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Archive for the ‘Middle East’ category

Syria: In and Around Damascus

April 24th, 2008

This Article originally appeared in MSN UK Travel (link), different photos included here.

Market in Damascus

Given political tensions with Syria and much of the west, I was not quite sure what to expect on travelling through the country. The situation increases in sensitivity with the small detail that I am American. The media would have me believe that on such a passport I would be kidnapped or worse. The experience has left me reeling in shock and not for the reasons one would expect.

There are two ends of the spectrum for hosts to tourists – those who want to use and abuse their guests, and those who welcome them with open, and generous, arms. Some countries have more of one than the other, usually landing somewhere in between. Syria is most definitely the latter. Syrians are some of the friendliest, most welcoming people I have ever had the pleasure to meet. No where else in the world have I had strangers buy me a soda or hand over an ice cream cone in a shop for no reason other than that I had walked in. Nothing was expected in return; it was genuine hospitality of a kind you just don’t see anywhere else.

If that is not reason enough to visit, the city of Damascus itself should be a sufficient draw. Host to about 2 million people, it is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Written records date back as early as 6000 or 5000 BC. The narrow streets in Old Town wind through markets whispering of another age.

Central square of Old Town, Damascus

It is now considered one of the World Monument Fund’s 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world due to redevelopments coming after much of the town fell into disrepair as people moved to the more modern outskirts of the city. Today, coffee shops abound with men puffing on their Arghilehs (water pipes) while watching people wander by. The apple and vanilla scented smoke floats through town and mixes with smells of lamb and falafel kebabs roasting on street corners. Shopping in the souks in this environment is pleasant and rewarding, if not just for people-watching.

A surprising twist for outdoorsy types is that there is a considerable amount of rock climbing within easy reach of the city. Jürg Neidhardt and Mattias Braun, two European expats now living in Syria, have put up over 140 bolted routes on cliffs high in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains an hour or two out of the city. We could even see snow from the crag, which was so close to the Lebanese border that friction with the Syrian military is actually expected while climbing in the area. We were lucky enough not to run into any issues. The climbing was enjoyable, and given that it is the main focus of the Hot Rock expedition, we stayed on in the area for eight days and explored the city during rest days in between climbs.

Climbing in Syria

For visitors to Syria, there are two must-see destinations within a few hundred kilometers of Damascus. Palmyra, a city of ancient roman ruins that rivals sites in Egypt, and Krak des Chevaliers, a castle that was used for more than a thousand years.

BiRT amidst the ruins of Palmyra

Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage site 245km from Damascus. Estimated at 4000 years old and located on an oasis at a strategic junction of trade routes between Rome and Persia, it became an important trading town and as such was given special treatment when the Roman Empire swallowed the area. Today, the site contains hundreds of pillars, an amphitheatre, and various tombs. Various lads on camels are available to show the more weary tourists about. It is surprising there are not more visitors to the area, or more restrictions on where they could go. The site is free of charge, save for one or two buildings, and travellers are allowed to walk wherever they like.

Krak des Chevaliers is far more interesting for those who enjoy games such as hide and seek. Farther afield, near the city of Homs, it was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during the crusades.

Krak des Chevaliers castle

Think Monty Python, complete with dark and dank secret passageways… it really gets the imagination going. The earliest registered record of the castle dates back to 1031 and it was used up until as recently as the late 1800’s. Again there were seemingly no restrictions on where we could go. It would be a great place to visit with children. The surrounding area is surprisingly green, looking more like French or Italian countryside than anything you would imagine in the Middle East.

Between the history and hospitality, Syria is a fantastic place to visit. It is surprising that more tourists do not visit the country. Then again, perhaps that is why it is so special.

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Tags: BiRT climbing Damascus hot rock Krak des Chevaliers msn Palmyra ruins Syria

Doing the Dead Sea, the Wrong Way

April 15th, 2008

This article originally appeared on MSN UK Travel (link)

Floating in the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea, located on the border between Jordan and Israel, is a body of water that used to be connected to the Mediterranean but is now a rapidly shrinking hypersaline lake. It is the world’s largest of its kind at 330m deep, 67km long, and up to 18km wide. It is fed by oasis and the Jordan River, but evaporation and a local phosphorus plant are contributing to a reduction of about 5m per year in depth. It is also at the lowest point on land in the world at 418m below sea level. The salt content is extremely high at about 30%, which is 6-8 times higher than average ocean water. The result: people float like corks. It is very amusing to walk in and let your feet involuntarily float to the surface, completely sticking out of the water.

Getting harassed in the Dead Sea

All along the lake are private beach areas where visitors can pay to enjoy a park-like atmosphere with pools, showers, and eating areas to enjoy along with the lake itself. The budget option is to stop off at a public beach, which also happens to be chock full of hyper-testosterone men and boys. This is one instance where I definitely recommend going with the more expensive option, but only if you have women in your group. The Hot Rock expedition contains five females, two of which are blonde and, dare I say, quite attractive. This caused quite a scene en route to and in the water, even though everyone entered fully clothed. Teenage boys were floating by and playing “touch her bum.” It wasn’t until I went after one and slapped him, to the great amusement of his friends and his utter embarrassment, that they finally relented. Later we had stones thrown at us. To put it mildly, it was not a pleasant experience.

That night in Amman, Jordan’s capital city, we overheard people talking about the Dead Sea marathon being the next day. It seemed like a great idea to run the 10k portion of the race in our full rock climbing getup. This might be because we had just consumed several beers. Whatever the reason, the next day we found ourselves struggling to emerge from bed after one hour of sleep, still feeling the effects of the previous night’s boozing, and donning fancy dress for a healthy morning run. In this fashion, and by fashion I mean haute couture, we descended onto the pavements of Amman and set about our quest to find the marathon. Of course, we had nothing more than the word “Marathon” to go by, but how hard could it be?

Asking the police for directions

Oddly, no one seemed to know where it was and unfortunately none of us speak Arabic to explain our quest. Marathon seemed to be a word that people understood well enough, but our first taxi thought we just wanted to go running and dropped us off at the massive sports complex in the centre of Amman. No tents, no crowds, no marathon – just a track for our bemusement. (My guess is he just wanted us out of the cab as quickly as possible). We inquired for help from some armed guards, policemen, and random volleyball players all of whom held back their laughs as they regarded us with fearful curiosity. Finally, we ended up in another taxi for what we thought would be a 10 minute drive. An hour later, we descended onto the Dead Sea and finally saw some people running.

Hitch hiking in climbing gear

Our eagerness got the best of us and we immediately jumped out of the cab. Unfortunately, this was at kilometer 33. There was no way we were going to be running 33km in the heat with our climbing gear. We jogged along for about 2km and decided to hitchhike to the 10km point in the race. A random truck full of crates picked us up and deposited us at kilometer 9 from which we ran, gear clanging, to the end of the race. No one, absolutely no one, was dressed in fancy dress. Many women were running in full length trousers with long-sleeved tops underneath their race shirts, topped off with a head scarf. Running a marathon seems hard enough, but add to that the heat of the Dead Sea and a winter wardrobe and I am amazed they were able to finish without undergoing heat stroke.

The female champion of the Dead Sea Marathon

The Dead Sea Marathon would be an excellent choice for a first timer. While it is very hot, the run is mostly downhill. The best part, however, is that the end of the marathon is in one of the upscale beach resorts that we had been longing for the previous day. What a magnificent way to end a run! There was a lively party atmosphere with club music and a stage, two pools, and of course the Dead Sea itself. Runners could relax with cold beers and then soak their blistered feet in the healing minerals of the water. There was also quite an interesting mix of people. We met people from all over the world, and were lucky enough to sit at the same table as Nina Kamp of New Jersey who, with a time of 3:34, was the winner of the women’s race. It was certainly a day out to remember.

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Climbing adventures in Wadi Rum, Jordan

April 7th, 2008

The red sands of Wadi Rum

Jordan’s sunny disposition and warmth makes it one of my top recommendations for an alternative break. Easily accessible from Europe, it is surprising there aren’t more visitors to this country. There is something for everyone here – ruins dating back thousands of years, stunning scenery, and numerous activities for the outdoor enthusiast. The famous Bedouin hospitality is as of yet unspoilt; the generosity of local people is astounding even as tourist numbers increase and put a strain on the custom. It is truly a unique location, and now is the perfect time to visit, both in terms of tourism and weather (being spring).

Camils amidst the giant walls of Wadi Rum

I am currently camped in the town of Wadi Rum, which rests quietly within a geological wonder. Sandstone mountains sitting on basalt and granite bedrock rise sharply from a flat sandy valley to heights of 1,700m and above. It is a scale that is difficult to imagine even while standing humbly in their presence. Deep, narrow canyons cleave the hard mountains where wind and water carved passageways over millions of years. Ancient Bedouin paths weave through the canyons and offer walks unmatched in the world. The Jordanian government has recognised this as well, and about 500sq km of the area is now a national park, protected by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN).

Wadi Rum, Jordan

As little as 35 years ago, this growing village was comprised of a sleepy set of Huweitat Bedouin tents. Today it has paved streets, houses, and 1,500 people who all seem to be related in some way. The modern day Bedouin drives a 4×4 pickup truck with (no joke) his camel in the back and uses a cell phone to chat with family members in camps scattered throughout the desert. Even those who now live in houses are still connected to their nomadic roots. Luckily for them, the national governments have respected this heritage. Locals here can cross the nearby border into Saudi Arabia without passports or visas, and their family on the other side can do the same.

For tourists, Wadi Rum is often an intermediary stop, an afterthought, between the famous Petra to the north and beach resort of Aqaba to the south. Many do not quite know what to expect or what to do here on arriving, looking out the coach windows to see camels in back gardens and friendly taxi drivers and guides reclining lazily in the sun. Inevitably, they realise they did not allot enough time for this gem of a location.

Happy Camel

Activities in the area include jeep rides to remote valleys, camel treks in the desert, canyon walks and scrambles, and horseback rides. Bedouin guides can be hired from the local tourist office or taxi stands – everyone is knowledgeable about the area. I highly recommend hiring a guide for the more adventurous scrambles and walks in the area. This is one of the few places left in the world where locals will surprise you by going above and beyond expectations to ensure you have a pleasant stay in their area. Tea is always on offer, and one friendly taxi driver even invited our group of 15 to his house for dinner. People have welcomed our grimy, dusty group with open arms. It is unfortunate that I cannot do justice to the concept of Bedouin hospitality. It is genuine, honest, and by far the most generous I have ever encountered.

Hot Rock Camp

The Hot Rock group spent 10 days climbing and exploring in Rum. The rock climbing is spectacular, with “short” routes at 4-5 pitches long and the longer climbs upwards of 11 pitches and 700m. Aside from three days of desert bush camping in Barrah Canyon, we pitched our tents at the “Rest House,” a sandy lot on the north end of town complete with restaurant, toilets and showers (tel. +962 032018867). What more could a girl ask for? It is a comfortable camp, the only minor annoyances being tourist busses who park in the neighbouring lot during the day and the occasional loud barking dogs at night. It is in an ideal location for walks and climbs, and also near several shops covering the basics for food. Internet is still not available (for tourists) in Wadi Rum and there are only one or two restaurants, which to me, greatly adds to its appeal.

If you are looking for something different and enjoy the outdoors, I can strongly recommend this area for your next adventure.

This article originally appeared on MSN UK Travel.

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Tags: bedouin bedouin garden village big red truck BiRT camel camping canyon climbing desert hot rock jordan msn wadi rum

Rejoining Hot Rock in Wadi Rum, Jordan

April 6th, 2008

After four months back in the “real” world, I found myself on a snowy Easter Sunday heading to Heathrow again. This time, I moved entirely out of my London flat and all of my stuff is either donated (again) or comfortably nested in two good friends’ storage spaces in London. I will be forever indebted to them. While I do plan on returning to London, things are in limbo regarding timing etc… so best to put everything on hold for a bit.

On my flight from Amman to Aqaba, a girl watched in alarm as I stuffed a ridiculous amount of duty-free loot into the overhead bin and meekly shuffled into my seat. I noticed she had a Mountain Hardware fleece jacket and an outdoorsy-style backpack. We were the only two women on the plane. I knew that another girl was joining Hot Rock in Aqaba, so I decided to take the leap and ask “Are you Hannah?” Her face flashed about five different expressions in the space of two seconds, from “How the heck did you know that?!” to “Whoareyouthisiscreepingmeout!” to to a final understanding of…”ohhhh, must be Hot Rock!” It was hilarious.

Yes, it turned out it was Hannah, joining Hot Rock, and we embarked on a three day wait for the truck. We were so excited for it to arrive that it was all we could talk about. Every time we heard the loud rumble of a diesel truck on the neighbouring road to the hostel, we’d jump up and look to see if it was BiRT, even though we knew there was no way it could have been. We helped pass the time by exploring town a bit and I went on a couple of dives in the Red Sea. Overall, it was a long three days, but BiRT finally did arrive at about 1am on the 27th of March, and we were woken by Hot Rockers banging on our door.

BiRT Arrives

Sunset in Aqaba

From there we travelled to Wadi Rum, a spectacular park in the desert where thousand-metre cliffs tower over a sandy valley. We spent about ten days there, exploring gulleys and canyons and climbing a LOT. After not having climbed for a while, it certainly was a shock to the system (but a good one).

My favourite adventure, however, did not exactly involve climbing per se. It was on our second day, when former Hot Rocker Matt Barratt led us through a very well-hidden route in a canyon. He knew the way, thank goodness, from having gone years earlier with a guide. In fact, looking back I am impressed he remembered as well as he did.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. We scrambled over some very exposed terrain, swam through a chilly bog, and finished with breathtaking abseils. It was definitely an Indiana Jones type of day, and a great introduction to the area. If you ever find yourself in Wadi Rum and you are OK with heights, find a guide (I can recommend Matt, if you can fly him there!) to take you through Kazali (or Khazali) Canyon. It is hands-down the best day hike I have ever done.

Overall, Wadi Rum was absolutely fantastic – I’ll let the pictures do most of the talking. The below are all credited to Duane Kracke.

Kazali Canyon

Red Dunes in Wadi Rum

On a climb in Wadi Rum

Some exposed technical scrambling, Kazali Canyon

More exposed technical scrambling - Kazali Canyon

Even more exposed technical scrambling - Kazali Canyon

Have I mentioned the exposed technical scrambling? Kazali Canyon

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Tags: amman BiRT climbing hot rock jordan kazali canyon khazali canyon wadi rum

Diving and Snorkelling in Aqaba, Jordan

March 27th, 2008

Peaceful beach in Aqaba, Jordan

Jordan lies to the south of Syria, sandwiched between Israel to the west and Saudi Arabia to the east. It has a very small coastline on the southern tip, where the town of Aqaba lies cradled at the northern end of the Red Sea. From its beaches, the observer can see three other countries: Egypt across the water, Israel to the right (west), and Saudi Arabia to the left (east). Strange to think that in 1967 these waters teemed with military craft in a war with Israel (in which Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and Iraq fought against Israel). Since this time, however, both Egypt and Jordan have opened up their borders with the latter and enjoy a fairly peaceful relationship with their neighbour.

How did I get here… I found myself in the snow without a coat on Easter Sunday in London, heading towards Heathrow to board a plane to Amman and then Aqaba, on this southern Jordanian coastline. I had an 8-hour overnight layover in the capitol, Amman which became a mini-adventure. An Iraqi sitting next to me on the plane insisted that the Intercontinental hotel lobby would be more comfortable than an airport transit lounge in which to spend the night. It was. Definitely one of those risky stories I don’t like to tell my parents, though…

The Intercontinental Hotel in Amman

First observations of Jordan: everybody smokes like a chimney, it is dry and hot, and the people are quite friendly. Travelling as a woman here is not so bad – I was expecting much more hassling from men. While there are certainly stares and comments to be had, I would put the badgering on par with or even less than the south of France, Italy, and Spain.

Touristy is not a word that comes to mind in Aqaba. Here you see locals living their daily lives and the occasional traveller who clearly enjoys getting off the beaten path, wandering in and among brightly lit shops in the evening. It is definitely a town with tourist potential, but it seems to be overshadowed by their glitzy Israeli neighbour, Eilat. From the serene waterfront, where couples stroll silently in the evening, you can see hotels seemingly stacked one upon the other and looming over the far-side beach. I tend to prefer the quiet realism and organised chaos of places like Aqaba, so I think I made the right choice, although given a bit of extra time I think it would have been worth crossing the border just to check it out.

Evening street scene in Aqaba

Activities in Aqaba revolve mainly around the water, with diving and snorkeling being the main draw. There are 22 dive sites in the area and most are accessible from the beach. I took a pair of dives with Arab Divers, walking in from the beach and swimming to a gigantic wreck off shore, where a Lebanese ship called “Cedar Pride” was scuttled for divers by King Abdullah 23 years ago. Our next dive was in the “Japanese Gardens,” full of fish and coral as any good diving spot would be – I’d say it was on the plus side of average. I’m sure there are better locations, but it certainly was not bad.

Me and my dive buddies/guides from Arab Divers

Overall, I wouldn’t say Arab Divers are the most professional outfit, but it was a good day out nonetheless. If you are new to diving, I would suggest doing some research on the other 10-15 dive operators, but experienced divers would have no problem with Arab divers.

Doing anything during the heat of the day other than diving or snorkeling is not ideal, even in March at a “comfortable” 30-35 degrees. The town livens up considerably in the evening when things cool off – the kebab stalls fire up and you can find a good cold beer at restaurants such as Ali Baba.

Bedouin Garden Village, Aqaba

I stayed at a budget guesthouse called Bedouin Garden Village in a double ensuite room for about 10 GBP per night. There are also communal tents and camping spots available. The site boasts a small pool and lounging areas, and is situated across the street from a prime snorkeling location, “Japanese Gardens,” (the same as mentioned earlier). Drawbacks included: at 12km it is far from town and requires a taxi or hitching to get into Aqaba proper, the food left something to be desired, and the toilets smelled of urine. Overall, however, it was satisfactory and cheap. Has potential to be much more than it is, though.

At just over a four hour flight away, Jordan is far more accessible as a UK city break than most would think, and it takes you worlds away. As a budget option, it isn’t a bad way to go.

This article originally appeared in MSN UK Travel