alilou's Adventures in Wonderland 2 - all over the map

[Alilou]

Thanks @sk8pics. Yes it may be that he was just too used to it all. He said on two different occasions that "there's nothing to do in Wadi Rum" as if you had to be doing something all the time. Time to just be in that powerful environment would have been nice. But also there are lots of great places there to hike and he'd led us all on a long hike in Petra so he knew we were up for that kind of exploring. Oh well. I was what it was, and it was still amazing to be there even if it was a bit rushed.

 

[Alilou]

Latest blog post: a little about the Muslim dress code, some about the city of Aqaba on the Red Sea and a boat cruise there, some about the city of Amman, and a lot of photos of the people.

The People of Jordan: Aqaba and Amman
https://alisonanddon.com/2016/06/26/the-people-of-jordan-aqaba-and-amman/

 

[skatesindreams]

Thanks, for your fascinating and wise perspective; and for all the photographs which bring everything to such vivid life.

 

[Alilou]

Thanks Sid. My pleasure as always.

 

[Alilou]

New blog post:

To tour or not to tour - the pains and pleasures of travelling with an organized tour.

https://alisonanddon.com/2016/07/06...t-travel-versus-travelling-with-a-tour-group/

 

[skatesindreams]

I appreciate the choices you make; as well as the thought that goes into them, alliou!

 

[Alilou]

Thanks Sid

 

[Alilou]

Latest FB photo: Yeah Pyramids! and

 

[Alilou]

Latest blog post: Yeah Pyramids! and
and a 4500 year old boat, and the inscrutable Sphinx, and a magnificent museum, and the momentary terror and screaming excitement of being inside the Great Pyramid.

 

[Alilou]

Link for the latest post:
https://alisonanddon.com/2016/07/14/the-riddle-of-the-sphinx-and-the-enigma-of-the-pyramids/

And a new FB photo:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...heater&notif_t=like&notif_id=1468682800711258

 

[Alilou]

A couple of FB photos:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1139070203030.447479.705378029&type=3&theater Flycatcher eating palm berries. La Manzanilla, Mexico.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1139070203030.447479.705378029&type=3&theater Little masked bandit, Lost Lagoon, Vancouver, Canada.

 

[skatesindreams]

You have shared (yet again) another place I would never be able to experience, without your narrative and photos.
Thank you, for being such a wonderful guide!

 

[Alilou]

My pleasure Sid. You know how much I love doing this.
Who's the gorgeous little poppet in your avatar? My niece and her husband are visiting and their 4 yr old just totally melts my heart.

 

[skatesindreams]

Meet my great niece, Evie; she's almost 2.

I share her progress through my avitar.
I think she's gorgeous, as well!

alliou, have you seen this?
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/ancient/building-wonders.html#petra-lost-city

 

[Alilou]

I hadn't seen it. I just watched a bit of it and will watch the rest later. It looks fascinating!

 

[skatesindreams]

It was; and is.
Let me know what you think when you've finished, please.

 

[Alilou]

It was; and is.
Let me know what you think when you've finished, please.

@skatesindreams I loved it. I learned so much more about them. I knew that they had built dams to control the water but it was fascinating to see it all explained at the site. Also seeing them building a replica tomb in Cali was amazing - it explained it all so clearly. And I sure never knew about those gorgeous gardens and ornamental pools, although I did know they'd somehow controlled the water enough to create an oasis. Amazing people! Thanks so much for letting me know about it.

 

[dinakt]

New blog post:

To tour or not to tour - the pains and pleasures of travelling with an organized tour.

https://alisonanddon.com/2016/07/06...t-travel-versus-travelling-with-a-tour-group/

I belatedly want to tell you how much I enjoyed that blog entry, and how much it resonated with me.

 

[Alilou]

I belatedly want to tell you how much I enjoyed that blog entry, and how much it resonated with me.

Thanks so much @dinakt. I'm glad it resonated. We rarely choose tours, but for Jordan and Egypt we still think it was a good decision.

 

[skatesindreams]

Thanks so much for letting me know about it.

As I was watching, I said to myself, "I must make sure that alliou sees this"!

 

[Alilou]

Gah, I forgot to post a link to the previous blog post, and now I have a new one. If any of you actually enjoy reading about my travels here are links to four articles!

This blog post

https://alisonanddon.com/2016/07/22/gratitude-guest-posts-and-an-interview/

contains links to two articles I wrote for other blogs, plus a link to an interview we did with Wordpress.

And this is the latest travel post - about Alexandria, Egypt, a fascinating city with an amazing library.
Alexandria: An Exotic Blend of Adversity and Affluence

https://alisonanddon.com/2016/07/28...y-and-affluence/comment-page-1/#comment-15376

 

[Alilou]

Latest FB photo:
Great Big Lily in Queen Elizabeth Park!
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...1139070203030.447479.705378029&type=3&theater

 

[skatesindreams]

That's so beautiful.
You took it with your phone?
Amazing!

 

[Alilou]

I love the lilies at this time of year - they are so huge and insistent and beautiful - Pay attention to me!
I was also impressed with the photo quality, but it was in pretty good light so that no doubt helped.

 

[Alilou]

There's a new blog post about Egypt:

The Temple of Isis and the town of Aswan.

https://alisonanddon.com/2016/08/04/egypts-southern-gateway-aswan-and-the-temple-of-isis/

 

[kwanfan1818]

Just a note about the way tours can be structured: when I took the train across Canada, there was a group of 60 or 80 for whom Toronto to Jasper on the train was the one common part of a series of tours arranged through an Australian travel company. Because so many people were from Australia and were taking at least a month in North America, the company put together a series of options on either end, and the travelers could pick an choose from a travel menu. There were some people from Europe and North America who were "only" traveling for two weeks, but it was interesting to hear how the people would be together for one week, split apart for the next week or so, then converge for another segment. It was interesting to hear them compare notes on the train.

For example, when we got to Jasper, some people stayed on the train to Vancouver, others went on the Rocky Mountaineer, and other took a coach tour to Banff, Lake Louise, Kelowna, and another BC stop on their way to Vancouver, with overnights at small hotels and B&B's in each city. Then some from each leg were heading to Whistler from Vancouver, while others went south to Seattle or San Francisco, etc.

I've so enjoyed your posts from the Middle East, @alilou!

 

[Alilou]

Thanks @kwanfan1818. That sounds like a brilliant way to streamline a tour for more long term travel. Only trouble is I'd want to do all the options!

 

[Alilou]

Latest blog post is up: all about sailing on the Nile River. And Nubians. Yeah, Nubians. Who knew?!

https://alisonanddon.com/2016/08/10/sacred-river-from-the-stars-the-eternal-nile/

 

[kwanfan1818]

I may or may not have remembered from the Eddie Murphy movie "Boomerang," in which Halle Berry's young student would refer to her as "My Nubian Queen."

 

[sk8pics]

Great pics and memories, ali! I took a Nile cruise almost 20 years ago, Luxor to Aswan, I think. Very cool.