OT - Ping Solomon W
I'm going to be in Jerusalem in a couple
of weeks, are there any particular thoughts you
would like me to have while I am there?
By the way, in case you ever read Science Fiction,
or Fantasy, you should try
Nightwings ¡V January 1, 1979 by Robert Silverberg
https://www.amazon.com/Nightwings-Robert-Silverberg/dp/0380414678/ref=tmm_mmp_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=
currently the combined story / mass market paperback
A good description is here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/449261.Nightwings
"A tale of pilgrimage and hope, betrayal and transformation."
On Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:43:32 -0700, a425couple wrote:
OT - Ping Solomon W
I'm going to be in Jerusalem in a couple
of weeks, are there any particular thoughts you
would like me to have while I am there?
Mmmmmm
Jerusalem is not so much a place as a dream, an ideal.
There are
countries, a person needs a week to see, The city of Jerusalem needs a week by itself as there are many ancient streets, monuments, religious sites,
etc. None particularly awe-inspiring, but together incredible. Unless you
are particularly religious-minded, I suggest you go on tours with pilgrims
to see the sites, not alone. Then you will see the people at the religious sites and what the place means on their faces. The other point is that without a guide, you will not know what is significant and almost
everything there has a story.
Try, if possible, to get a place inside Jerusalem to stay and try to live
in the area.
All people are generally friendly. However, knowledge of
English is sometimes lacking.
The market in the Muslim Quarter is filled with items you will not see anywhere else, so I suggest buying some stuff there as it makes excellent souvenirs.
PS Also, if possible, take a look at Safed. I love that place.
On 4/11/2022 6:41 PM, SolomonW wrote:
On Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:43:32 -0700, a425couple wrote:
OT - Ping Solomon W
I'm going to be in Jerusalem in a couple
of weeks, are there any particular thoughts you
would like me to have while I am there?
Mmmmmm
Jerusalem is not so much a place as a dream, an ideal.
There areYes. We are doing this big trip with a experienced
countries, a person needs a week to see, The city of Jerusalem needs a week by itself as there are many ancient streets, monuments, religious sites, etc. None particularly awe-inspiring, but together incredible. Unless you are particularly religious-minded, I suggest you go on tours with pilgrims to see the sites, not alone. Then you will see the people at the religious sites and what the place means on their faces. The other point is that without a guide, you will not know what is significant and almost everything there has a story.
tour provider.
Try, if possible, to get a place inside Jerusalem to stay and try to live in the area.
Yes, Thanks and we will try.
After Cairo, pyramids, Nile, Aswan, Sinai, Petra Jordan,
Amman, Netanya, Tiberias, Dead Sea, we will be
spending 4 nights at the Leonardo Hotel in Jerusalem.
A flight scheduling change just had us decide between
leaving early morning for our flight home, or
spending a little extra to have a day on our own
in Jerusalem. We picked the wander around an
extra day.
Rarely can things be done perfectly.
We will do what we can to learn and enjoy.
All people are generally friendly. However, knowledge of
English is sometimes lacking.
The market in the Muslim Quarter is filled with items you will not see anywhere else, so I suggest buying some stuff there as it makes excellent souvenirs.
PS Also, if possible, take a look at Safed. I love that place.
Thanks for the well selected words of advise.
Take care of yourself.
On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 7:23:20 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:--------------------
On 4/11/2022 6:41 PM, SolomonW wrote:
On Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:43:32 -0700, a425couple wrote:BIG SNIP
OT - Ping Solomon W
I'm going to be in Jerusalem in a couple
of weeks, are there any particular thoughts you
would like me to have while I am there?
Rarely can things be done perfectly.
We will do what we can to learn and enjoy.
All people are generally friendly. However, knowledge ofThanks for the well selected words of advise.
English is sometimes lacking.
The market in the Muslim Quarter is filled with items you will not see
anywhere else, so I suggest buying some stuff there as it makes excellent >>> souvenirs.
PS Also, if possible, take a look at Safed. I love that place.
Take care of yourself.
Wow - that's an itinerary we took over three successive years back in the '90s which then became one of our very favourite areas to which to return. Hope you can crowd it all in successfully! You truly have some wonders to come.
Netanya, Tiberias,
now we have to avoid Russia & Ukraine's airspace,
I really doubt, no matter how wonderful the places
are, that I will want to do this trip a year later.
Netanya, Tiberias,
Skip one and see Safed.
now we have to avoid Russia & Ukraine's airspace,I wanted to see Ukraine and the Stan countries of the South too. I have little hope that I will take this year.
I really doubt, no matter how wonderful the places
are, that I will want to do this trip a year later.
I wanted to go on a cruise trip
to the Galapagos Islands, Easter Island, etc. I have little hope that I
will do this too.
I am reviewing options.
On 4/13/2022 11:40 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at 7:23:20 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:--------------------
On 4/11/2022 6:41 PM, SolomonW wrote:
On Sun, 10 Apr 2022 19:43:32 -0700, a425couple wrote:BIG SNIP
OT - Ping Solomon W
I'm going to be in Jerusalem in a couple
of weeks, are there any particular thoughts you
would like me to have while I am there?
Rarely can things be done perfectly.
We will do what we can to learn and enjoy.
All people are generally friendly. However, knowledge ofThanks for the well selected words of advise.
English is sometimes lacking.
The market in the Muslim Quarter is filled with items you will not see >>> anywhere else, so I suggest buying some stuff there as it makes excellent
souvenirs.
PS Also, if possible, take a look at Safed. I love that place.
Take care of yourself.
Wow - that's an itinerary we took over three successive years back in the '90s which then became one of our very favourite areas to which to return. Hope you can crowd it all in successfully! You truly have some wonders to come.Thanks also for your good wishes.
!! "three successive years" !!
My hat is off to your good taste and endurance.
Oh man, in 2016 is was northern Europe.
Nice.
Then came 2 weeks in China (Long, long plane flight!)
then 2 weeks Thailand (again Long, long plane flight!)
And now this, by way of layover in Dubai, made
worse by avoiding straight line flight because
now we have to avoid Russia & Ukraine's airspace,
I really doubt, no matter how wonderful the places
are, that I will want to do this trip a year later.
The Sinai
and Jordan
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote:
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:23:12 +1000, SolomonW <SolomonW@citi.com>
wrote:
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
Is that the river or the country?
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
Is that the river or the country?
Ah, the river, if you have not seen it, it will be a terrible
disappointment when you do now. Most of the water is drained out now for >agriculture.
On Fri, 15 Apr 2022 11:09:49 +1000, SolomonW <SolomonW@citi.com>
wrote:
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
Is that the river or the country?
Ah, the river, if you have not seen it, it will be a terrible >>disappointment when you do now. Most of the water is drained out now for >>agriculture.
I knew one priest who was there during a drought and claimed you
didn't have to be divine to 'walk on water' - is it that bad?
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote:
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
On 4/14/2022 3:40 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote:
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?After an unexpected delay, we just got home.
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
Yes we went to Mount Sinai.
Just spectacular scenery and geologic formations.
Both I and my wife chose not to climb it
because it would have been in late afternoon
and descend in the dark.
Also, plenty earlier walking, and bus travel
had already depleted hydration and swollen
the feet.
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 16:32:51 -0700, The Horny Goat wrote:
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 19:23:12 +1000, SolomonW <SolomonW@citi.com>
wrote:
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
Is that the river or the country?
Ah, the river, if you have not seen it, it will be a terrible
disappointment when you do now. Most of the water is drained out now for agriculture.
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 11:23:49 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:
On 4/14/2022 3:40 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote:After an unexpected delay, we just got home.
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
Yes we went to Mount Sinai.
Just spectacular scenery and geologic formations.
Both I and my wife chose not to climb it
because it would have been in late afternoon
and descend in the dark.
Also, plenty earlier walking, and bus travel
had already depleted hydration and swollen
the feet.
Yep, something else, ain't it!
I would have loved to have spent more time at the monastery on the several occasions we've passed through that area - but without those coach crowds!
Worse - I hear there's a xxxxxxxx air strip there now, built since our last visit - correct?
We always trekked the Sinai (camel, not foot!) - just always seemed far more appropriate and meaningful for some reason.
On 5/12/2022 12:33 AM, Surreyman wrote:no-pi0-ya328-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352!5m1!1e4
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 11:23:49 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:
On 4/14/2022 3:40 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote:After an unexpected delay, we just got home.
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
Yes we went to Mount Sinai.
Just spectacular scenery and geologic formations.
Both I and my wife chose not to climb it
because it would have been in late afternoon
and descend in the dark.
Also, plenty earlier walking, and bus travel
had already depleted hydration and swollen
the feet.
Yep, something else, ain't it!Due to Covid, nobody was being allowed in.
I would have loved to have spent more time at the monastery on the several occasions we've passed through that area - but without those coach crowds!
We just saw it from the outside.
You can view it on Google Maps,
st. catherine's monastery sinai
Worse - I hear there's a xxxxxxxx air strip there now, built since our last visit - correct?No airstrip visible close by.
Go ahead and check it out for yourself on Google maps satellite view.
Oh,, well maybe -
St. Catherine International Airport (SKV)
Airport
but that is around 5 miles away.
Plenty of motel or residential building going on.
Try viewing this https://www.google.com/maps/@28.5493131,33.9519788,3a,75y,180h,105.48t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO0Jx8pCFwdHFo74gc0npGbi_MNOgBhDhUTIlJj!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO0Jx8pCFwdHFo74gc0npGbi_MNOgBhDhUTIlJj%3Dw203-h100-k-
Plenty of road block security heavy check points.
I swear if it was not for all the terror threats,
Egyptian employment would drop 20 %.
The idea of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood
just got our tour guide livid.
We always trekked the Sinai (camel, not foot!) - just always seemed far more appropriate and meaningful for some reason.Sounds neat. Personally, I did not care for the
short rides I had.
On Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 8:29:11 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:no-pi0-ya328-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352!5m1!1e4
On 5/12/2022 12:33 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 11:23:49 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:Due to Covid, nobody was being allowed in.
On 4/14/2022 3:40 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote:After an unexpected delay, we just got home.
On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
Yes we went to Mount Sinai.
Just spectacular scenery and geologic formations.
Both I and my wife chose not to climb it
because it would have been in late afternoon
and descend in the dark.
Also, plenty earlier walking, and bus travel
had already depleted hydration and swollen
the feet.
Yep, something else, ain't it!
I would have loved to have spent more time at the monastery on the several occasions we've passed through that area - but without those coach crowds!
We just saw it from the outside.
You can view it on Google Maps,
st. catherine's monastery sinai
Worse - I hear there's a xxxxxxxx air strip there now, built since our last visit - correct?No airstrip visible close by.
Go ahead and check it out for yourself on Google maps satellite view.
Oh,, well maybe -
St. Catherine International Airport (SKV)
Airport
but that is around 5 miles away.
Plenty of motel or residential building going on.
Try viewing this
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.5493131,33.9519788,3a,75y,180h,105.48t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO0Jx8pCFwdHFo74gc0npGbi_MNOgBhDhUTIlJj!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO0Jx8pCFwdHFo74gc0npGbi_MNOgBhDhUTIlJj%3Dw203-h100-k-
Plenty of road block security heavy check points.
I swear if it was not for all the terror threats,
Egyptian employment would drop 20 %.
The idea of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood
just got our tour guide livid.
We always trekked the Sinai (camel, not foot!) - just always seemed far more appropriate and meaningful for some reason.Sounds neat. Personally, I did not care for the
short rides I had.
Thanks so much for your remarks.
Good God, it sounds like a world removed since we were last there - but that was the '90s!
We were always allowed in, but only tried once, and the heaving masses (literally) completely repelled us!
Motel and residential building? The whole area for some distance used to be pure desert apart from the (relatively new) tarmac road. Sounds horrible.
Re security, we loved the sign we saw somewhere in the Sinai saying "Please place found mines in box" !!!!!
We loved camel trekking. Our notable one was following Lawrence's (supposed!) route from Aqaba to Suez.
We always had in mind the mammoth (50-day) trek from Morocco to Timbuctu, but politics and age overtook us!
Sorry to carry on, but you've hit one of my buttons! :-))
The idea of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood
just got our tour guide livid.
On 5/13/2022 12:06 AM, Surreyman wrote:k-no-pi0-ya328-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352!5m1!1e4
On Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 8:29:11 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:
On 5/12/2022 12:33 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at 11:23:49 PM UTC+1, a425couple wrote:Due to Covid, nobody was being allowed in.
On 4/14/2022 3:40 AM, Surreyman wrote:
On Thursday, April 14, 2022 at 10:23:15 AM UTC+1, SolomonW wrote: >>>>>> On Thu, 14 Apr 2022 00:11:06 -0700 (PDT), Surreyman wrote:After an unexpected delay, we just got home.
The Sinai
Did not impress me much.
and Jordan
Its high on my todo list.
The south/central Sinai has glorious desert scenery inland if you're with people who know where to go - including around Mount Sinai itself & St. Catherine's Monastery which must themselves attract as well as for the scenery?
Agreed that the northern areas are relatively uninteresting.
Yes we went to Mount Sinai.
Just spectacular scenery and geologic formations.
Both I and my wife chose not to climb it
because it would have been in late afternoon
and descend in the dark.
Also, plenty earlier walking, and bus travel
had already depleted hydration and swollen
the feet.
Yep, something else, ain't it!
I would have loved to have spent more time at the monastery on the several occasions we've passed through that area - but without those coach crowds!
We just saw it from the outside.
You can view it on Google Maps,
st. catherine's monastery sinai
Worse - I hear there's a xxxxxxxx air strip there now, built since our last visit - correct?No airstrip visible close by.
Go ahead and check it out for yourself on Google maps satellite view.
Oh,, well maybe -
St. Catherine International Airport (SKV)
Airport
but that is around 5 miles away.
Plenty of motel or residential building going on.
Try viewing this
https://www.google.com/maps/@28.5493131,33.9519788,3a,75y,180h,105.48t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO0Jx8pCFwdHFo74gc0npGbi_MNOgBhDhUTIlJj!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO0Jx8pCFwdHFo74gc0npGbi_MNOgBhDhUTIlJj%3Dw203-h100-
Plenty of road block security heavy check points.
I swear if it was not for all the terror threats,
Egyptian employment would drop 20 %.
The idea of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood
just got our tour guide livid.
We always trekked the Sinai (camel, not foot!) - just always seemed far more appropriate and meaningful for some reason.Sounds neat. Personally, I did not care for the
short rides I had.
Thanks so much for your remarks.
Good God, it sounds like a world removed since we were last there - but that was the '90s!
We were always allowed in, but only tried once, and the heaving masses (literally) completely repelled us!
Motel and residential building? The whole area for some distance used to be pure desert apart from the (relatively new) tarmac road. Sounds horrible.
Re security, we loved the sign we saw somewhere in the Sinai saying "Please place found mines in box" !!!!!
We loved camel trekking. Our notable one was following Lawrence's (supposed!) route from Aqaba to Suez.
We always had in mind the mammoth (50-day) trek from Morocco to Timbuctu, but politics and age overtook us!
Sorry to carry on, but you've hit one of my buttons! :-))
Go ahead and "carry on" all you want to my friend.
The newsgroups have gotten either very thin,
or very thick and gibberish.
We have a right to visit and reminisce if we wish to,
and have the energy and attention span.
Our tour guide was a Muslim who nearly had a PhD
in comparative religions. Quite open especially to Coptics.
Very pro Camp David
I had "Shifting Sands" in which one Egyptian authorThe idea of the terrorist Muslim Brotherhood
just got our tour guide livid.
bemoaned the fact the Egyptian military failed
at it's 'assigned' task, destroying Israel, and
'sadly' then turned to suppressing the populace
and prohibited democracy.
The guide's views were so strong, we did not get
to any discussion of military denying democracy.
He very strongly believed the military saved the
country by kicking out Morsi and keeping the
Muslim Brotherhood under firm observation.
I used to think 'democracy' was the best thing ever.
Now, I'm not convinced that we should fight to
spread it.
Afghanistain would tend to show,, not worth it.
Egypt's President Morsi (2012–2013) is also scary.
Who would win an election in Russia?
Who would win an election in Iran?
Who would win an election in Venezuela?
Egypt's President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi may not
have been elected by a citizen majority,,
but at least so far seems to be striving for
peace and spreading progress for most citizens.
By the way, the first several days it was just
my wife, I, our guide, and a driver, with out
assigned security. After about 10 more had joined
and we used a real bus, we had an Egyptian plain
close officer in the bus, and always one or two
guard vehicles.
Almost always one 'guard' vehicle was a police
4 door pick-up with canopy over rear end.
Back 'tailgate' had an opening with always one
officer with an automatic weapon pointing out
the slit in the window. Always driver, passenger,
and two officers in rear.
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