tales of wander
religion
Exploring the Old City
We’ve had the pleasure of doing a lot with David’s family while we’ve been here. Last night we celebrated the birthday of his eldest niece, Seri, and the night before David’s sister graciously invited me to attend her 50th birthday party. It was a women’s-only party because dancing was involved and women who are Jewish … Continue reading
Experiencing ‘lots’
I think many travelers know what a treat it is to experience, first hand, how a culture celebrates a holiday—even if it isn’t a holiday that is celebrated by your own religion or home country. As luck would have it, we’ve arrived in Israel just in time for Purim, a colorful Jewish holiday that seems … Continue reading
Shalom from Jerusalem
Here I am, in Israel at last. I’ve wanted to visit this country for years, but the opportunity just never arose. This is a unique trip for me for several reasons. First, I am not doing volunteer work, therefore the trip is shorter than my normal. Second, I actually have a travel companion , and … Continue reading
Four locations in a nutshell
I’ve been so caught up in anecdotal topics that I’ve completely ignored my journal entries on the places and things I’ve seen. You can stop reading now if you’re not into the logistics of cities and sights (I do this part as much to aid my own memory more than anything else). Without further ado, … Continue reading
Finding the divinity in everything
Hindus truly find god in all things. Even their standard greeting, “Namaste,” is a recognition of the inner divinity of both the greeter and the greeted. Today, I got to see how that recognition of divinity sometimes extends to the seemingly mundane. While enduring a very bumpy bus ride from Jodhpur to Ranakpur, we stopped … Continue reading
Jordan in a nutshell
I hate doing these ‘nutshell’ entries because it’s a sure sign that I’ve been too busy to journal. I much prefer a more relaxed pace in which I can write freely when I have the notion. But what’s to be done when there is so much to see in so little time? Without further ado, … Continue reading
The exodus from Cairo to Jordan
We headed to Jordan via the Sinai area again (which is unavoidable unless you are flying or go through Israel). It was good to revisit Mt. Sinai because it gave us an opportunity to see the inside of St. Catherine’s Monastery, which was closed the day we hiked up the mountain. St. Catherine’s is a … Continue reading
Sunrise on Mt. Sinai
While all of you were likely enjoying a turkey feast for Thanksgiving, I ate grilled chicken and kushari in the Sinai. The next morning, we awoke at 1:30am (!) to begin our hike up Mt. Sinai so that we could reach the summit by sunrise. For those who know your bible lore, Mt. Sinai is … Continue reading
Turkey in a nutshell
Krystal eventually did make it to Istanbul, albeit just by the skin of her teeth and much later than expected. She was fortunate to have been on one of only a few flights that were allowed out of London that day. Flying to Istanbul from Athens might have been a breeze for me, but I … Continue reading
Public transportation and high places
Taking public transportation in Europe is a bit like hopping into the clown car at the circus. If you’re even a little claustrophobic (like me) or averse to having any part of your body touch a strange, sweaty person (like me), then each trip on the bus or metro becomes a test of whether you … Continue reading
tales of wander 