Leaving Siwa

Some times it takes leaving an place to realize how beautiful, unique, or special it really is, Siwa Oasis was that kind of place for me.
My last morning is when I realized how great Siwa is, it's not necessarily the most beautiful, not the cleanest, and the accommodation didn't blow me away, the simplicity of life, the relaxed atmosphere and of course the people is what I missed in Siwa before I even left.

I woke early to get together some breakfast before Preston and I set out on our three day jeep caravan across the desert, I had already dialed in where to go for some good food. It was around 6:30am and there were more people than normal stirring about. I wandered down the dusty, sand filled street past a few donkey carts, a couple more passed me as I smiled at the man in the coffee shop, which is where I would be sitting at if I had just one more day.

I walked by a shop keeper who smiled at me as I passed, happy to see I was out and about with the locals. The street turnerd to mud and I tiptoed down the ally shoulder to shoulder with a young kid whom insisted speaking arabic to me, I smiled and nodded both of us knowing dame well I didn't have a clue what he was saying but we both laughed at the lack of communication.


Iron bars hung in the window of a crumbling old building, painted in faded pastels of yellow and blue. In front of the bars were 4 men dressed in robes and head scarves waiting for the same thing me and my young friend came to get, fresh pita. The bread came piping hot out of the oven and one by one the men in front of me scurried away smiling with stacks and stacks of hot bread. I picked up 5 pieces for a whopping 4cents and strolled back down the alley chomping away at my morning snack. The shop keeper who acknowledged me earlier winked and nodded his head in approval as I slowly made my way to my next stop.

The falafel stand selling a roasted eggplant salad with tomato and chillis and of course felafel. The gentleman behind the counter recognized me as this was my third time to his shop and greeted me with Asalaam Alekium (may peace be upon you) and my response Alekium A Salaam (upon you may there be peace). Picked out my falafel and grabbed some eggplant salad and walked back to meet preston with breakfast.

Picking up our case of water we purchased for our desert excursion the man at the coffee shop offered us a free ride to our jeep and we happily declined as it was only 100 yards away. The sleepy town was slowly coming to life as we were passed by more of the popular local transport, 2 wheeled carts pulled by donkeys, the character and charm of this slow moving town was trotting past us as we made our way to the 4x4 that would soon be home for the next few days.

Exiting siwa we cruised through small dirt roads just wide enough for a donkey cart and our 4x4 to fit through, small date trees which can be mistaken for palms lined the road creating a bit of shade in the early morning heat. The jeep picked up speed as we rolled to the edge of town and began to cruised at a steady 45mph. We passed over a large dirt causeway Which split one large salt lake into two. We drove for a few minutes watching the water go from a deeper blue to a shallow tourquise and eventually evaporating into the salt lined desert floor which I would soon be driving through for days. I looked ahead to see what was in front of us and the jeep rolled to a Stop, the road forked, the lakes, dates, and Siwa were all behind me. I glanced down the road to the left to see a narrow stretch of pavment reaching as far as the eye can see. My jeep turned right and as my eyes shifted to the windscreen infront of me, where the view pretty much remained the same and the 7 of us in the jeep sped off into "the great sea of sand."

...we stopped for the night amongst sand and odd shaped rock formations, I look up at the sky and the stars made me remember how small I really am. Stepping away from the camp fire and the glow of the camping light which illuminates the large mat my self and the 5 others will be sleeping on, I stop for a moment and allow my eyes to adjust to the darkness. My shoes are off and I can feel the soft sand between my toes. Preston has already laid out a mat and is on his back taking in the view. On a moonless night by the light of the stars I peer out into the desert to see a a rugged landscape and even more stars creeping up over the horizon. I took my place on the cool sand laying on my back a few feet from Preston enjoying the silence and peace of the desert night. One can get lost in thought out here, lost in imagination, and easily lost marveling over the simple beauty of the desert. The silence was broken by the soft song being sung by our guide in Arabic, I sat up and caught a whiff of the nights dinner being cooked over a wood fire. I took in one last eye full of stars and began to grin because here I was miles from home watching the stars pop over the horizon in the Egyptian desert, life is good. I followed my nose back to the camping mats and looked forward to warm dinner on this cool desert night.

Egypt update

Not many roads comprise this country, it is a huge area with lots of empty land, sand dunes do not roll on as far as the eye can see as i once though, but the desert is large and can be perceived as endless when sitting out in the middle of it on a starry night. The Oasis towns are particularly interesting, some not so pleasant, but remarkable to see where people settled simply because of water and an underground spring. An ancient country with beautiful ruins, museums and history that can keep you busy for years, i enjoyed Egypt and was impressed with how friendly the people remain considering the millions of tourists whom plow through there country each year.



As it has been for thousands of year the Nile river valley provides almost all the land to sustain life and it's this narrow stretch of land that gets tramped by tourists day in and day out. Some visitors complain about being ripped off, scammed, or hassled by aggressive Egyptians, i say deal with it or don't come! Egypt for me was a good time!




Cairo: a bustling city of millions trapped with both old and new world ideas, farm land still being used along the nile river, prime real estate that strong willed locals refuse to give up. There is the urban sprawl of Giza which pushes up just a few feet from the entrance to the great pyramids and the sphinx. Donkey's and Camels still exist just a few miles from the city center along side tall buildings and consumer driven locals. The current direction of Cairo is apparent while the history and past has been put on display in the Cairo Museum.
I enjoyed the pyramids which can be reached in a simple day trip, i was amazed at how close to the city they actually are and surprised in how many people roam the desert attempting to sell you crap. i was a bit taken back when a police man asked me for a tip when he pointed me in the same direction i was heading and also surprised when i told him to piss-off and he just smiled.

Siwa: just about 50 miles from the Lybia boarder this sleepy little Oasis was a awesome place to chill for a few days. there is a fair bit to see and do, from sand boarding, to bike rides, to 4x4ing on the dunes, swimming in the hot springs, or wandering through the date plantations. the town is filled with 2 wheeled carts that are pulled by donkeys, it's how kids get to school, local restaurant delivery are made or just a way to get from point A to point B, donkey carts were everywhere.
being so isolated the town was quaint, quiet, and relaxing, it was also a dry (no booze), so my plan to drink tequila and ride around on a cart with a long stick and a thin rope with a carrot tied to the end (my cartoon vision of some obsucre life someone mayh have had) with my buddy Preston was foiled by the lack of "juice." probably a good thing but i'm sure it would have made for a good story. Siwa was a good place, about a 12hr bus from Cairo and the starting point to my desert tour.

Baharia, Black Desert, White Desert: Leaving Siwa in a 4x4 we were heading to Baharia another small Oasis town in the middle of nowhere. 450klm later we arrived in town after rolling for hours through the sand and bumpy roads. Baharia was not a place to go and hang out, not much going on but a ok place to stop for a cold beer after a long drive, unfortunately my guide wasn't havin' any of that and out to the desert we went to camp for the night.
Black Desert was nice to drive through but really not as interactive as the White. the white was filled with odd shaped mineral deposits which were left behind by evaporating water, as 1000's of years ago it was once the ocean floor. Shells line the desert as well reflecting the light of the sun to give you this truly odd glare. we camped in the white desert which was fantastic and would recommend doing for at least one full day and night, it was a cool place to drive through.

Aswan and Abu Simbal: Aswan was the middle point for a day trip to Abu simbal and a boat ride up the nile in a faluca all in one day. Up at 3am we got in a bus to about 100 miles from the Sudan boarder to see one of Egypts national treasures. a Monument which they cut up into large stone section and moved to a new location due to rising water from the Aswan dame. Impressive that people could build such structures 4000 years ago and equally impressive to see that it can be moved and a whole fake mountain created to house it. Personally i found it to be a bit far and if given the choice again may have passed on trekking all the way down here to get to it.
we hopped back on the bus drove 3.5 hours back through the desert to Aswan where we boarded a Faluca (boat) which powered by the wind took me and a 5 other travelers up river where we camped for the night. This i would have done for 2 nights but foolishly only paid for 1.

Luxor: Karnak Temple was and impressive religious sight and daunting to walk though. i found comprehending its age and its elaborate design to be near impossible. Valley of the Kings left me feeling the same way. The Knowledge of the Ancient Egyptians and their ability to build such things is very very impressive. while here i was also fortunate to celebrate the victory of an Egyption soccer match against algeria which pushed for a play off (which they lost days later) to get into the world cup. Preston and I were having a cold beer on the roof top of the hostel when we heard the explosion in the streets, cars were honking their horns, screaming and shouting. we ran down to the street knowing exactly what had happened and joined in on the celebration. An hour later i had found my self, riding 3 deep on a mortorcycle, standing on the roof of a few cars, mini vans, and taxis along with countless other Egyptions screeming EEEEEEEEEEEGYPT on top of my lungs. Hi-fivin' locals, shakin' hands and kissin' babies.... it was a lot of fun to see how well we were recieved for cheering for the home team, an experience to say the least.


Back in Cairo, Preston and I chilled out for a few days, ate some good local food and preparied to part ways. me on to Morocco and him down to Tanzania. I enjoyed my stay in egypt.

Egypt Email

Time is moving faster than ever!

December 3rd will mark 15 months on the road, god i can't believe it and never would have if you told me this before i had left. Do i miss home a lot of people have recently asked? Well sure, how can you not, but i don't think it's my physical home that i miss more than life being simple, knowing where i will be that day, knowing how i'll get there, and where i'll be laying down for the night. I miss the simple things like opening up the refrigerator and making my self a meal, washing my own cloths in a washing machine that actually works, having a day off. i know that sounds crazy, i have had 15 months off (more or less), but a day in my home, any home where i can type on my computer, see friends, talk on the phone, watch some mindless television, or even just get in the car and go for a drive, those are things i miss.

My Camera lens broke a few counties back and fixing it has proven to be tough than expected. my camera bag/day bag has broken zippers, i have sewed all my shorts because tears are happening more frequently now, i hopped a barbwire fence in New Zealand to take a photo and sure enough i tore those pants as well. My shoes, well, they are melting off my feet as we speak and i'm amazed that they still stay on, i'm on my 9th pair of flip flops, and my hat collect more filth by the day. the cloths i have are sun faded and a bit raggedy but they'll make the journey home just like i will. My body can feel the affects of time as well, over night buses which were once a great way to skip out on a nights rent in a hostel are now getting painful and although i do eat well the constant change of diet isn't always pleasant on the stomach. Regardless, change, challenges, and variety are the spice of life and it's still a happy life i live.

regardless of the condition of the cloths, the gear i carry, random cravings for a everyday life, and the occasional back pain from long distance travel, Egypt the country i just visited has flown by faster than i have ever expected, in fact time is moving faster now than it ever has before. twenty three days of museums, pyramids, temples, boats, trains, and deserts has made thinking about home near impossible. As I have missed my friends and family since the day i left, i have also met some amazing people in the process including a fantastic American whom i had the pleasure of traveling Egypt with (Preston). Although all of you are on my mind, a trip like this does not come everyday and the excitement of new countries and tasty food is still pushing me forward. Amazingly the thrill of travel has yet to grow old and as i glanced at a calendar today to check the date, look at flights, and plan for the future my heart nearly sank when i realized that 2009 is coming to a rapid end, it has been a brilliant eye opening year, and i'm STILL HUNGRY FOR MORE!!!

The Heat of the desert is visible as you peer off across the sand, the sun is high and the hair on top of your head feels like it is going to burst into flames. There are few dunes but you are surrounded with sand and you look off in the distance and you can see a faint patch of green, it's a Oasis. As you approach with a parched mouth, sun burnt hands and a scarf wrapped around your face to shield you from the elements you notice that it was all a just a marriage...

Well, thankfully i never experience this feeling but the thought of an Egyptian desert Oasis was something i needed to scratch an itch for. Thinking back when i was a child and seeing movies and cartoons that depict these romantic locations i was curious to see how they truly are. In reality most of them are far from pleasant but Siwa a mere 50 miles from the Lybia Boarder was quite a nice surprise, date trees lined the side of the road, carts pulled by donkeys were equally as popular as cars or motor bikes, life moves slow and i was happy to soak that up while i had a chance. I moved quickly through Egypt but it was at Siwa where me and Preston got to settle down briefly and experience desert life as it slowly rolled past us in the form of a donkey cart. As the rest of Egypt was as expected filled with must visit tourist sights, Siwa and the desert was that slice of something different that i really enjoyed.

Moving faster than i normally would have, Egypt pasted me by in the blink of an eye. Driving through the desert for 3 days, hitching rides in a flat bed truck, swimming in an Oasis fresh water spring, sleeping on a faluca (Egyptian sail boat) on the Nile, visiting the pyramids, luxor, valley of the kings along with other national monuments was great they were a must, something i had wanted to see since i was a kid and i was happy to finally experience what they are truly like.

PHOTO LINK:

http://picasaweb.google.com/vaccaro.marc2424/MarcvaccaroEgypt?feat=directlink

Entering Syria

I wake up in my dingy bedroom roughly 8feet by 10feet and am wondering what i was doing here. to get to this point in Turkey i was coming from Malatya where i purchased the wrong bus ticket, after a game of charades at the bus station trying to explain in English to the non-english speaking Turkish bus attendant that i wanted to go to Antakya not Goziantep, i gave up and sat quietly on the bus until it rolled to a stop 3 hours later. More charades ensued and i got my point across, i was out to the boarder town and arrived at 8:40pm.

I hate these towns, filled with scammer, con artists, and people just trying to make a buck, i typically dismiss them and head across the boarder as quickly as i can but this was different, this was Syria and i know that as an American i had some waiting around to do at the boarder (to obtain a visa) and didn't want to show up late at night and turn it into a overnight stay. Forced to enjoy my last night in Turkey i wandered around eating some more Kebabs before dragging my sorry ass back to my terrible little room. I woke at 7:00am and walked out to the taxi/bus stop and was assaulted by taxis offering me outrageous prices for a ride to Aleppo, Syria. Ignoring them i took a stroll to a huge fruit and veg market getting lost in the screaming and shouting and chaos of the market. I picked up some baked goods knowing my next few hours may be long and painful and headed back to the buses, where i purchased my ticket and was off.

It is rummered that Americans can wait up to 9hours for a visa, just getting to the boarder after 9am, could take up to 4 hours of bumper to bumper traffic, so getting on my bus early was a must. As I pulled out of town i looked out my window at the shops to see spinning chicken and lamb kebabs, rotating whole chickens over coal fires, a man selling Simits (bread) on a large wood platter carrying it on his head, i soaked up the last minutes of Turkey and began to prepare for what lay ahead.



40 minutes on the bus and i watch the scenery change driving from city, to small towns, through olive grooves and finally out to the rural country side, i look up at the rocky hills and immediately notice a Guard Towers perched overlooking the valley. my eyes followed the landscape down which opened up to fields that eventually lead to the side of the road where weathered concrete pillars held countless strands of old rusty barbwire. A few miles down the road the rusted barbwire was accompanied by fresh barbwire and more guard towers, i took a wild guess, i must be getting closer to Syria. The bus drove on and i can see the frame of an old broken down stone building, seconds later we rolled under a big red sight that said "Good Bye," i was leaving Turkey and heading into the middle east.



The bus stops and the 14 passengers are ushered off in an unknown directions. No one speaks english but true to all countries you need a exit stamp so i cued up as the others foolishly walked past the long lines. minutes later i was through the line waiting for my fellow passengers who just then had realized they needed an exit stamp. Now back on the bus crossing over "no mans land" (neutral zone) and on to a large building where yet another much anticipated game of charades would be followed by the painfully long visa process. I got lucky, I was assisted by a Syrian man who was attempting to get his Turkish friend through the same process, neither of us had visas, but for me it was a bit of a gamble, where for him it was simply time. At first i thought i would be in and out in no time at all, my Syrian friend was being overly helpful, but then all of a sudden everything came crashing to a halt, the power turned off. As if this is a common occurrence everyone quietly walks away from the crowded visa window, i was next up and was hesitant to sit down but following the others i too shuffled away as there was nothing i could do but wait. I wait patiently by my self, thinking where the hell am I? Thinking how on earth can the power go out at a military base, a boarder crossing? More people begin to come in, more tour buses arrive and i begin to get overly anxious, i begin to fidget waiting for the sign of power to bring life back into this building. 30min. later i saw the flicker of a light, the fan started to tic and pick up speed, the quite stale air burst into a sweaty frenzy as we all dash forward pushing towards the window. i lost out in my spot by one position but quickly payed by 16usd, got my much needed paper stamped and ran over to yet another officer for more question and answer on why i'm coming to Syria. NOW that the waiting game began.

I sat for 1 hour, 2 hours, my bus had left me as all the other passengers had their visas in 30 minutes, i watched crowds of people come and go, a full building of commuters, boarder crossers filling the room and then draining back out. More buses showed up and Arabs all pushing each other back and forth holding there green USD in their hands and screaming in an unfamiliar language, to pay there stamp fee and get thier visas. It was a scene out of the every day life of a wall street stockbroker but instead of buying stock all they wanted was to get in front of the next guy in line and make their way across the boarder, i sat and watched in amazement truly observing a culture I had never seen before.



More buses come and go and i sit longer, i sit on my back pack, i sit on the ground amongst the stale cigarette butts, spilled chai (tea), i sit amongst the flies which relentlessly land on any piece of exposed skin. As if waiting wasn't torture enough, the flies certainly increased my insanity levels. 3, 4, 5 hours tick by and finally a man comes and gets me, hands me the passport and pushes me towards another line.
An Arab man with a thick black mustache and a tan uniform sat behind the desk blankly looking at me, cigarette hanging between his lips with a long cone of ash still clinging on as it continues to burn longer. he grabs my passport and begins clicking away at the computer. a cup of chai on his left and a large fat immigration guard on his right methodically flipping through passports stamping them, then throwing them into a pile. sweat dripping off his round face onto the desk or what ever he was working on. I looked back to the man with my passport continuously clicking away, i looked up at the lights on the ceiling and all i can think is please let the power hold out for another minute or two. Again, back to my cigarette smoking immigration officer to see the long ash had hit the desk next to my passport, but this didn't matter because in his hand was an inked up stamp, he smacks it down on an already cluttered passport page. No smile, tight lips, dark eyes, and a thick black mustache, he looks at me and nods his head as he passes it over through the window..... I'm IN.

syria/jordan

Aleppo: This was my Introduction to the Middle East, a dusty old city which i happened to really like. i wasn't sure what to expect but what i found was some very interesting bazaars the "Souq" was a maze of paths which twist and turn and can leave you wandering for days, the streets are filled with the perfume of local made soap, barrels of dry spice, freshly roasted coffee beans with toasted cardamom, and of course Shawarma (kebabs) being roasted. I stayed only 2 days here and wish i had spent more time, it was an interesting city which turned out to be my favorite in syria.

Hama: A mid way stop for the Dead Cities, castles, and Alpamea, i spent two days here and begun the middle eastern trend of sleeping on a roof top. I found it to be extremely cheap, not always the most comfortable, but the best way to meet some real interesting travelers. Aussie Steve whom i met up with later in my trip was amongst the first roof top dwellers i met.

Hamma was nothing spectacular but visiting a Crusader Castle of Saladin, seeing the broken ruins of the dead city and the rows and rows of roman columns out in the desert was a good day.

Palmyra: a ancient oasis town which holds the remains of a beautiful old roman city was a bit out of the way, located in middle of nowhere it was a major point of interest between the Romans and Prussians thousands of years ago. the City fell to the Romans hence the familiar architecture.

Damascus: on of the oldest cities in the world, i expected a bit more. the Souq (market) was located in the old city and it was an impressive maze of stalls and shops but did not hold up to my expectations. Many disagree with me, and love it, but personally i found it to be nothing more than a semi modern city that has been rebuild a few times over.

Jordan: This Country was a bit of a blur and i definitely did not make it to all the spots i would have liked. Missing Bethany where Jesus was believed to be baptized on the river Jordan and not having the money to get into Wadi Rum, the great Red Desert, i took a much quicker approach to the country.

Eating in Amman was cheap and delicious but the city it's self had little to offer besides some good Arabic food which i could have stayed and eaten for a few days, but chose to push on. Driving to Mt. Nebo where Moses died and a church was erected in his name, floating on the dead sea which is truly the most indescribable feeling on earth, driving through the rural and rugged Jordanian country side and stopping in Petra was all a part of one long day.

Petra was a sight to be seen, a city literally carved into the mountain side, the elaborate design and the color of the sand stone was something i wont forget. i spent two days here wandering around the sight, hiding as the park closed and slowly making my way out in the cover of night to squeeze just a little bit more out of the experience. getting there at 7am was fantastic, mid day was filled with day trip tourists, my wander out of the ancient city at 8pm was quiet and peaceful, a great way to end the day.

Overall i can't say that i didn't like Syria and Jordan but i am the type of person who loves his out doors, i love my natural beauty and these ancient countries are filled with tons of ruins and more history than you can imagine. I can't say i didn't enjoy it, it was just not as exciting as other places i have been. I would love to go back and do Wati Rum, I wouldn't mind spending a few more days in Aleppo, but if i return to the Middle East, Lebanon and Israel will probably occupy more of my time than the crumbling castles and ruins of Syria and Jordan.

syria/jordan email

I remember my flight from Delhi to Doha, Qatar I sat in the airport for 6 hours thinking about where i was and what was around me. Qatar, a small peninsula jutting out of Saudi Arabia connected to the United Arab Emirates. It's baffling to think of its location when sitting at home in New York and imagining that I would ever be there, but sure enough that's where i sat, had a cup of coffee an waited for my flight to Istanbul.

My flight out was equally as daunting as the planes wheels left the runway and i peered out of my little window out at the Persian Gulf, the plane swooped around pointing it's nose back in the direction of land as i got to catch a glimpse of the emerald waters of Bahrain before my view drastically changed. Soon i was flying over Saudi Arabia, the eastern portion of Jordan, and Syria, names that seem more like they belong in a fable than actual reality. From my comfortable couch back at home they seem untouchable, alien even, places most Americans are never encouraged to dream about, and here i was flying over them, looking down wondering how different life can be just a few thousand miles below my airplane seat.

Twenty days later i found my self sitting on tile floor waiting at the boarder of Turkey and Syria for 5 hours as my visa was being processed. Surrounded by screaming taxi drivers, bus men, and a few more travelers than i would have expected attempting to get their stamps to pass through. Syria the home of terrorist a place where Americans and westerners are hated, it was truly terrifying. The man in Aleppo who served me the most delicious Shawarma (kebab), not once, or twice, but three times in a one hour sitting was nothing but smiles and laughs, the free soap and spices i was asked to take as a gift in the markets was not scary but odd since no shop keepers in the states ever offered me free product, the locals whom helped me find my bus and showed me how to read Arabic when i couldn't find my seat, well, they were not to intimidating either.

Jordan though, that is where you really need to watch out. I got into Amman late at night and a western couple who was living there quickly explained cab fair and helped me to my guest house, i stumbled down the street to look for some food where i found lines of locals waiting and of course i joined in on the line. Fresh baked bread stuffed with chillies, minced lamb, and diced onions and seasoned with toasted cumin was on the menu, served with fresh middle eastern yogurt char grilled tomato and green chillies for a whopping $1.05 usd. the Smiling man behind the counter slinging meat filled dough pockets into the oven, flipping them with a long metal paddle just smiled, took my money, and watched me happily devour every bite of his creation.

Taking a tour trough Holy country passing the Jordan river, sitting upon Mt. Nebo, and floating in the Dead Sea with about 100 other tourists was not to dangerous at all. Heading south to Petra followed by countless tour buses jammed with Europeans AND Americans a like was a huge surprise and the only thing scary about that was the fact that i once again blended into the masses whom the locals see as dollar signs.

My Stay in Syria and Jordan was short, and as you may have guessed I never found it to be dangerous. Just like every country you visit you must be on guard, you need to do your research and follow your better judgment. I never wandered into any ghettos at night and I never got into a heated political or religious debate in a locals home, but then again why would I.


Before arriving I didn't know what to expect, i wasn't so ignorant to believe that every one is a terrorist and out to get me, surely that was not what i thought but unfortunately that is what i felt like i should believe. All stereotypes have truth, but just like "Americans are overweight," or as they believe here "American's are all wealthy," stereotypes can also hold minimal truth, as we all know the USA is not overpopulated with rolly-polly rich men. Like wise the people i met were not terrorists, didn't know any terrorists, and do not hate Americans and westerners. For the most part they were happy to have an American in their country because just like a lot of us, they are proud of their culture and overly happy to share it with you.

When picturing the Middle east I wondered what exactly i may see, and what i found were plenty of women dressed in all black, men with long beards dressed in all white, the days can be hot and the nights can be cold. there are broken down buildings, there is rubble and debris laying about, there are some camels, there are some donkeys, the desert is endless but rolling sand dunes as far as the eye can see were never on my horizons, there are mosques, and people do pray quite often. It was a different culture, but life here is quite the same as it is anywhere else, there are happy people and sad people, religious people and non religious, rich and poor, fortunate and less fortunate. The Muslim culture was one i had yet to experience and i am happy to have gotten the chance to see, live, and try to understand it.


The people are what made this part of the world interesting and exciting to me, overall I found most of them trying to beat a stereotype that has been placed on them by a very powerful western media. If there was one word that most non english speaking Arabs knew, it was not hello or money, which you find in most countries, it was "welcome."

I hope that my Sarcasm about terrorists and being unsafe was detected!

Syria/Jordan Pics:

http://picasaweb.google.com/vaccaro.marc2424/MarcvaccaroSyriaJordan?feat=directlink