unfortunately, there was too much haze on the day that we were there for a clear view.

A few days later my roommates and I went to downtown Amman. Downtown is much older than the neighborhood we live in so it feels like another city. Sitting on top of a hill are the Roman ruins of the Citadel. The ruins are quite extensive with tons of little rooms to explore. Early Neolithic pottery has been found at the Citadel, making Amman one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited places.

A short walk down the hill you can see the ruins of a Roman Amphitheater. Known as the Odeon, it was built in the 2^nd century for musical performances. The acoustics are supposed to be so good that someone standing at the top of the amphitheater can hear another person whispering at the bottom.  We did not try this- probably because we were so concerned with getting down without killing ourselves. The steps are extremely steep so coming down from the top is a bit worrisome.