Tagged With "Middle Eastern"
Comment
Re: Sweden jumps into night-train market
My Amtrak night bedroom trips were all up and down the eastern USA mid and south Atlantic.
Comment
Re: So, what’s it worth ?
No one spins a travel yarn quite like Robert Cranwell! Enjoyed this one. Podcast is worth listening to as well, everyone.
Comment
Re: So, what’s it worth ?
A familiar story when travelling in those countries we know little of. But the eagerness of the Police to put it right was assuring to others that follow. Perhaps we're not that well advanced. An interesting story and educational too.
Comment
Re: Hurricane cancels hundreds of flights, cruises
Because the Hurricane went further to the east than expected - my friends in eastern Cuba in the Holguin area told me that Matthew was just wet and windy. He wreaked none of the havoc he had promised.
Comment
Re: The "Eiffel Tour" Only Starts with the Tour Eiffel
Brunel has fascinated me since reading a book on the Great Eastern, an unlucky ship he designed. Perhaps someday I can find time to post about his work...unless I hear a volunteer? Thanks!
Comment
Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? 7.8 update
I think I'm going to stick with my original guess of a platypus in Australia. If the little critter is near it's natural habitat then I could guess eastern Australia, New South Wales?
Comment
Re: Idaho's Craters of the Moon National Monument
Thanks for reading the piece and for your comment, GarryRF! The "Yellowstone" hot spot has migrated over the past thousands of years from eastern Oregon, across southern Idaho and now sits right under Yellowstone National Park. Actually the hot spot hasn't move at all, the earth's places move away from the hot spot, but it's just another way of thinking about it. I'd be careful about being around an active volcano but don't mind hanging around places like this or much of the Hawaiian...
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Mar.4th 2014: Dubai Water Taxi
It's a great image, Islandman! I really enjoy photos of people going about their every day lives in different locations about the world, a reminder to me how much more alike we all are than different. This photo is made more interesting by their obviously ethnic diversity -- people who have come to Dubai for a good job and to improve their lot in life. The contrast of the old wooden taxi and modern skyscrapers in the background is great!
Comment
Re: Good news, bad news on UNESCO's world heritage
I enjoy traveling to UNESCO sites because most of them are very interesting destinations. I even know of some travelers whose goal it is to see "every" UNESCO listing. Good luck to them! I really think UNESCO is doing it's job by identifying important places and encouraging their conservation. I shudder at the thought of a global UNESCO police swooping in to "defend" these sites. It's up to the countries that govern them to do so. Some do a great job; others don't. Some citizens care, others...
Comment
Re: Wandering In and Around Split
Thanks for this! A real reminder of how artificial our categories (Eastern Europe, Western Europe, Mediterranean, etc.) seem when we see how much in common they share!
Comment
Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day: May 11, 2014: Brasov, Romania
A classic Eastern European image....good one, Andre
Comment
Re: Krumlov Castle, Český Krumlov, Czech Republic. Where Gumbo was #68
Cesky Krumlov like many of the cities behind the old "iron Curtain" seem to be frozen in time. I'm glad I visited eastern Europe before the arrival of McRonalds appeared on street corners. The Czech Republic has produced excellent cars for 50 years but was starved of cash by Moscow for many years. But it's just now become one of the top producers in Europe.
Comment
Re: Is it time to regulate airplane seats? Chris Elliott thinks so!
This debate seems to accept that the profit margins of Trans-Atlantic Flights are squeezed by costs outside the carriers control. The only solution they have is squeeze more seats in to control income. Last month I paid £759 ($1245) for 1 seat UK to Philadelphia - Return - with an American Airline. 7 hours in the sky. Each way. My £759 will also get me a flight to the Caribbean from the UK. 10 hours in the sky. 14 nights in a hotel. Food and drink included. And flight back. The Caribbean...
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#71)
When I first saw this I thought China or SE Asia. But the kegs are a good spot. There's grafitti too. Eastern Europe?
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? #86
I don't know why, but I am getting an eastern Europe fell - like Prague
Comment
Re: A Visit to Saudi Arabia: Part II
Very interesting two posts. They bring back memories of visits to Dharan and the Eastern Province in the 1990s.
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#84)
This is going to be interesting.... At 7 pm Eastern, I will post the two e-mail guesses....and tomorrow, the Reveal!
Comment
Re: Florida warned: take action against future flooding
Not in disagreement at all Paul. Just a mention that climate change is not all bad news. And an option to some folks that wonder where all that melted ice is going to. It's been another winter when the Jet Stream has kept the UK warm and the Eastern States frozen. So there's a lot more water to come down from the Ice Cap yet !
Comment
Re: Visiting Erupting Mount Etna
We were there in 2014 and it was one of the most interesting days to walk around this area. We had no idea the volcano had so many side vents. We did not purchase the guided tour on the big tire vehicle, but were very impressed, nonetheless. We stayed in Taormina for a week and took day trips to various locations in the eastern part of the island. One place we spent an afternoon was a mountain to town with my last name. It was very cool. This place does not see many travelers and everywhere...
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#134)
The vegetation looks like something from the far north. Perhaps from your trip to Norway? Maybe even eastern Canada. I'm not sure.
Comment
Re: Walking the Burgundy Canal
I received Melinda's newsletter this afternoon (she of ILoveWalkinginFrance.com ), and she confirms what I mentioned above about the down side of trying to follow French paths. "... I backtracked and turned right, thinking that walking around an island would be fairly straightforward. That path ended soon after, at the end of the port, so I backtracked again and followed another path which would join the coastal path at the eastern side of the island. It did, but was so badly marked that I...
Comment
Re: Georgia on my Mind
Hi Dr Fumblefinger, I hope all is well - any trips planned? I have started a new blog focusing on train travel overseas. This is mainly about my 200+ overseas journeys but also will feature other train related topical posts. I would like to pen an article for Travel Gumbo and thought about doing it on one of my Eastern European tours such as Budapest - Bucharest - Chisinau - Odessa - Sevastopol - Lviv - Kiev or Zagreb - Split - Sarajevo - Belgrade - Sofia - Veliko Tărnovo. What do you think?
Comment
Re: Name Your Favorite Restaurants for Atmosphere, Past or Present
That sounds like a great meal, PortMoresby! Thanks for sharing with us. I'm curious about the fern dish. Were they the young coiled ferns just budding from the ground (known as "fiddleheads" in eastern Canada), or were they the more mature plant? It's pretty rare for a restaurant to serve fern in my experience.
Comment
Re: Pesuta Shipwreck, Naikoon Provincial Park, Haida-Gwaii, British Columbia
The glass floats tend to wash up on the west (windward) side of the Pacific. This hike was on the leeward (eastern) side, where these floats tend not to come. But there were a gazillion trees, like these.
Comment
Re: "Eastern Airlines" to fly again!
And will they have Frank Borman and the "Wings of Man" slogan, I wonder? I don't know if they'll find that name so useful...it implies a regional service when most others have shed "local" identities for names that imply bigger or more abstract, and the number of people with fond memories of Eastern (which has been gone a quarter of a century) is probably not a strong factor for them.
Comment
Re: "Eastern Airlines" to fly again!
Southwest has done pretty well while retaining it's regional identity. I think reviving "Eastern" would be a smart move, a reminder to some of when air travel was an adventure and something to look forward to. Maybe they'll even revive some of the things that made it so - room for legs, free checked bags and food fit to eat. And maybe I'm dreaming.
Comment
Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I
Wow! Thanks for this fascinating contribution, Lestertheinvestor. I was exhausted just from reading the directions for applying for the visa. It is quite obvious that Saudi Arabia doesn't want infidels visiting them. A few questions you might know the answer to: 1) Is the process stream-lined for a Muslim wanting to go to Mecca, and what kind of proof do they need to have that they're a Muslim? 2) Do you have any rough idea how many hours you spent on this process? Ball-park guess would do.
Comment
Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I
1) The process is easier for a Muslim who is going on a hajj. However, unless you are native born, you must present a document from the Imam of your mosque documenting your status as a Muslim in good standing. For a Caucasian woman who is a converted Muslim, you must still get permission from your husband or a male relative, along with the letter from the mosque to allow you to make the hajj. 2) Between my wife and I (she actually presented our documents each time to the consulate in Los...
Comment
Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I
What a bureaucratic nightmare! I wonder if there are countries that make it harder to visit than this one?
Comment
Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I
Originally Posted by Travel Luver: What a bureaucratic nightmare! I wonder if there are countries that make it harder to visit than this one? My wife and I have visited 119 countries, with China, Bhutan and Saudi Arabia the most challenging to enter.
Comment
Re: A visit to Saudi Arabia: Part I
My husband and I were invited to live there for two years while he did a medical fellowship in genetics. The challenge for me was that I am a very independent traveler, and I could not imagine how I would deal with the restrictions on women. In the end, those restrictions influenced our decision to go to Germany for two years instead. However, after having seen your photos, I am curious to see more. I regret that I do not know this part of the world.
Comment
Re: Finding Reiner #6: Frozen Grave
Very powerful. I keep thinking of that local man's mothers story and it's similar to stories I've heard from some ,in the the WW2 generation living in Eastern Europe ,about the Russian Army of WW2.
Comment
Re: Chinese Airlines Looking for Bigger Share of Int'l Service
I have, indeed, noticed that Chinese airlines (China Eastern, China Southern) that I've used domestically or from other Asian countries to China, appearing on fare searches lately, usually with very competitive fares. I intend to pay closer attention. Thanks P.
Comment
Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo? (#63)
I see hands on a baseball bat and that the stands are for a person to climb and put their hand next. If that's true, then it seems too humorous for Eastern Europe. Maybe Cuba? Also, if it's to be climbed the fact that there aren't several handrails or safety devices, seems to mean it's not in the US. - Lynn
Comment
Re: Canada's Westjet enters Trans-Atlantic market
Westjet has been promoting this to its frequent flyer members (like yours truly) for months now. They have extensive routes in North America, including Mexico and the Caribbean, but this is a big change in their business model. I'm not sure if this will work well, though. Westjet only flies Boeing 737s (much like Southwest, for example). That transatlantic journey is a long and uncomfortable one to make in a single aisle aircraft. In contrast, Air Canada, the other major Canadian airline,...
Comment
Re: Walking in England: The Kennet & Avon Canal
I've enjoyed canoeing and walking on some of our eastern canals (Chesapeake and Potomac, Delaware and a couple of others) but unfortunately we don't seem to have kept serious stretches in shape for either shipping or recreation as has happened in England and France...too bad for us! Looks like a lovely walk...
Comment
Re: Gumbo's World: The Exiled Statues of Budapest
Altough the Soviet Union liberated Eastern Europe from fascism, it brought along another yoke, that of communism. The implication being that nothing had basically changed because of that liberation. "History is always written by the Victor"
Comment
Re: Tourists love Florida!
Canada's population is about 35 million total, so if all 26.7 million visitors to Florida were from Canada, that would mean there'd be nobody left to shovel all that snow! Kidding aside, Canadians love to travel, especially in the winter. Florida is popular, especially with those in the eastern part of the country. Canadians living out west are much more likely to go to Arizona, Palm Springs, Mexico or Hawaii. I don't know where the national breakdown is, but lots of Europeans like to bring...
Blog Post
Throwback: Eastern Airlines Returns to Miami
Friday, Eastern welcomed its first aircraft to Miami International Airport. It's the first of 20 new Boeing 737s Eastern has for its return. The Airline is hoping to start charter flights in the second quarter, but no dates or routes are set....
Blog Post
Saguenay Fjord — Deep and Long but not very Tall
I’d heard as a schoolboy that the Saguenay Fjord was one of the longest in the world. Years later someone told me the area around Tadoussac was pretty, sparsely developed and inviting. Given a spare day or...
Blog Post
Ottawa – NOT the coldest Capital in the world!
Ottawa is a vibrant and charming small city — so pleasant that it’s hard to believe it’s home to soooo many politicians. Of the national capitals I've visited, Ottawa seems the most livable to me (ie. if...
Blog Post
A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
I remember being in Wales several times and looking across the sea to the west, thinking that I needed to get to Ireland. Well I finally made it, completing this journey with my brother on our annual "getaway trip"! It was a trip we really...
Blog Post
Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 23, 2013: Sunset, Banff National Park, Alberta
(Sunset over Mt. Rundle and Canmore, Banff National Park) It's sweet to be in just the right place at just the right time! The Canadian Rockies are known for their beautiful rugged peaks, hanging glaciers, turquoise lakes and...
Blog Post
Dry Falls – Home of The World’s Largest Waterfall!
Imagine a waterfall with a precipice over three and a half miles (5.5 km) long and a drop of over 400 feet (120 m)! By comparison, Niagara Falls is about 1/10th as wide. Think of the millions of gallons of water pouring over it each...
Blog Post
Can it be ?? smart airlines are upping Economy Class
Responding to pressure from Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, it seems that European and American airlines are starting to pay more (?some) attention to those passengers in their Economy cabins. Seems they are finally realizing that small...
Blog Post
The North Cascades: a National Park and Scenic Highway
The North Cascades Highway (Washington SR-20) offers the northern most route across the Cascade range in Washington state, just south of the Canadian border. The eastern (and highest) part of the road is...
Blog Post
Washington state's Wild Horses Monument & Gingko Petrified Forest
The Columbia River is one of the most interesting and beautiful geographic features of the Inland Northwest, from its headwaters in British Columbia to the dramatic Gorge just east of Portland, Oregon. When...
Blog Post
Where are Americans going? NYTimes has lists...
This week's NY Times travel section has compiled data from several sources for a Travel section article. Some surprises...some not. 1. The most popular domestic trips...California, Texas, Florida, New York 2. International...by a huge margin, Mexico...
Blog Post
Punalu'u Black Sand Beach Park, Hawaii Island, Hawaii
I love visiting the state of Hawaii. Although I have enjoyed all the Hawaiian islands I have visited (Oahu, Kauai, and Hawaii Island), my favorite island would be Hawaii Island (aka the Big Island). The diversity of the Hawaii...