Jan 9th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
Alternately called the Paris of the East and the Next Dubai, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is poised to become the Middle East's next big luxury travel destination.
Once the busiest harbor on the ancient Silk Road, Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. A recent flood of oil money has led to massive development in anticipation of a 2020 Olympics bid, and ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
MiddleEast posts
Luxury Vacation Guide 2012: Baku, Azerbaijan
Jan 9th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
Alternately called the Paris of the East and the Next Dubai, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is poised to become the Middle East's next big luxury travel destination.
Once the busiest harbor on the ancient Silk Road, Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. A recent flood of oil money has led to massive development in anticipation of a 2020 Olympics bid, and ...American students bring Thanksgiving's message of coexistence to the Middle East
Nov 21st, 2011 at 12:00PM: This Thanksgiving, holiday traditions and messages are going farther than the family dinner table. In fact, they are going all the way to the Middle East as American young adults spending time abroad will be spreading the message of coexistence throughout diverse communities by recreating the Thanksgiving feast from their childhood.
Masa Israel Journey, a project of the Jewish Agency for Israel ...Ritz-Carlton Dubai adds shisha sommelier to staff
Nov 2nd, 2011 at 1:00PM: Interested in smoking some hookah on your trip but nervous about looking like a novice? The Ritz-Carlton Dubai International Finance Center now has an expert on hand to not only show you how to properly smoke flavored tobacco, but also how to pair shisha flavors with food, drinks, and personal preferences.
The Shisha Sommelier position, which is part of the hotel's Shisha Terrace, is held by ...Castles in Greece in danger
Oct 8th, 2011 at 9:00AM: When people think of castles, they usually think of those in Western Europe such as Spain, France, and Germany. Eastern Europe, however, has just as many if not more.
Greece has some of the best, like the castle of Methoni photographed here by Wolfram Sinapius. Having been fought over by the Byzantines, Venetians, Crusaders, Ottomans, and many others, it seems every island and hilltop has its ...Volunteers needed to excavate Lawrence of Arabia's battles
Jun 7th, 2011 at 3:00PM: A team of British archaeologists working in Jordan is tracing the military campaign of Lawrence of Arabia, and they need your help.
T.E. Lawrence was an English archaeologist turned soldier who capture the public imagination during World War One when he helped the Arabs rebel against the Ottoman Empire. After its disastrous defeat at Gallipoli at the hands of the Ottomans, the British Empire ...Egypt's newest public wonder: the temple of the crocodile god
May 13th, 2011 at 10:00AM: Last week a new ancient site opened to the public in Egypt--a temple of the crocodile god Sobek.
Medinet Madi is located in Egypt's Faiyum region, a fertile area around a lake at the end of a branch of the Nile called Bahr Yusuf ("The River of Joseph").
The temple features a long avenue lined with sphinxes and lions, plus an incubation room for hatching the eggs of sacred crocodiles. You'd ...Syria unrest: will there be another massacre in Hama?
May 11th, 2011 at 12:30PM: Syrian army tanks 'moving towards Hama'.
Just another headline about unrest in the Middle East. I've read so many, but this one made me shudder. One thing travel does for you is make the world more than just a headline. I've been to Hama.
I visited Syria back in 1994 as a young college graduate with a backpack, a bit of Arabic, and no responsibilities. I spent a month exploring ...Summer Travel: A week in the Holy Land
Apr 25th, 2011 at 12:00PM: With the summer holidays rapidly approaching, it's safe to say that many of us are suffering from serious bouts of wanderlust. Fortunately we at Gadling have the cure, namely a heaping dose of pure, uncut travel advice. Side effects may include flight bookings, hotel reservations and the loss of a few clean passport pages.
Every year, travel experts (myself included...) seem to tout a *new* ...Reflections on Revolution - A photographer's travels through the Arab tumult
Apr 12th, 2011 at 9:00AM:
"May you live in interesting times" is a proverb with an unattributed origin. Most speculate the phrase came from China, some assume its origins to be of 20th century English design, but all agree that the phrase is a curse. We no doubt live in "interesting" times. 2011 has already brought revolution, quakes, tsunamis, government shutdowns, and an escaped cobra. Interesting is not always a ...
Sabich: Israeli fast food
Apr 7th, 2011 at 11:00AM:
Sabich, an Israeli fast food with origins among Iraqi immigrants to Israel, is the most insanely delicious street food you probably haven't discovered yet. A great introduction to the emergence of sabich as a popular fast food item in Israel, several years old now, can be found on Yael Zisling's Gems in Israel site. According to Zisling, there was originally no name for this fast food among ...State Department issues Libya travel warning - read more about this forbidden destination
Feb 21st, 2011 at 5:00PM:
As the unrest in the Middle East continues, the US Department of State has issued a Libya travel warning, advising Americans to steer clear of the country, and especially of "gatherings" there. The Wall Street Journal reports:
"'U.S. citizens in Libya should minimize overall travel in-country, exercise extreme caution when traveling, and limit all travel after dark,' the US said in a ...Bahrain Protests: What you need to know (including where it is on a map)
Feb 16th, 2011 at 12:15PM:
The small country of Bahrain is now well into its third day of protests. Following the fall of Mubarak in Egypt, countries like Bahrain, Yemen and Libya have attempted to create a "Tahir Square movement" to create change in their own country.
The country, like Egypt, is protesting the lack of political freedom and economic opportunity. Protests have generally been peacful until police ...Disney drops Tunisia from land and sea packages
Feb 6th, 2011 at 1:00PM:
Citing a "changing political environment" Disney Cruise Line as well as land tour operator Adventures by Disney is dropping Tunisia from all land and sea tours. They are just the latest of a growing number of cruise lines and tour operators to pull out of the troubled region.
"We continually evaluate our itineraries, and the decision to modify this itinerary was made in part due to the ...Qatar's 2022 World Cup stadium concepts
Dec 4th, 2010 at 9:00AM:
On Thursday, FIFA announced that Qatar defeated South Korea, Japan, Australia and the United States in the race to host the 2022 World Cup. This historic decision marks the first time a Middle Eastern country will welcome a major sporting event.
FIFA's choice has brought a significant backlash in the American media, with critics claiming that the summer heat (as high as 120 degrees ...Is Iraq really safe to visit?
Nov 23rd, 2010 at 12:00PM:
If you ever visit Iraq, it's probably best to tell your parents about the trip after you return. That's what my friend Jennifer Martin did, and she says it saved her parents from lots of (mostly) needless worry.
Jennifer has just returned from a week-long tour of Kurdistan, a semi-autonomous, surprisingly safe region of northern Iraq. (Venture further afield than Kurdistan and you're asking ...Weekending: Beirut
Jul 23rd, 2010 at 12:00PM:
One of the best things about life as an expat in Turkey is easy access to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with many previously far-flung destinations only a few hours' flight away. I might not plan a week-long vacation in, say, Kosovo, but if I can be there for Friday happy hour and home Monday morning, why not? My main criteria for choosing weekend trips are easy access, no advance visa ...AirBaltic expands, spruces up
Jun 3rd, 2010 at 3:00PM: Yesterday, Latvian airline AirBaltic launched two new routes: Riga-Madrid and Riga-Beirut.
Riga-based AirBaltic is an airline to watch. Little known in North America, the airline is notable for its low starting fares and the inclusion of most of Europe's most popular tourist destinations on its route map. But what really sets the airline apart from the pack is its range of underserved ...Egyptian Pyramid to Open to the Public
Apr 19th, 2009 at 8:00AM: Zahi Hawass, Egypt's Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, has announced that the 4500 year old "Bent" Pyramid will soon open its inner chambers, allowing tourists to venture inside for the first time. He also says that others may follow suit soon afterwards. The Bent Pyramid is located in Dahshur, which sits roughly 50 miles south of Cairo, and is believed to have been built ...Running Around The World
Jan 27th, 2009 at 12:30PM: Back in February of 2000, Serge Roehteli, along with his wife Nicole, set out on an amazing journey to circle the globe, running the entire way. The plan was to cover more than 25,000 miles, on six continents, crossing 37 countries in the process. Serge, an experienced ultra-runner, estimated that it would take him five years to complete the project that would see him running the equivalent of a ...Airline Celebrates 5th Anniversary with Free Flights for All
Oct 22nd, 2008 at 1:00PM: United Arab Emirates-based Air Arabia will be celebrating its 5th birthday with a special treat for its customers. Everyone flying on the Persian Gulf's original low-cost carrier on October 28th will fly for free. Passengers are still expected to pay any applicable airport taxes and fees. The free flights are for one day only and only include one-way service. Before you get excited, you should ...
