Oh, what a trip!!!

by | Jul 23, 2004 | Shutterbug, Travel

We are back in Jordan after an amazing trip to Sharm al Sheikh and Egypt’s Sinai Desert. We had such a good time that we even considered extending our vacation.

We chilled by the beach, saw Moses’ burning bush, toured the Sinai Desert and burned some cash at the slots in Sharm’s Grand Casino. We really had one of those memorable experiences we will cherish forever.

I was particularly impressed by Sharm, a now fully developed resort on the Red Sea. With its wide range of marine-based activities, international restaurants, tourist shops and of course its wild night life, the place really does bring in the tourists from all over the globe.

One of the highlights of our trip was taking a one-day trip to St. Catherine’s Cathedral; one of early Christianity’s only surviving churches. It is a place of pilgrimage, with a chapel built beside what is believed to be THE burning bush through which God spoke to Moses.

We enjoyed the trip to St. Catherine’s, driving through the Sinai Desert. We also got a peek at Moses Mountain (though we didn’t take the "penance" hike) where he received the Ten Commandments.

One our way back to Sharm we stopped in at Dahab, a coastal city on the Gulf of Aqaba. Dahab was really unique. It is filled with hippie trippy European (and perhaps some American) backpackers and divers who are there mainly to chill and perhaps "expand their minds."

After a short walk through Dahab, it was back to Sharm. We were really surprised to see it is such an Italian-ville! The place is so filled with Italians that the locals have completely mastered the language. For some reason, all during the trip I was mistaken for Italian. I guess my presence with Jeff confused those curious about the nationality of Sharm’s visitors.

On a different note, all during the trip I couldn’t help but compare Sharm with Aqaba — the coastal city on the Jordanian side of the Red Sea. Sadly enough, Aqaba doesn’t compare as there is virtually nothing beyond the boundaries of its five-star hotels. Lots of work needs to be done in this city to be at least half as attractive as Sharm. I still remain hopeful.

All in all, we really had a phenomenal time and we’d love to go back there again. A few more pictures can be found below, the left is the entrance to the chapel at St. Catherine’s, the other is the front entrance to the Casino.

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Sharm, here we come!

by | Jul 19, 2004 | Travel

We are all set and ready to go. The bags are packed and Dad will be here in just a bit to take us to the airport. The destination is Sharm el Sheikh, an Egyptian coastal city on the Red Sea. We will be there until Friday noon and we are very excited. We have heard so much about the place that we just had to go see what all the fuss is about.

I’m looking forward to relaxing by the beach and Jeff is ready for some “clear head time.” I’m not sure I will be able to blog from there, but I will do my best! Jeff thinks the hotel will be fully connected. If not, let’s hope internet cafes have a niche in Sharm.

One talented couple

by | Jul 18, 2004 | Everyday me!, Food and Drink, Jordan, my nation

Last night we went for drinks with our dear friends Ahmed and Roa. We met at Saluté, which, as always, proved to be both pleasant and to provide quick service and a very nice, open atmosphere.

Ahmed and Roa are leaving the country by month’s end to pursue higher education in Australia. We had an enjoyable time with them, catching up with them since the last time we were together. Both are very talented: Ahmed a top-notch graphic designer and Roa, a very ambitious architect. They recently launched a website featuring their work under the bannerRoAhmed Studio! As expected it’s a very nice website! Jeff has Flash envy 🙂

A few more pictures of the Saluté excitement are available through the link below…

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My grandparents

by | Jul 17, 2004 | Everyday me!, Jordan, my nation, Shutterbug

My Grandpere

As soon as we arrived back in Jordan, I was surprised to find a new picture of my grandparents (from my dad’s side) hung up on the wall at my parents’ house. What made this picture special to me was that I was finally able to see a photo of my granddad for the first time. He passed away before I was born. Now I know that my dad takes after him!

My parents found the picture recently at my uncle’s place and decided to have it enlarged and framed: a really fantastic idea! I thought I’d share it here.

A night at Wox!

by | Jul 15, 2004 | Food and Drink, Jordan, my nation, Shutterbug

Last night we checked out another new place here (at least new to us). The place is called Wox. It’s a Chinese restaurant, which began as a mere delivery service but was then developed into a full-fledged restaurant in the stylish Amman neighborhood of Abdoun.

The place is really nice and a great stop for those that like to spend their hard earned funds eating out. Wox’s interior design is modern meshed with some Chinese elements. The food was as superb as we remembered from delivery but the service was a bit slow. We dined with our dear friend Hani, whom we haven’t seen since we got married. We had a fabulous time, since we really missed him.

The topic that dominated our discussion: the new private (a first!) radio station here: Mood FM. We were introduced to this station as soon as we arrived and it has served as a very entertaining companion as we drive the streets of Amman running errands. The theme is easy-listening and classics but its play list is broad. It is really enjoyable to listen to, featuring legends like Bob Dylan, Santana, the Beatles and many others.

Much to our surprise, we discovered Hani is working as a DJ there three days a week. So we spent a big chunk of our evening making suggestions of songs that he might want to play on his next show. Ah, it’s impossible to beat the joy of being home.

Click below for some more pictures…

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