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Egypt Middle East 2011/12

Dear Egypt: You Ruined Luxor For Me

You know how you can kind of hate a place that everyone just loves? A place whose historical significance and grandiose sights makes it a “must see” on everyone’s itineraries? A place that you feel guilty not liking? Luxor, Egypt is such a place for me. Home to the ancient Egyptian capital of Thebes, Luxor […]

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Egypt Middle East 2011/12 Photos

Photo Essay: Coptic Cairo’s Unique “Hanging Church”

Cairo’s an incredible city. It’s a fascinating breed of sheer chaos. I mean, how many places can you go where you can openly buy a Taser right on the street? Aside from experiencing the energy of the metropolis (and visiting the Great Pyramids of Giza), I had no plans when I arrived there. After all, […]

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Crazy Road Trips Egypt Middle East 2011/12 Travel Stories

Scammed at the Pyramids of Giza: How You Can Avoid Being Bamboozled!

Cairo traffic is surreal. It seems to be the one place in Egypt where the maniacal drivers that roam the roads of this fine country grind to a screeching halt, as the traffic creeps along at snail’s pace. It was with this knowledge that I, and my band of North American misfits that I had […]

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Holidays Israel Middle East 2011/12 Travel Stories Videos

Hanukkah in Jerusalem’s Old City (VIDEO)

Hanukkah (or Chanukah, depending on which transliteration you go for) is a pretty exciting time in Israel. The candles, the cheer, the doughnuts… Yes, the doughnuts, a special Hanukkah treat that Israelis are down right obsessed with. See, I went to Israel expecting to find that Israelis ate latkes as a Hanukkah treat like their […]

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Israel Middle East 2011/12

Conquering Sunrise at Masada

It was 4:30am when my alarm went off, as I wandered out into the darkness. An Ibex appeared in silhouette, perching itself on a nearby hill, watching as we rubbed our eyes on the way to grab lukewarm coffee and some stale pastries. In the distance, the moon reflected brightly off the shimmering waters of […]

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Israel Middle East 2011/12

Approaching Religious History in Tzfat

There’s something about traveling in the “Holy Land” that I’ve come to learn. There are so many influential sites crammed into tiny areas that it can start to become a bit overwhelming. And it can start to perhaps make you a little jaded. “Oh this happened here? Okay…” was the mentality I ended up with […]

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Israel Middle East 2011/12

Discovering History in Old Akko (Acre)

Imagine you’ve just spent 17 hours traveling to an unusual place. A place that is steeped in history. You know all about this history but so far have only seen an ultramodern airport and a nice beachside hotel. You’re in a bus, driving up Israel’s Mediterranean coast and the suddenly, BAM! History hits you right […]