""""Sharm el sheikh-Dahab... What a beautiful place!""""
Yeah...if you like to see Egyptians running about in Lederhosen!
Friday, October 5, 2007
My stay with the Berbers in the Toubkal Mountains
My 4 month stay with the Berbers in the village of Imzik, in the Toubkal Mountains, was filled with drama, anger, frustration and pain...but also love and laughter.
They are Muslims. I am not. Yet they welcomed me with incredible generosity and warmth and treated me with almost embarrassing kindness. I say "embarrassing kindness" because I had moments where I flipped out and I'm surprised they didn't throw me out.
On my way home I visited friends and family in Strasbourg and Frysland as well as here in New York. It's a reminder of how short life is, not to sound maudlin but it's a fact. As diseases creep in, with a minimum of notice, suddenly you look around and find near and dear people falling through cracks, fighting for their lives, or deep in hostile paranoia. When you only see the people you love every so often, changes are large and remind you of the time you haven't spent together, as entire important chunks of people's lives pass by while you're occupied elsewhere.
But it's time to go again. That old restlessness is a pang in my solar plexus, my mind is mental mush, and snaps to attention only when far away concerns shout.
I am planning to return to Africa or the Middle East. I think we don't get to choose the places that feel like home...that feeling just might hit you anywhere. I can't figure it out...it makes no sense at all.
They are Muslims. I am not. Yet they welcomed me with incredible generosity and warmth and treated me with almost embarrassing kindness. I say "embarrassing kindness" because I had moments where I flipped out and I'm surprised they didn't throw me out.
On my way home I visited friends and family in Strasbourg and Frysland as well as here in New York. It's a reminder of how short life is, not to sound maudlin but it's a fact. As diseases creep in, with a minimum of notice, suddenly you look around and find near and dear people falling through cracks, fighting for their lives, or deep in hostile paranoia. When you only see the people you love every so often, changes are large and remind you of the time you haven't spent together, as entire important chunks of people's lives pass by while you're occupied elsewhere.
But it's time to go again. That old restlessness is a pang in my solar plexus, my mind is mental mush, and snaps to attention only when far away concerns shout.
I am planning to return to Africa or the Middle East. I think we don't get to choose the places that feel like home...that feeling just might hit you anywhere. I can't figure it out...it makes no sense at all.
Sinai and Wagar
Wagar wrote: "I had read that the Bedouins in the Sinai are desperate for help with their young people, who allegedly are guilty of bombing resorts, smuggling and causing violence. "
I have been with the Bedouins. I pitched my tent with them. I shared meals with them. I rode a friecken camel (I don't like those beasts) with them through the desert where some places remain a law unto themselves...even today. And yes it did occur to me that my life was in the Bedouins hands and my ass was at the camels mercy. I'm here to tell you that the Bedouins are a kind and generous people but the camel can go and take a hike on the new highway!
"are guilty of smuggling"LOOOOOOOOOoooooooL NOOoooooooo! Not the Bedouins. My mother smuggles for goodness sakes. Every little old lady standing in a post office line in Europe smuggles. Anything from chocolate, to new clothing, to banned books, and who knows???????
"allegedly are guilty of bombing resorts, smuggling and causing violence" NO! It's the Russian mafia! It's the Luristan thugs! :P :lol:
For the Bedouins who live in the desert everyday survival takes up all their time. Bombing resorts is extremely time consuming. But the most important point: Tourism, resorts, hotels, diving centers, are bringing income to the Bedouins. They may be illiterate by western standards but being hunters they know a good thing when they smell it.
"Destruction of natural resources and littering is a world-wide problem."
"Mt. Everest is littered with the trash."
"outer space with all sorts of metal objects floating around"
Wagar...I have read your posts and you sound like an intelligent educated person. But to compare the destruction of natural resources with littering is down right ignoramus. To compare Mt. Everest and outer space with the health hazzards of the Sinai with a human population I suppose is due to inexperience and lack of knowledge.
"Over-population is the number one problem in my view"
I agree. The tourist population in the Sinai continues to swell with an infrastructure that has not kept up with development. Ok! I'm feeling a brain drain coming on. In short:
Sinai...add an over-populated tourist industry... mix sewage with water...add desert winds and you will come up with sands polluted by garbage and sewage waste. Enter Dr. Waheed Halim Doss!
"You reep what you sow" (is that from the Bible?)
I have been with the Bedouins. I pitched my tent with them. I shared meals with them. I rode a friecken camel (I don't like those beasts) with them through the desert where some places remain a law unto themselves...even today. And yes it did occur to me that my life was in the Bedouins hands and my ass was at the camels mercy. I'm here to tell you that the Bedouins are a kind and generous people but the camel can go and take a hike on the new highway!
"are guilty of smuggling"LOOOOOOOOOoooooooL NOOoooooooo! Not the Bedouins. My mother smuggles for goodness sakes. Every little old lady standing in a post office line in Europe smuggles. Anything from chocolate, to new clothing, to banned books, and who knows???????
"allegedly are guilty of bombing resorts, smuggling and causing violence" NO! It's the Russian mafia! It's the Luristan thugs! :P :lol:
For the Bedouins who live in the desert everyday survival takes up all their time. Bombing resorts is extremely time consuming. But the most important point: Tourism, resorts, hotels, diving centers, are bringing income to the Bedouins. They may be illiterate by western standards but being hunters they know a good thing when they smell it.
"Destruction of natural resources and littering is a world-wide problem."
"Mt. Everest is littered with the trash."
"outer space with all sorts of metal objects floating around"
Wagar...I have read your posts and you sound like an intelligent educated person. But to compare the destruction of natural resources with littering is down right ignoramus. To compare Mt. Everest and outer space with the health hazzards of the Sinai with a human population I suppose is due to inexperience and lack of knowledge.
"Over-population is the number one problem in my view"
I agree. The tourist population in the Sinai continues to swell with an infrastructure that has not kept up with development. Ok! I'm feeling a brain drain coming on. In short:
Sinai...add an over-populated tourist industry... mix sewage with water...add desert winds and you will come up with sands polluted by garbage and sewage waste. Enter Dr. Waheed Halim Doss!
"You reep what you sow" (is that from the Bible?)
I'm on to you Wagar;-)
Sunday, September 16, 2007
This took for friecken EVER
A friend of mine (who shall remain nameless;-) send me this...
"""Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out."""
What in goodness name is that suppose to mean? That's like the latest "Responsible Travel." Is someone suggesting that I'm traveling "Irresponsibly?"
"Be a better Globetrotter. Get the answers from someone who knows." LOOOOoooooooooooL
Here are a few of my globerotting experiences...
Memories of Checkpoints in Yemen:
Waiting ten days for travel permits from the Minister of Defense. Explanation? "We need a green light. The Minister has not arrived in his office. The Minister has not arrived at his home. The Minister is at home, but he is not answering his phone." Finally..."no one can find the Minister of Defense." End result: permits are signed by the acting director.
Checkpoint day one:
A large sun baked space of nothingness. Broken stone huts and caved in army tents buried half way with sand. Ruined trucks and dismantled cars. Mountains of trash. Soldiers in ragged uniforms nursing their sub-machine guns. The road is choked with lorries, oil trucks, taxis, bad tempers, and fear of getting stuck in a nightmare. Hallo Yahoo!!!! Please tell me O wise one what would you do?
Checkpoint day two:
Soldiers surround our Land Rover. Hamdi, our Bedouin driver, disappears into the military tents. Bad news: we need a military escort and none are available. A soldier explains: "sorry, but we do not have enough guns or bullets." Permits are taken away.
Checkpoint day three:
The Land Rover was not a tourist car but a business one. Permits are taken away. Hamdi gets a splitting headache. I give him one of my pain pills and just for precaution I take one.
Checkpoint day four:
Hamdi is asked into the tent where he has to answer the soldiers questions all over again. Bad news: the written dates on the permits are wrong. Permits are taken away again. On the way back to Sana'a the exhaust pipe collapses and is mended with my bandages. Hamdi wants to go and chew quat and I take a Zanax. I also demand to see the Minister of whatever who signed the permits. He agreed to see me in his office. I show him the permission papers with stamps and signatures. He looks at the paper and nods his head, "yes yes you have permission. But please tell me...what does permission mean to you?"
Now I don't know what the above experienced Globetrotter advise would be. Here is mine. Logic and efficiency has no meaning here. Period! The only thing that will save you is a speedy psychological adjustment. Failure to achieve this attitude adjustment will expose westerners to real dangers: a nervous breakdown, a freak out, a need for heavy sedation, or temporary dementia. I opted for the sedation...waited a week and hired someone who knew his way around without permits. We traveled via the smuggling route. And we had a blast. That's what I call a real Globetrotter experience. I'll try to post a picture of him. Oyvee...bad idea. LOOOL
"""Be a better Globetrotter. Get better travel answers from someone who knows. Yahoo! Answers - Check it out."""
What in goodness name is that suppose to mean? That's like the latest "Responsible Travel." Is someone suggesting that I'm traveling "Irresponsibly?"
"Be a better Globetrotter. Get the answers from someone who knows." LOOOOoooooooooooL
Here are a few of my globerotting experiences...
Memories of Checkpoints in Yemen:
Waiting ten days for travel permits from the Minister of Defense. Explanation? "We need a green light. The Minister has not arrived in his office. The Minister has not arrived at his home. The Minister is at home, but he is not answering his phone." Finally..."no one can find the Minister of Defense." End result: permits are signed by the acting director.
Checkpoint day one:
A large sun baked space of nothingness. Broken stone huts and caved in army tents buried half way with sand. Ruined trucks and dismantled cars. Mountains of trash. Soldiers in ragged uniforms nursing their sub-machine guns. The road is choked with lorries, oil trucks, taxis, bad tempers, and fear of getting stuck in a nightmare. Hallo Yahoo!!!! Please tell me O wise one what would you do?
Checkpoint day two:
Soldiers surround our Land Rover. Hamdi, our Bedouin driver, disappears into the military tents. Bad news: we need a military escort and none are available. A soldier explains: "sorry, but we do not have enough guns or bullets." Permits are taken away.
Checkpoint day three:
The Land Rover was not a tourist car but a business one. Permits are taken away. Hamdi gets a splitting headache. I give him one of my pain pills and just for precaution I take one.
Checkpoint day four:
Hamdi is asked into the tent where he has to answer the soldiers questions all over again. Bad news: the written dates on the permits are wrong. Permits are taken away again. On the way back to Sana'a the exhaust pipe collapses and is mended with my bandages. Hamdi wants to go and chew quat and I take a Zanax. I also demand to see the Minister of whatever who signed the permits. He agreed to see me in his office. I show him the permission papers with stamps and signatures. He looks at the paper and nods his head, "yes yes you have permission. But please tell me...what does permission mean to you?"
Now I don't know what the above experienced Globetrotter advise would be. Here is mine. Logic and efficiency has no meaning here. Period! The only thing that will save you is a speedy psychological adjustment. Failure to achieve this attitude adjustment will expose westerners to real dangers: a nervous breakdown, a freak out, a need for heavy sedation, or temporary dementia. I opted for the sedation...waited a week and hired someone who knew his way around without permits. We traveled via the smuggling route. And we had a blast. That's what I call a real Globetrotter experience. I'll try to post a picture of him. Oyvee...bad idea. LOOOL
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