Middle East
Dubai is (currently, as of August 29, 2020) one of the only places that is currently somewhat open for international visitors and tourism. The only requirements are that the traveler has a valid visa (like normal), carries health insurance that will cover the cost of getting infected with COVID-19, and negative PCR test results that were taken within the last 96 hours.From Mexico, these restrictions ...
These photos are from the main international airport in Istanbul. We didn't visit the other airport, so we can't be sure that testing is also being done there, but I've heard that COVID-19 PCR testing is also being done there.The rapid PCR tests at the Istanbul airport cost approximately $33 per person and the results come back within about 5 hours (give or take). We waited in line for nearly 2 hours, ...
Assos, Turkey was a tiny little town on a hill overlooking the Aegean Sea and the island of Lesbos. Aristotle taught students in the area that's now in ruins. And St. Paul passed through this area on his travels in the early days of the church. We were concerned about driving the hills leading up to Assos, but they weren't that bad when we visited in 2010. ...
The House of the Virgin Mary at Ephesus in Turkey was a thought-provoking find. Is it really the house where Mary, Jesus' mother lived? According to a nun and visionary, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, it is. And there were plenty of pilgrims who knelt on the floor of the house even during the short time that we were there, but who knows? The mere idea that Mary lived in this house was enough to inspire ...
The guidebooks raved about the Medusa face carved into the stone ruins at Didyma and on our first trip overseas, I thought that it would be something truly spectacular (otherwise, why would they talk about it?). We felt pressure and stress about getting to Didyma in time to see that Medusa face. But though the ruins were located in a beautiful landscape, they looked a lot like all the other ruins we'd seen ...
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When we visited Turkey in 2010, we drove from Istanbul to Cappadocia and back again. Along the way, we stopped to see the ruins at Pergamon in Bergama, Turkey. They were located up above the city, offering a spectacular view of Bergama down below.Bergama was a rough city and we were glad we didn't spend the night there after we saw a little bit of it. Though Pergamon itself was safe, Bergama was a ...
In 2010, we traveled across western Turkey by car, stopping in places like Pamukkale to see the Travertine Terraces and the Hierapolis. The Travertine Terraces was something I'd never heard of before we traveled to Turkey, which was surprising after we saw what a cool place it was. It looked like a giant snow drift, with water flowing down it and little idyllic bright blue pools of water on the way up, but ...
In 2010, our family drove from Istanbul to Cappadocia and back again, stopping along the way at places like Priene, Turkey to see some incredible sights like Ancient Troy, the Travertine Terraces, and Ephesus.Related Posts:Turkey Tourism: Travertine Terraces (video) Pamukkale, Turkey - Travertine Terraces and the Hierapolis: Photo GalleryAncient Troy in Turkey: Photo Gallery Turkey ...
When we traveled to Turkey on our first overseas trip in 2010, I was absolutely awed that ancient Troy was a real location and not just a mythological place. Seeing this place first hand made the stories about Troy seem so much more important and interesting. Why not include photos of the real place in school lessons when kids are reading about Troy?Related Posts:Priene, Turkey Ruins: Photo ...
Since we were just on a layover in Dubai, once we got near our ...
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We drove to Masada, Israel from Jerusalem in 2015 during the Christmas season. This is an ancient fortification that's located at the top of a plateau overlooking the Dead Sea and the Judaean Desert. According to legends, the Romans tried to overtake the fortification, but rather than submit, 960 jumped to their death and committed mass suicide.
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We arrived about 11 hours early for our flight from Cairo to Amman because we misread the time on our tickets. That was the first and last time we ever did that. Instead of going back to our Cairo vacation rental, we just stayed at the airport and waited for our flight.
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The Church of the Nativity is located in Bethlehem, which is in the West Bank, Palestine. According to Christian tradition dating back to 327 C.E., it was built over the site where Jesus was born. The original basilica was destroyed by a fire two hundred years later during the Samaritan Revolts. A new basilica was built and today it's an UNESCO World Heritage site. We visited this location in the winter of ...
According to modern tradition, the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, Israel is the path that Jesus was said to have walked on his way to the crucifixion. It's located in the Old City in Jerusalem, near the Wailing Wall. We stumbled upon it by accident on our way to other important sites like the Wailing Wall, the Mount of Olives, the Temple Mount, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. A lot of Christians make a ...
The Temple Mount is one of the most important and disputed religious sites in the world. It's located on a hill in the Old City near the Wailing Wall. As Christians and white people, we weren't allowed to go inside beyond a certain gate. The Temple Mount is, according to tradition, where Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac before God intervened. The Jews regard it as a place where God's divine presence is ...
We visited Jordan in January 2016. On our visit, we rented a car to drive from Amman to Wadi Musa to see Petra.
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The Western Wall was our first stop on our urban hike through Jerusalem during our 4-day trip to Israel in December 2015. We took the Western Wall tunnels when we left the site to head toward the Temple Mount.The Wailing Wall or Western Wall in Jerusalem, Israel is located in the Old City along with the Via Dolorosa, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Temple Mount. It's the holiest site for Jews ...
On our urban hike through Jerusalem, Israel in December 2014 we stopped to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We saw other sites like the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, and the Mount of Olives on the same urban hike.According to tradition, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (aka the Church of the Resurrection) is located in the Old City in Jerusalem along with the Via Dolorosa, the Temple Mount, and ...