Jerash, The Ruins of Ancient Jordan
The history of Jerash, Jordan spans the Roman, Byzantine, and Muslim eras, and has well preserved archeological examples from all these cultures.
Middle East
Crossing Barriers in Israel with Guided Tours
Fred Schlomka is idiosyncratic enough that I shouldn’t have been surprised when our interview by email, between the U.S. and Israel, morphed into a personal meeting in Minneapolis. And even … Read more
Temple of Sobek, Kom Ombo, Egypt
The temple of Sobek at Kom Ombo is yet another of the fascinating temples along the Nile. I like this one because it’s dedicated to Sobek, and who doesn’t like … Read more
Cruising Egypt’s Nile River
If you know anything about us, you might say Sonesta Nile Cruises was taking a risk inviting us to enjoy a 4-day 3-night river cruise from Aswan to Luxor, Egypt. … Read more
Six Random Photos of the Nile, Egypt
I shot all of these on two occasions while we were cruising up the Nile. The ones of the boats were shot off the balcony of our cabin on the … Read more
The Mosque of Muhammad Ali, Cairo, Egypt
The Mosque of Muhammad Ali (no relation to the boxer) in Cairo was built in the first half of the 19th Century by the then ruler of Egypt Muhummad Ali … Read more
Essential Museums in Jerusalem
I don’t care how many people tell you you must visit both the Israel Museum and the Tower of David in Jerusalem. We’ll tell you again. The fact is, there’s … Read more
Praying at the Western Wall, Jerusalem
On our first night in Jerusalem, Kris was ill, so I went out to explore the old city on my own. Jerusalem is an odd place, and probably the most … Read more
Ruins of the Roman Camp Viewed from Masada, Israel
Many have heard the story of the siege of Masada, when Jews who escaped the Roman destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD retreated three years later to the stronghold on … Read more
16 Places to Visit in Jerusalem
Sometimes it takes a while to get to know a new city. Such was the case with Jerusalem, but not for the reasons you might think. (No need to cry, … Read more