Traveling to Israel can be a real eye-opening experience. Many people who visit the country for the first time are surprised by how modern it is and how much it has to offer the globe trotter. The country is not big, but it is packed with historical and religious sites as well as great places for quality R&R. Israel has a rich history that dates back over 3000 years. Throughout the country there are remnants of past empires such as the … [Read more...]
Layers of History, Jerusalem
We spent several days here exploring as there is something significant to see around seemingly every step; today was entirely spent in the confines of the walled old city. Tensions felt high at times as there were some recent isolated incidents of violence - enough to plummet tourism 70% in the last few weeks according to one shop owner we talked with. As a corollary to this, lines that would normally form around major attractions were completely … [Read more...]
Exploring Tel Aviv, Israel
After a packed 10 days in Qatar and Bahrain I flew over to Israel to meet my brother who was flying in from Italy where he lives. I was initially concerned about coming from Arabic countries straight away to Israel and also receiving an Israeli stamp. In actuality Israel no longer seems to stamp passports, rather they give you a printed ID card which they check when you leave the country. After 10 minutes of solid grilling with random questions, … [Read more...]
Bedtime Prayers – The Pilgrim’s Guide to Hotels in Jerusalem
Jerusalem is a vibrant modern city full of cultural events, restaurants, and a rich nightlife. But it is first and foremost a spiritual center of the Jewish people. Jews from all over the world come to Jerusalem. They take part in pilgrimages to holy sites, such as the Western Wall and Temple Mount. Often, they also celebrate bar and bat mitzvahs (coming of age ceremonies), weddings, and Jewish holidays in their ancestral homeland. Because … [Read more...]
Time to Fall for Niagara
Niagara Falls is one of the great natural spectacles that everyone should have on their bucket list. This dramatic set of waterfalls has long since been a hotspot for honeymooning holidaymakers from across the globe, but the LGBT community are catching on fast. Despite not having a designated gay area in any of the three major towns surrounding the Falls (Niagara Falls, Niagara-on-the-Lake and St Catharines), there is plenty to see and do here, … [Read more...]
Palau Celebrates the Globe’s Ten Best Places to Swim
(Palau, Micronesia --- July 8, 2014) There are many idyllic swimming destinations in the world, but Palau’s Jellyfish Lake ranks high as one of the most unusual. According to social media manager Jessie Cahill, “Because of the overwhelming intrigue in Jellyfish Lake and the many positive comments we receive from visitors, we decided to post a survey on the Visit Palau Facebook page to formulate a list of what our fans believe to be the Top … [Read more...]
Dispatch: Atom Ant Japanese Houseguest
John M. Edwards receives a strange visitor from the Nipponese “Land of the Rising Sun,” who is, of course, despite a strong yen, ultimately a freeloader. In Westfield, New Jersey, United States, North American Continent, at my apt upstairs from the now-long-gone Tullio’s Hair Salon (which daily pumped up the odoriferous air of Free Heat, Aqua Velva, and Brill Cream), I received a visitor from not another planet exactly but instead from a way … [Read more...]
Lariam Dreams: Malaria or Madness?
John M. Edwards wonders whether taking the world’s strongest antimalarial drug might be worse than getting the dread eldritch disease itself? “I dared to dream with my eyes wide open. . . .” --T.E. Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom In Nairobi, Kenya, a man from Philadelphia loses it and leaps from a hotel’s second-story window. . . . He is now a paraplegic. At a Waldenbooks store, an ex Peace Corps worker goes … [Read more...]
Stork Storm over Santiago de Compostela
Airmail from Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain) An American backpacker travels the 500-mile Christian pilgrimage route of “El Camino de Santiago de Compostela” (St. James Way)—only to end up surviving an aggro divebombing storm of storks! “Oh, look, the birds are so fonny!” said an olive-eyed senorita, a groovy Gallego art student with an auburn cloak from a nearby university. I didn’t agree. After all, birds are descended from the … [Read more...]
Israel: The Royal Tour
Israel: The Royal Tour, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and CBS Travel Editor Peter Greenberg, Premieres on Public Television Thursday, March 6, 2014 (check local listings) One-hour special offers unprecedented look at Israel through the eyes of its prime minister. (February 25, 2014) – A historic television event is coming to public television stations next month with the premiere of Israel: The Royal Tour. The … [Read more...]
