Oh the places I'll go...

If the title of this blog didn't provide a clue, I'm not approaching my 4+ months in the Middle East with any concrete plan. I've lived a pretty structured life so far, so I'm looking forward to doing things a little more out-side the box, going wherever piques my interest at the time. Kind of a go-with-the-flow, blow-with-the-wind (no, that was not a drug reference) mind-set. I guess I'm drawing my philosophy from two of the greatest literary figures of all-time: Tony Horwitz and Nathan Drake.

Well, in reality, Nathan Drake isn't technically a literary figure. He's the BA treasure hunter from the Uncharted series for PS3, who has recently become my man-crush...and it's not too difficult to understand why. I mean the guy's a stud: he knows his history, can free-climb almost any surface, kills baddies like no buddy's business, is charming, hilarious, and winds up with the gorgeous Elena Fisher. What's not to like? Plus, the Uncharted games are basically movies, and movies are basically my generation's form of literature, so in a round-a-bout way, he is most definitely a literary figure.

Tony Horwitz is probably the most enjoyable author I've ever had the privilege of reading. Mr. Horwitz's books are packed with action, entertainment, and, of course, education. He shares his personal accounts of travel in a whole host of fascinating places, from Oceania to the Deep South. As he travels around, meeting some of the most interesting characters along the way, he does a great job of tying the past with the present. He's an engaging guy, whose style is as insightful as it is witty and endearing. Anyway, his book, Baghdad Without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia is a personal favorite of mine, and will surely provide some inspiration for me during my stay.

The point is, these two fellas rarely seem to have a plan and instead throw themselves into whatever looks interesting at the moment. Sure they get in a few sticky situations, but the experiences they come away with are the ones of a lifetime.

In fact, one could even say I'm going about things the Egyptian way: relatively unplanned, without much organization, and only doing things إن شاء الله [in-sha-llah: if God wills it].

With that being said, there are certainly a few sights and locales that I will be making every effort to get to while I'm in the ME. Here they are:

Mount Sinai at Sunrise

The mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments. To reach its summit by sunrise, you have to hike through the dead of the night.

Ancient City of Petra

Located just across the Jordanian border. You may recognize this city carved into the cliff  from the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Dahab

A laid back Egyptian resort town on the tranquil Red Sea.

Barclays Dubai Tennis Championship

The actual tournament isn't played on top the Burj al Arab, but apparently Andre Agassi and Roger Federer like to go up for some practice. No biggy.

Cairo Opera House

This bastion of the arts is literally a few blocks away from where I'll be residing. 

Jerusalem

The birth place of Christianity, and also sacred to Judaism and Islam. Looking forward to an Easter pilgrimage there. 

 

Istanbul

Perhaps the most fascinating city in the world. The body of water you see in this picture, the strait of Bosporus, divides the city into two parts: one on continental Europe, the other in Asia Minor. Istanbul (or Constantinople, if you prefer) serves as a bridge between the East and the West, Islam and Christianity, and the past and the present.