Back from the Middle East

[Jimbojack]

I just came back from a month long trip to the Middle East. In the next couple of weeks I'll be going through the thousands of pictures I've taken and post them on my website as well as here. I started by flying to Jordan, then caught a flight to Kuwait where I spent a few days with a friend of mine. I then flew to Bahrain and Sharjah (United Arab Emirates) for a couple of days each. From Sharjah I flew to Aleppo (Northern Syria). I spent two weeks in Syria, then went to Jordan to meet my wife who flew there for the wedding of a very good friend of mine. After the wedding, we went to Jerusalem and the Palestinian territories for a few days. Afterwards, we returned to Jordan and spent a couple of days in Petra before flying back home.

I'll also be updating my site with photos of my previous trips to the middle east.

Here is a map of my trip:
(Flights are blue, overland travel is red)
http://jimbojack.com/Flags_&_Maps/Other/MiddleEastTrip.jpg

Some general photos from the trip:

Kuwaiti fish market
http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_003.jpg

Old Bahraini tomb in front of a new house
http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_004.jpg

Sharjah, U.A.E.
http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_005.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_006.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_007.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_008.jpg

Various photos from Syria
http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_009.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_010.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_012.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_013.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_014.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_015.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_017.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_019.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_020.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_022.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_023.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_025.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_026.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_028.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_029.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_031.jpg

Jerusalem & The Palestinian Territories
http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_040.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_046.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_048.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_050.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_056.jpg

Jordan
http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_060.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_061.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_063.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_064.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_066.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_070.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_075.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_078.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_085.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_088.jpg

http://jimbojack.com/Photography/Middle_East/ME_090.jpg

I hope you enjoy these photos, I'll be posting a lot more in the next few weeks. Hopefully I'll have a couple of series done from Syria this weekend.

Here is my page about the trip, there are a total of 90 photos posted there right now.
http://jimbojack.com/Middle_East.htm

I'm already planning the next trip, in January I will most likely be going to India & Bangladesh for 4-5 weeks. At the end of next year my friend and I are planing on driving Enfield motorcycles from India to Germany.

[schmoo]

Phillip,

i'm really glad that you get around - because it results in tons of wonderful photos. I don't envy you the task of going through them but I am thoroughly enjoying the set.

:bow

I would love to get to the Middle East at some point. Thank you for bringing pieces of it back here and I can't wait to see more!

[Tentacion]

Love them!! Thank you much for sharing, I don't know if I would ever make the trip, as I have been told that ALL women have to wear the coverings (for respect), don't know if I could take it..LOL !!

I really like the one of the two women walking with the traditional cothing and then in the opposite window, the very sexy and revealing lingerie. What a contrast and what a statement !!

Look forward to viewing more of your entries!!
Donna

[Elaine]

Wow! :clap :clap These are incredible photos! Beautiful to look at and interesting to consider such different cultures. I look forward to seeing more. Thank you for sharing!

[Jimbojack]

Love them!! Thank you much for sharing, I don't know if I would ever make the trip, as I have been told that ALL women have to wear the coverings (for respect), don't know if I could take it..LOL !!

I really like the one of the two women walking with the traditional cothing and then in the opposite window, the very sexy and revealing lingerie. What a contrast and what a statement !!

Look forward to viewing more of your entries!!
Donna

I'm glad you liked the photos.
You don't have to wear any covering as a woman while you are in the Middle East with a couple of exceptions. It is important to dress conservatively, but that usually means long pants and a modest shirt that covers your shoulders. You only have to cover your hair in Iran and Saudi Arabia, but do not need to cover your face. When I was traveling with my wife and other female friends, they simply wore long pants and either simple T-shirts or long sleeve shirts. The only places where they had to cover up more were the mosques. When you enter a mosque, there is usually a place that you can borrow a robe for the duration of your visit. You should definatly visit if you get a chance, the people are very friendly and despite the negative media attention the Middle East is a very safe place to visit.

[Chrissiebeez_NL]

real nice! post some more! :thumb

[GREAPER]

Awesome pictures. Thanks for sharing them.