Sharm al-Shit

Also known as Sharm al-Sheik. I spent (ie "wasted") the day there yesterday and can see why the terrorists blew it up just this past July. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4709491.stm

The beach town is dripping with excess that is incomprehensible to believe. First of all, there is grass everywhere. Grass? In the desert! Huge name-brand luxury resorts with private beaches. I couldn't even walk through the lobby of most. My 5 pound taxi ride here in Dahab cost me 20 Egyptian pounds down there. When I priced diving, it was squarely DOUBLE the prices just 2 hours up the road. You're kidding? As I strolled along the boardwalk I noticed the place was full of overweight Europeans and Israelis on holiday. It reminded me a lot of Beverly Hills and West Palm Beach. Places I have enjoyed traveling to, but here in Egypt...I dunno. Maybe it's my current travel mindset. Maybe it's because I'm living out of a backpack and not an expense account. But walking around that place just didn't feel right.

I took a 2 hour bus down to Sharm yesterday, 2 cabs, a shuttle, overpriced lunch, lots of walking, talking and surveying...and then headed straight back on the night bus to Dahab unsatisfied, but considerably more comfortable.

Saad - Pronounced: "Sod"

That is the name of the guy that I met in Amman Jordan. He just happened to pass by me on the sidewalk and said "Bonjour" and then "Hello" and we started chatting. One of those had to work, right? It seems later that this is his modus operandi. He invites me along to an Iraqi coffee house. As he seems harmless and I don't have anything better to do, I go with him for tea. Frankly, the thought of returning to my poorly chosen, Japanese-dominated guesthouse was quite unappealing.

We chat away over a sheesha about the topics of life, war and religion. Mostly religion. He teaches me how to play backgammon (which I have since used countless times in the middle east). Then goes into a ten minutes discussion on how the game of backgammon relates to life. Wonderful analogies that I will have to save for you all over a game of the same name. Of course I pay for tea and sheesha since I've just acquired a new skill and outlook on the middle east.

I spend the evening and next with Saad and it seems he doesn't have an ordinary job. When I ask him what he does his reply is: "Take Italian tourists' money." I quickly learn that Saad is a very smart man who works very hard to avoid work. He lived 10 years in Italy and speaks 5 languages (I saw him use four fluently). And his deal is that he walks around Amman, Jordan and talks to foreigners. Helps them find cheap clothes, bus routes, hidden tourist areas, nicer accommodations for less cost. He is the man about town. From this he gets kickbacks around town, gifts from those he helps, and occasional meals from the less monetarily endowed such as myself. It was magic to watch him work over two nights. My only thought was how much reward he could get if he only used his talents a little entrepreneurially - he certainly had the creativity part licked.

One of the best things Saad showed me was a new twist on the value of a dollar. He said "The value of a dollar is all perception. It's really just paper. The dollar in my hand is worth more than the dollar in your pocket." I balked at first and then he asked me what I paid for my water. How much my taxi cost and to remember how he showed me where to buy a meal for two that cost the same as my usual meal for one. Interesting, eh?

Cough Cough

I now know what it was like to fly back in the 1970's. This week, I took a 7 hour bus from Amman to the Egyptian boarder. It was totally retro colored with orange and brown interior and ceiling. As soon as I entered I was wondering what that stink was...and I soon found out. As the airconditioning pumped up...so did the cigarette smoking. Trapped in a tube with 1/2 the cabin smoking is no way to travel! BLAH!

Exciting

Again, my mom & dad aren't going to like this but I am actually in the town of Aqaba, Jordan today and the rocket attack on the USS Ashland happened here yesterday! That explains all the camouflage around.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4165190.stm

Glitch in the Matrix

So I'm walking down the street yesterday in downtown Amman, Jordan and parked on the side of the road is a Cadillac Escalade with Florida license plates! WTF?! It stopped me dead in my tracks...someone almost walked right into the back of me as I stared with my mouth open.

Satisfaction

Anybody that has traveled with me over the past 7 months knows that the one thing I have been craving is a turkey sandwich with mayo, real lettuce and tomatoes. Today my prayers were answered in the form of Quiznos in a small port town in Jordan of all places. Yeah...happy tummy!

Cash Karma

I moved to the capital city of Jordan, Amman, and I have been ridiculously undercharged all day! OK, Petra is a tourist town so I expected a little fleecing. But, I bought a water here and it was 1/4 the cost of Petra. Then, I bought a shawerma sandwich and soda. Again, about 1/3 what I was expecting. Did they forget the soda? The cab ride from the bus station all the way across town - this time the same price as a 5 minute ride back to my hotel yesterday. The kicker of the day came from the bus ride itself. I already know the price is 3 Dinar ($4.50). We get almost to the city and as he taps my shoulder I hand him a 5JD. This guy has the nerve to say "6 Dinar, 3 and 3" signaling at my bag on the seat next to me. What! I asked the driver to put it under the bus and he told me to bring it inside, plus they never filled up. As I explain all this and he gives me the look like he doesn't speak English - he says "4" and I give him the stink-eye and say "whatever, give me 1 back." He collects some more money for a while and then shoves 7JD in my hand and walks back to the front. Are you following so far? He just paid me 2JD to ride his bus for 4 hours! I sit there dumbstruck with the money in my hand. Thinking to myself - if I keep this money, there could be bad karmic consequences. Something I've been trying very hard to avoid lately. In the end I decided that it was his bad karma - from trying to rip me off - that resulted in his giving the wrong change. I keep the money and vow to pass it on to someone more worthy than either him or myself. And I did just that. Story to follow tomorrow!

Beads Plant the Seeds for Good Deeds

Religion, whether I want it or not is all around me. The best approach I've found is to observe worshipers in action, take it all in, and try to find common ground. One thing I've noticed accross faiths is the use of prayer beads. Ordinary men and women walking the street stroking a string of beads between their fingers. They come in many names (Buddha beads, Rosary beads, and now I've seen a Muslim version but can't get an official name) but all have the same purpose. Transfix the mind, keep your fingers busy (because idle hands are the devils playground), and bring one closer to God by always keeping him in your thoughts. Seriously, with all the commonalities I keep uncovering. What's everybody fighting about?

For the curious: I'm in Jordan this week. Visiting the city of Amman and the ruins of Petra along with a few lesser known acheological sites.

Perspective

Yesterday I went into a Palestinian refuge camp in the West Bank. (My mother probably just wet herself reading that). The camp is surrounded (against UN regulations) by a 30 foot high solid concrete security wall. As you can imagine spray paint abounds and the message isn't one of peace and love. Inside the camp I had an experience quite different than what I expected.

For reference lets recap what we in the Western world know about the Palestinians.
1. They are an Arab people without a country (The world as yet does not recognize Palestine)
2. Their charismatic leader - Yasser Arafat - recently died creating an internal power struggle
3. They will stop at nothing to remove Israel and don't want coexistent peace
4. They are all known terrorists, rock throwers and/or potential suicide bombers
OK, so the last one isn't true but you wouldn't know it being exposed to "fair and balanced Western journalism."

So the camp isn't what you think. It is actually a small city, with concrete buildings, vehicles and shops. Inside the walls we meet a young man named Muhammad who wishes to show us around. His English isn't the best so we go to his friends house and are all promptly invited in, to sit and drink some cool water. After a quick tour of the camp and some chatting we learn about life on the inside. Unemployment is high, maybe 40-50%. People can travel outside the country to Jordan but not cross the boarder into any parts of Israel. Being trapped in the camp creates little economic opportunity for these people. We travel to man's house on the edge of the city...or what's left of it. It was destroyed by the Israeli Defense Force. Punishment for his sons being involved in subversive activities. All three of his sons (the youngest 13) are jailed. He cannot visit them, does not know their release date, and Israel will not let him rebuild. He currently lives with his wife, sons' wives and grandkids in a 2 story livestock farm. One story is clean for living the other for animals. He also invites us into his home and we chat over rounds of Arabic coffee, Arabic tea and sheep's milk. (The tea was great, milk no so swell). On the way to a learning center for children at the camp I breeze into a shop for an apple. I greet the keeper with the Arabic hello - "marhaban" and he smiles broadly. When I try to pay for the apple he puts the money back in my hand, packages the apple in a bag and thanks me for visiting! What generosity from someone scraping so hard to make a living. That is a moment in my life I will never forget.

So after a few hours, lots of conversations, handshakes all around and many smiles I come away with another side to the story. These people don't have money, freedoms, journalists, or a nation. But what they do have is a lot of heart and a desire to be recognized and respected.

Quote Time

"Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm" - Sir Winston Churchill

Related to me by a new friend - Scottish Andy - that I've been traveling with this week. He carries the quote in his wallet and uses it whenever appropriate. I went through a rough patch earlier in the week and this quote helped me get through it.

Religious Roulette

Jerusalem. The most holy city in the world. The three great monotheistic religions - representing half the worlds population - all fighting tooth and nail for this tiny piece of real estate. It's a delicate balance with bells, prayers, processions, gatherings and demonstrations of all sorts taking place simultaneously within the walls of the old city. There is something alive here. You can feel it tickle the skin and hum in the ears. It is impossible to put into words the feelings this city evokes. Now that I am here, I couldn't imagine life without experiencing this. Of all the landmarks on my travels. This is the one place (so far) that I think everyone should see before they die. Seriously, book a trip for next year before some worldly event makes this place inaccessible. Because the thing that makes this place so special is the turmoil. It's the tension in the air. If any one faith does manage to reconquer Jerusalem - I believe the magic will be lost.

Pistols and Pony Tails

I have to say: there is nothing sexier than a nubile young woman holding an assault rifle. These nice ladies are everywhere. Guarding bus stations, checkpoints, strategic monuments and street corners. What a sight. If you have never locked eyes with a cute girl in combat fatigues wielding a weapon and a purse, I highly recommend it.

Israel has had conscription into the Israel Defense Force since its independence in 1948. All Jewish Israeli citizens over the age of 18 are supposed to serve in the IDF. Men serve for 3 years, women for 21 months.

I Need a J. O. B.

Welcome back to the West. Technically I'm in the Middle East but with overhead showers, people ignoring you, fatty foods, and most definitely the expense - it feels like home! OK, so everyone speaks an alien tongue and it will never be home, but hey at least they all look like me. Yes, I've been mistaken for an Israelite on average about twice an hour. People hand me flyers, ask me for directions, probably curse at me...all in Hebrew. My favorite quote here is: "OH! You speak English!" Yes, I'm not Israeli. Now I understand why it kept happening to me in Thailand and Laos.

Last night I went out to see DJ Paul Van Dyk at a club called Omen 17 (yes Lora, I know you're jealous). I got there at midnight and the place was empty. By 1am, there wasn't a square meter of dancefloor left. I have no idea how they ushered in 5,000 people inside an hour. The club was sick; 2 rooms, an outdoor chill area with grass; multiple levels in the main room with a huge balcony wrapping 3 sides. Of course it cost me 160 Shekels to get in! And each drink was 39 shekel. I'll save you the math: I ended up spending over $100 US for the night. It was an unforgettable evening and I may never be in Tel Aviv again, but considering I just spent $10 on my KFC meal: I'm going to have to either leave pronto or find suitable employment. I'm certainly not ready for that!

I'm not sure what time that club closed. I tried to ask a couple people, but nobody seemed to know and even less seemed to care. I left at 6am and it was still quite full. It's a good thing those kids are born with a natural tan!

Resistance

This morning I landed in Tel Aviv, Israel. As expected I was met with a barrage of questions. What is your purpose here? Where have you come from? Is this your first time to Israel? Where are you traveling to? Do you have a return ticket? Why don't you have a return ticket? What did you do in Malaysia? How long have you been traveling? When and where did you start? What did you do in Egypt? How long were you in the United Arab Emerites? What kind of work do you do? How are you able to get so much time off? Do you have any friends or family in Israel? Where are you staying in Tel Aviv? Why did you pick this place? Do you have a guidebook? Can I see it? OK, enjoy your stay. And that was BEFORE I got to passport control. I got a usual requestioning there and got pulled aside by security personelle again after passport control with another round of the above quiz. WOW! This is my welcome to the holy land. Not to mention the throngs of soldiers in the airport with US made automatic weapons. And the UN security force that is staying in my hostel. One thing is for sure: It's going to be interesting.

Tale of Two Cities

I have been in Bangkok two times now, for a total duration of about twelve days. Up to yesterday, it was indeed a cesspool of a SE Asian city. In many ways, that's its allure. However, I took a trip down to Embassy lane on Tuesday and reaffirmed what I have seen in many a city. It is not only the dichotomy of rich and poor but the experience you will take away from your visit. Most of us out here are traveling under the guidance of the Lonely Planet guidebooks. They proffer cheap accommodations, tasty eats and transportation tips. Their most useful features are the history of certain monuments and the known scams you will encounter in each place. The downside of these books is that they put travelers squarely into what we have affectionately dubbed "the tourist ghetto." When an influx of naive foreigners with thick wallets are all congregated together by the lure of cheap guesthouses...clearly trouble will result. The bus service booked through the guesthouse traps you 40 minutes out of town at their sisters restaurants. The tuk-tuk drivers are all in cahoots at price-fixing around the ghetto so you have walk 10 minutes to get a fair deal or a fare taxi. Fortune tellers, crappy-goods hawkers, prostitutes, street beggars, and grubby children run rampant. And you get the feeling that all anyone wants is your money.

If you were however to come into the city on business. You had to meet a foreign consulate, or simply booked ahead into a deluxe hotel name you recognized from home...you would have quite a different experience. I recommend anyone to visit their national embassy in every major city. I'm guessing if it's a western country, they have some pretty nice real estate. I went to the US Embassy to get some more pages sewn into my passport. (Yes, I'm secretly proud that I ran out of pages) Over there is a whole "other Bangkok." People in suits, clean streets, no beggars, luxury buildings, designer stores and beautiful overhead walkways to get people off the smelly streets. It could have been a modern Los Angeles. The feel was totally different. I have to admit that I liked it better. Who doesn't like nice things? I am just glad that I finally got to experience both sides of Bangkok. It mirrored exactly what I've seen in Jakarta, Manila, Saigon, and to a lesser extent Singapore. The experience you take away is all in where you look.

Dreadlooks

I have seen a few of the most beautiful girls this week with their hair fucked-up by dreadlocks. Fine, dreadlocks look badass on black people. It proves a commitment to something and black hair is coarse so it is something quite stylish to do with that type of hair. But on a blond coiffed, blue eye someone...I just don't get it. What I really want to see is one of these poor girls when they have to shave their head to start over. Now that's beauty!