TravelStream™ news feed for member bunnyluv1969 on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/bunnyluv1969 en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:46:29 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230842520/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230842520/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230842520/tpod.html Thu, 01 Jan 2009 15:46:29 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada

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I made it home safe minus my luggage which got lost somewhere between Tel-Aviv and Toronto, I have my suspicions that the Hamas made have stolen it and sold my Turkish carpets in order to finance their war effort against the Israelis but who really knows. I just wanted to thank everyone for reading my blog, it was fun sharing my pictures and stories with everyone. I will definately blog again when I take my next adventure to who knows where. Till then!

Take Care
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230584280/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230584280/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230584280/tpod.html Mon, 29 Dec 2008 16:55:24 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Tel Aviv, Israel

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The Middle East is back at it again and it felt like time for me to go home on the next available plane. The news reports show images of Israel bombing the Gaza strip and the reservists being called out for a possible ground strike. Aside from the helicopters in the sky and the large number of Israeli soldiers around the bus station, there are no signs of war in Tel Aviv...just a bunch of tourists hanging out on the beach.

Yesterday I walked to the Air Canada office in Azrieli Center, a huge modern office/shopping tower complex. I asked the lady at the desk if I could change my ticket to leave from Israel and hopefully make it home in the next few days. She checked her computer and informed me that all the flights were booked right up to the 12th of January. She tried a number of different options but things were not looking good for me. I started contemplating perhaps going to Egypt for a few weeks and fly home from there when suddenly the lady told me she found me a flight home on New Year's Eve. There was one seat left on the plane - it must have been waiting for me. I am happy to report that my big adventure will be over on New Years Eve and I will be arriving at the Kamloops Airport at 11pm just in time to spend the last day of 2008 with my wonderful family and my rabbit Jack.

Hope to see you all soon
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230412980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230412980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230412980/tpod.html Sun, 28 Dec 2008 15:50:38 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Tel Aviv, Israel

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I learned something new today; I had no idea that the Jewish holy day was Saturday and is called the Shabbat. The Muslim holy day is Friday and the Christians have Sunday - if we all lived in the same country every weekend would be a long weekend - how cool is that?
The Shabbat starts at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday and during that time Jewish people are not supposed to work, write, drive and a number of other things. I walked around Jerusalem today and was surprised at how empty it was, everything in the new city was closed except for McDonalds. I was going to leave for Tel Aviv first thing in the morning but because of the Shabbat the buses were not running but luckily the check out time for my hotel was also extended until sunset. I spent some of the day wandering around the old city and was greeted by a number of different Jewish people celebrating the holy day. Some young men who were handing out celebratory drinks came up to me and asked me if I was Jewish. I said that I was Canadian. Then they asked what my religion was and I replied that I did not have one. When asked again if I was Jewish I said maybe, I am not sure. One of the young men decided to give me a test to determine whether or not I was Jewish. He asked me if my mother was Jewish and I said no. He said that if my mother was not Jewish than neither am I. So know I know - I am not a Jew.
When the sun started to go down, I took a cab to the bus station to catch a bus to Tel Aviv. The station was still closed and lots of people were starting to gather in front of the doors for it to open. I noticed a large number of Israeli soldiers all carrying huge automatic weapons also gathering in front of the station and assumed they were going back to their bases after the weekend.
The sun went down and it was getting dark and they were still not opening the station. I asked some of the people standing around when the Shabbat ended and they said at sundown and then I asked who was in charge of determining when the sun went down and they did not know. As far as I was concerned, the sun was down and the station should open but that was not happening. It seemed like a bit of a sketchy system this whole Shabbat thing. When was it going to end? Did the Rabbi have to leave the Synagogue and not see his shadow before work could resume? Before my mind was able to come up with anymore dumb thoughts the doors opened and we went through security. In Israel you have to go through security to get into almost every building.
In no time I was standing in a busy Tel Aviv bus station that was teeming with more Israeli soldiers and I thought maybe it was a long weekend. I caught a cab to my hotel and the cab driver said the soldiers were probably going to the Gaza strip. It didn't really dawn on me why so many soldiers would be going to the Gaza strip until I got to the hotel room and turned on the news to find out that Israel had just bombed the Gaza Strip and killed around 200 people. It seems as though Israel may be gearing up for a ground war. I am thinking this may be a good time to leave the Middle East and head to Canada for New Years Eve.

Happy Shabbat
Love Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230208380/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230208380/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1230208380/tpod.html Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:56:14 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Bethlehem, Israel

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Last night I lived a dream of mine, I spent Christmas Eve at the place where Jesus was born and what an experience that was. I got into Jerusalem in the afternoon on Christmas Eve and luckily found a hotel room nearby the checkpoint to get into Bethlehem. By 10pm I was feeling a bit sick and not sure if I would make it to Manger Square. The weather was getting nasty and I found out that a cab ride to Manger Square and back would cost me over $100 US. I was in the hotel lobby checking my email when two girls from the US were heading out to go to the mass. I asked them how much they were paying for the cab and they did not know. I informed them of the high rate and when they asked the driver he confirmed it. They passed on the cab and decided to find a cheaper means of transportation so I told them I would help them find a cheaper cab and split it with them three ways.
On our way to Bethlehem we found out why cabs were so pricey, although our hotel was only 10k away, our cab drivers had to drive much farther to get to a checkpoint through which they were allowed to enter the walled city. We also found out that only Arab cab drivers were allowed in but there seemed to be more Arab cab drivers than Jewish drivers anyways. The traffic in Bethlehem was nuts and many of the roads were temporarily closed to allow the President of Palestine and his convoy through. Apparently the President, who is Muslim, always makes an appearance at the mass to wish the Christians a Merry Christmas. In fact many Muslims come out to enjoy the festivities.
Our driver was quite crafty and he convinced the guards that we were part of the presidential procession and after telling them four times with conviction, the guards finally let us pass. He did this a few times and I soon came to learn that the trick to getting what you want is asking four times. Four was the magic number. The people around here must believe that if a person asks four times then they must really want it.
A large stage was set up in the middle of the square and a singer was performing to the crowd. Stores all around the square were selling souvenirs such as rosaries and various carvings of the nativity scene. A few street vendors were also selling roasted corn and Arabic tea. Shortly after 11pm, the entertainment stopped and the square started to empty out. Mass was due to start at midnight and people were making their way into the church. I asked one of the guards which way to the church and he pointed me towards a line-up. He asked me if I had a ticket and I said no but can I still get in. He said I should ask and perhaps they will let me in without a ticket. I had a feeling if I asked four times they probably would let me in so I decided to give it a shot. I got in line and found out from people that tickets cost $100 and had to be purchased ahead of time in Jerusalem. I made it to the front of the line when they stopped the crowd so the President of Palestine and his entourage could enter the church. While we waited I struck up a conversation with two lawyers from Michigan who also showed up without tickets. We asked one of the guards, a Palestinian Special Forces Policeman what our chances of getting in without a ticket were. I explained to him I was writing a book and needed to take some pictures. He said if we waited until after the President was in he would see what he could do. The security around the church was heavy; they even had snipers on the roof.
True to his word, he brought us to the front door of the church where even people with tickets were waiting to get in and were told that the church was full and they were not allowing anymore people inside. Our new friend told us to wait and we will get in so we trusted him. I watched as he asked the people at the door four times to let us in and the fourth time he got a yes and ushered us through the door. Once in we were asked for our tickets but managed to tell them it was okay, we were allowed in without tickets and they seemed to buy it. The whole scene reminded me of getting into a crowded nightclub back in my twenties. I had no idea that the skills I learned during my clubbing days would one day help me get into Christmas Eve Mass in Bethlehem - and my Dad always told me I was wasting my time...what does he know?
I could hardly believe that I made it in. I was standing in the back of the church by the camera crew watching the scene that I had seen broadcast on television every Christmas Eve for years, live and in person. Wow! There were a bunch of priests assembled around a figure of the baby Jesus taking turns giving sermons in Latin. The church was bursting at the seams with nuns, priests, monks, Muslims, Christians, tourists, you name it. Everyone wanted to wish Jesus a happy birthday.
We only spent about ten minutes in the church and left so others could get in and then we waited in another line to visit the Church of the Nativity which was commissioned by Roman Emperor Constantine 300 years after the birth of Jesus and is believed to be built in the exact location where Jesus was born. After an hour in line we were allowed to file in and touch the spot under the churches alter where Jesus entered the Earth. It was there I wished Jesus a Happy Birthday knowing this was a Christmas that I will always cherish.

Merry Christmas
Love Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229948160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229948160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229948160/tpod.html Thu, 25 Dec 2008 07:31:24 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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wadi rum, Jordan

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I visited the desert in Wadi Rum and spent the night in a tent. I froze what was left of my butt off. My advice to you is not to sleep in a tent in the desert in the middle of winter.

The end.

Take Care
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229940600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229940600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229940600/tpod.html Mon, 22 Dec 2008 05:43:12 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Petra, Jordan

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I rented a car for the last couple days so I could check out the area without having to hire a taxi driver. The driver's are really nice, in fact too nice. Once they drop me off at the hotel they do not want to go away until I book them for the next day; they want to be my cab driver forever. Rather than surgically remove another cab driver, I decided to rent a car which had its ups and downs. On the up side I got to stop wherever I wanted to take pictures and spend as much time as I wanted at each site without having to watch the time. On the downside, finding my way around Jordan was really hard. They have very poor signage, just when I thought I was on the right road I would hit a traffic circle and have no idea which road I was supposed to come out on. Most people find their way around by asking people along the way, unfortunately many of the people I encountered only spoke Arabic. I managed to find my way to some awesome hot spring waterfalls and saw Moses spring - this place where water flows from a stone - way cool. I also managed to find my way back to Madaba but that is where my luck ended.
Once in Madaba, I had no idea how to get back to my hotel, the map I had was useless because many of the streets were poorly marked. I stopped and asked many different people the way to the hotel and they all said I was really close and gave me directions but I was still not able to find it. On top of that I was getting very stressed out because traffic is nuts in this city. Everyone is honking at everyone and trying to cut in front of you and no one stops to let you in - people drive offensively not defensively. After an hour of trying to find my hotel to no avail I moved on to plan B, I pulled over to the next gas station, parked the car and cried. Plan B worked way better that Plan A because in no time a man came over and asked why I was crying and I told him my story then he led me to another man who owned a mechanic shop. The second man closed his shop and got into his car so I could follow him to the hotel. In no time I was in front of my hotel (apparently the hotel was owned by his cousin) and breathing a huge sigh of relief.
I had the car for another day so I decided to invite some people from the hotel along with me hoping I would luck out and get someone with a better sense of direction than mine. I rounded up a couple of documentary film makers from Belgium and a Turkish accountant/tour guide to visit the Dead Sea with me. Along the way we also picked up a French civil engineer. The level of intelligence in this vehicle was now second to none and if the saying five brains are better than one was true, you would think that we could find our way about Jordan with no problem at all. But this was not the case, as a group we actually got more lost because no one could agree which way was the right way. We did manage to visit the Baptism site and have an enjoyable time at the Dead Sea before the gong show of trying to make it back to our hotel. We cruised back and forth along the Dead Sea highway before finally agreeing which road led to Madaba then once in the city could not find the hotel. I had told them about my plan B but the Turkish tour guide came up with a better idea. He taught himself directions in Arabic and was able to ask people along the way how to get to the hotel. In no time we were back at the Mariam Hotel having a beer and talking about our day.
It turned out the Frenchman was also going to Petra the next day to visit the ruins and he suggested I keep the car and he pay for half the expense, at first I agreed and then I thought "If it was this much trouble finding my way from my hotel to the Dead Sea and back, how the heck am I going to find my way across Jordan. We decided to rent a driver instead and thank God we did, we must have stopped 20 times along the way to ask for directions.
To make a long story longer, I made it to Petra and this place is amazing, I cannot believe I have never heard of it until last week. It is nicknamed the Rose City and it is an ancient city carved into the most beautiful multi-coloured mountain range ever! It looks like something out of an Indian Jones movie and that could be because the final sequence of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was filmed there.

Take Care
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229530920/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229530920/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229530920/tpod.html Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:42:52 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Madaba, Jordan


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I was not planning on visiting Jordan but I had to get into Israel and am I ever glad I did as this is now one of my favourite places in the whole wide world. I am staying in a beautiful three star hotel in Madaba for $35 a night that is a short drive to the Dead Sea and a bunch of other cool sites. Yesterday I hired a cab to drive me to the sea for a float. That was the coolest experience ever; you can just lie on your back in the water and read a newspaper the water is so buoyant. After my dip in the Dead Sea, I went to the site where Jesus was baptized. THE Jesus...Christ...the Lord our GOD! While I was there I also decided to get baptised in the Jordan River so I got a woman on our tour from Belgium to put some Jordan River water on my head and just in case that was not enough, I baptised my foot in the water. I feel like I am born again and holier than when I washed my hands in a fountain at the Vatican.
Today I rented a car and I am off to visit the tomb of Moses...yes THE Moses - guy who led Israelites to the Holy Land and I will also visit the castle where that chick did a belly dance for the king then in return demanded the head of John the Baptist. Visiting the Holy Land - what a way to spend the Christmas holidays!

Take Care
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1228145880/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1228145880/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1228145880/tpod.html Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:05:18 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey

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I am in Goreme, Cappadocia right now enjoying some Turkish coffee in a cafe. I took an overnight bus from the Selcuk to Urgup and recommend against it. The buses are really nice and comfortable but unfortunately they stop at every town along the way to pick up passengers and they turn all the lights on. I was not able to get more than 40 minutes of sleep at a time and needless to say, I was a wee bit cranky by the time I reached Urgup.
It was rather chilly when I got here and when I went to put on my jacket I realized that I left it in the closet of the last hotel along with a hoodie and a pair of pants. I packed as little as possible so now I am down to only two pairs of pants and one hoodie so if I am wearing the same thing in all my pictures from now on that's why. I did manage to pick up a handmade wool sweater in one of the shops that makes me look like a sheep farmer but at least it's warm.
I was only going to stay here for a couple of days but ended up staying longer because this place is so beautiful. I feel like I am in Middle Earth living in a Hobbit village. Volcanic activity from long ago has created the most unique landscape. Ancient houses and churches are carved into what they call fairy chimneys: huge cone shaped rocks that jut out of the ground. There are many cave hotels where people can rent a luxury room in a real cave, they are so awesome!
The people here are also very friendly. I am staying in an old Ottoman mansion that a man named Sergio transformed into a beautiful Turkish themed hotel. His father owns one of the largest carpet businesses in Turkey and he has an outlet store located next to the hotel. I enjoy visiting his father and his brothers for a cup of tea and some conversation; they are a very interesting family.
One of the guys that work at the store named Memat is also a part time tour guide and yesterday I hired him to show me around the area. He brought me for a hike in a place called Love Valley near Goreme. Many huge rock formations in the shape of male genitalia stood erect throughout the valley and it was very hard to keep a straight face as it dawned on me why they called it Love Valley. It was more tactful than any name I would have come up with. A few alternative names such as Cock Rock Canyon, Valley of the Dicks and Peter's Pass ran through my mind as I chuckled to myself. I would never bring a boyfriend to this valley, he may feel inadequate ;-)
Cappadocia seems to be tugging on my heart strings and making it hard for me to leave and make my way to Syria. The weather has been unusually sunny and hot for this time of year and the more time I spend with the local people the more I fall in love. I will definitely come back here one day.

Take Care
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229454900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229454900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229454900/tpod.html Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:24:43 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Amman, Jordan

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These cross-boarder cab rides are killing me, I never know what to expect and crossing into Jordan was no exception. I checked out of my hotel in Damascus at noon and flagged down a cab wanting to get a ride to the garage where the service taxi's to Jordan leave from. It took two guys passing by and one traffic policeman to communicate where I needed to go to the taxi driver. Once we arrived at the garage I was bombarded by overly helpful guys trying to shuffle me into their taxi. Before I even agreed to go with them they grabbed my luggage from the trunk of the cab and raced off with it forcing me to follow. We went through a security check where they rummaged through my luggage and then they zipped up my bag and raced it into the back of a car and offered me a seat on a bench beside the car where I could wait until we had enough passengers to depart.
While I was sitting there a guy came up to me asking if I wanted to buy socks and another one came up to me trying to sell me a table cloth. What the heck? What made them think I needed socks and a tablecloth? What I needed was a ride to Jordan. Next a guy came up to me and showed me his badge and asked me for $4. I think he wanted to get paid for carrying my luggage to the car but I am not sure. However, I was sure that I was no going to pay for an unsolicited service so I played dumb like I did not know why he wanted the money and I demanded he bring someone over that spoke English. Another driver happened to be walking by who spoke English and he came to sort things out. He told me that the guy wanted me to give him $4 and I said for what? Then he said, give him $1 instead and I replied for what? Finally he said never mind and the guy demanding payment huffed off.
Another guy showed up around this time demanding I give him my passport, I guess he needed it for departure papers or something so I handed it over. He took off and left me with the guy who spoke a bit of English and after a short conversation with him I decided to hire him as a private taxi for $50 to take me to Jordan. He retrieved my passport and got the appropriate papers then we took off. I was relieved to have my own cab because then I didn't have to ask everyone in the cab to refrain from smoking.
As soon as we were on the road the driver went about feeling out the situation to see if he could extract more money from me. He wanted to plan my entire stay in Jordan and have me hire him to be my personal driver; he even invited me to have dinner with him and his wife and showed me a picture of his son. I convinced him I had no money and that he was barking up the wrong tree then I threw on my MP3 player and fell asleep while he spent the entire ride talking on the phone.
When we reached the boarder, that's where things got entertaining. I almost didn't make it out of Syria because I did not have this blue slip with me that they gave me when I crossed back into Syria from Lebanon. I had no idea what this paper was for or that I needed to keep it, I almost threw it away at my hotel room but then I remembered I slipped it into my journal instead. I went out to the cab and retrieved the paper and got my stamp to leave Syria.
In no man's land the driver stopped at this fancy hotel and said he would just be a minute. He came back 20 minutes later with a bunch of bags. He emptied out a pile of cigarette cartons into the back seat then hid some under the floor mat of the back seat, left two cartons in a bag and opened another carton and started stuffing the cigarette packs everywhere then insisted that I threw four in my backpack. He wanted me to claim the two cartons as duty free. I guess cigarettes are cheaper in Syria than in Jordan and the driver likes to make a bit of extra cash whenever he crosses the boarder.
When we reached the Jordanian boarder all the cars were stopped and boarder police were rummaging through everyone's luggage and giving the entire cab a good once over. I pulled the cigarettes out of my bag and threw them under the seat of the cab and made sure I was beside my bags when they got searched. I had no idea if smuggling cigarettes could get me into trouble or not and did not want to find out. Spending a night in a Middle Eastern jail cell was not on my Bucket List.
After a thorough search of the cab and my luggage we were allowed through. I was surprised that they never looked under the mat since it was so obvious but when I got back from purchasing my visa and getting my passport stamped I knew why. Three boarder policemen were in the backseat catching a ride to Amman with us.

Take Care
Teresa
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229283840/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229283840/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/bunnyluv1969/1/1229283840/tpod.html Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:58:29 -0500 From Berlin to Bethleham

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Damascus, Syria

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I am ever glad I let my friend Izzat talk me into spending a couple days in Damascus. When I met him in the taxi from Beirut, I was planning on stopping in Damascus just long enough to switch cabs and head to Jordan but he convinced me to let him show me around the old city.
I was expecting Damascus to be a crazy overpopulated and loud city like Aleppo but it was nothing like Aleppo. Damascus is the capital of Syria and is the place to go when visiting the country. The current Syrian president has been opening Syria up to foreign investors and they have been pouring money into the city, in fact just down from my hotel is a brand new Four Seasons Hotel.
Damascus also has the honour of being the center of the Arab world for the year. Each year a different Arab city plays host to a number of cultural events throughout the year. It is due to take place in Jerusalem next year but the Israeli government may not allow it, if that is the case other cities in the Middle East will take a month each. In preparation for the year, Damascus got a major facelift and many of the sidewalks got refurbished. Syria is going through some major transformations and new government policies are being put in place to clean up the country after years of deterioration under Communist rule.
Izzat took me for a tour of the old city as he promised and I loved it. From the narrow streets in the residential areas all you can see are tall walls and plain doors but behind many of the doors are magnificent courtyards and old houses that have been transformed into hotels and restaurants. The crowning glory of the old city is the Great Mosque that houses a magnificent shrine said to be where the head of John the Baptist is laid to rest.
The Middle East is so steeped in religious history it is mind boggling - many buildings date back thousands of years; in fact Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world. Back in Kamloops if a building is still standing after a hundred years we call it a heritage building and get public funds to restore it. Canada is as new as the Middle East is old.

Take Care
Teresa
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