Bwindi, Uganada: A Wonderfully Mysterious Forest of Gorillas

February 25, 2018 by · Leave a Comment

Seeing a gorilla in the wild, so close to you that you can reach out and touch it, it is one of the most electrifying experiences you will ever have.  It was this very moment that brought us to Uganda – one of only three places in the world where you can have such an experience.

Sadly, there are only two populations of mountain gorillas left in the world, and there are fewer than 900 mountain gorillas left in the wild. The first population lives in the Virunga volcanic mountains. The second lives in Bwindi in Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.  That means that in order to see these gorillas, you must visit either Uganda, Rwanda, or the Democratic Republic of the Congo (“DRC”).

Gorilla trekking has been on the top of my bucketlist for several years. This is certainly not a spur of the moment trip. A trip like this takes a lot of planning.  Planning through a travel agent is almost a must. Also, a trip like this takes a bit of saving, as it is not a cheap trip. But, this was Chad and my Christmas gift to each other, because seriously, what better gift can one get than face time with wild gorillas?

So, how does one get their trek on?  Well, first, you must get visa to visit Uganda.  You can purchase one for just Uganda or, for a few bucks more, an East Africa visa that is good for Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania.  Next, you will need to get vaccinated for yellow fever, among other things, and have proof of vaccination to present at customs on arrival.  Finally, you need to obtain a permit to trek. There are a limited number of permits that are released each year. The tour operators buy up about 80% of them, so they can be difficult to obtain on your own.  They are also pricey.

Trekking in Rwanda costs $1,500 PER PERSON PER TREK.  Trekking in Uganda is $600 PER PERSON PER TREK.  Trekking in the DRC is $400 PER PERSON PER TREK.  Most people do two treks during their visit. So, you are looking at $3,000 for one person to trek twice in Rwanda, $1,200 for one person to trek twice in Uganda, and $800 for one person to trek twice in the DRC.  Ouch!  The only good news is that part of the permit fee supports the parks and local villages. Again, this is a priceless experience, so don’t let the relatively pricey permit fees deter you. It is WELL WORTH it! We chose Uganda because it was cheaper than Rwanda and more (politically) stable than the DRC. We were also able to obtain two permits to visit two different gorilla families.

Fittingly, getting to Uganda to trek was, in itself, a trek.  To get to Uganda, we flew from Miami to Amsterdam and then from Amsterdam to Entebbe, Uganda.  We spent an overnight in Entebbe, before boarding an early morning regional flight in a prop plane (not Chad’s favorite) to Bwindi. From the regional airport, we had about an hour long drive on a dirt road to our lodge, Mahogany Springs. This drive gave us some great insight into local life.

Mahogany Springs is considered a luxury lodge.  However, “luxury” in Uganda is different from luxury elsewhere.  If you have been on safari, especially in South Africa, you may want to adjust your expectations.  Don’t get me wrong, the property is very nice, but it’s not the Ritz Carlton.

Mahogany Springs is located in the Munyaga River valley, so the property is very lush.  The nice part about the lodge is that it is very close to Bwindi Impenetrable Forest.

The rooms are like elevated tree houses, with wood finishes and mosquito netting draped over the beds.  They are basic accommodations, but clean and comfortable.  There is no A/C, but you can request a fan (and trust me, it is needed, even in the “winter”). The shower water was hot. The Wi-Fi is very spotty (in all of Bwindi). You can sometimes catch a signal in the common areas, but hardly ever in the rooms.

The staff is very friendly. They go out of their way to make you comfortable.  The meals are included in your stay, and the food is decent.  We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day there, and the lodge was decorated for the holiday.  The staff made a special holiday meal and had Christmas music playing.

On our first day in Bwindi, we took a walking tour of the local village.  We had to do this with an armed guard, but honestly, we probably didn’t need him. We met local artisans and visited a school house in Uganda where we donated school supplies and toys that we had brought for the children. We even got to see a special traditional dance performance by the local children.

On the second day, we went out for our very first gorilla trek. This trek originated from a part of the forest that was about an hour drive from the lodge.  We woke up early for our breakfast, and by the time we were done, the lodge had packed our lunch and provided a walking stick. We then made the hour long drive to the park where we would start the trek.

We were first briefed about what to expect, and then we were divided into groups of about 8 people.  The park service tries to pair people up based on your age and their perceived level of your fitness. You will be assigned a particular gorilla family.  We met our guide who explained that the trackers were already out finding the gorillas for us. We were offered the option of hiring a sherpa to carry our things.  Remember you have to carry at least 4 water bottles per person, your lunch, and your camera for several hours through rough terrain.  Trust me, hire the sherpa. It was a worth the $20. Not only do they carry all your gear, but they will also help you trudge through the forest, which turned out to be a very important! Also, you employ a local for the day, which is important to the community and conservation of the gorillas!


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The hike through the forest can be pretty challenging, and can last anywhere from 2 to 6 hours before you find the gorillas.  Each group is lead by a trekker in front with a gun, one in the rear with a gun, and a ranger with a machete. Our guides had to machete a path through for us.  You should have a reasonable level of fitness to go on the trek.  There is no marked path way.  You will, at times, be knee deep in brush.  You will have to sometimes crawl or slide on your butt, due to the relatively steep inclines of the forest.  You will get a little muddy and very sweaty.

After about 4 hours of hiking (mostly uphill), we found our gorilla family. Our family was one of the largest in the area, at 19 gorillas.  Our trekking guides and rangers  prepared us for what to expect and gave us the ground rules before we got close to them. The trekkers lead you in with guns and tell you where to sit and how close you can get.  They communicate with the gorillas by making certain grunting sounds. On that particular day, our gorilla family was active, on the move, and little aggressive. We literally had to chase them as they moved around, but we did get very close to them on the rare moments that they stopped for a break. At one point, too close. We accidentally cut the family off as they were crossing the river such that half the family was on one side of the river and the other half on the other.  This agitated the silver-back.  And, the next thing you know, we got charged by a silver-back!  More on that below. Thankfully, nobody was hurt, but you could tell that the trekkers and the guides were worried! At the time, it was terrifying, but looking back, it was absolutely exhilarating.

In case you were wondering, don’t: You WILL know when you are getting near the gorilla family. How you might ask? Well, there is no graceful or witty way to put it, so I’ll  just say it: Mountain gorillas smell like piss. Apparently, this is primarily thanks to the patriarch silver-back/head of the family, and it is unmistakable. It’s one of those things where, you’ll know it when you smell it! With that said, let’s move on, shall we? You are not allowed to touch the gorillas, but sometimes they touch you.  In these moments, you have to sit extremely still and look down, do not make eye contact.  You get to spend about an hour with the gorilla family.

We later learned that all the other groups had found their families pretty early on and got to spend a chill hour observing them as they lazily laid around posing for pictures.  Not our group. We were the last group back. The gorillas charged at us at least two times.  One of those times, the silver-back male – all 500+ pounds of him – brushed past Chad and knocked over another member in our group who went flying into a pile of leaves. He later said that it was the hardest force he had ever felt, like being hit by a boulder. These gorillas are super strong. They can literally kill you with their bare hands.  The first thing the rangers told us was to not run away if we were approached by a gorilla.  Everybody forgot that rule! So, needless to say, we were all on edge.

After our hour was over, we hiked about another hour until we could find a place to stop for lunch.  It was an exhausting day, but absolutely exhilarating. Truly one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Back at the lodge, everyone traded trekking stories.  Ours was by far the worst (or, in hindsight, the best!).

The next day, we were scheduled for our second trek.  This time, we would be visiting part of the forest that was a close 10 minute drive from the lodge. Chad and I didn’t know what to expect.  We sat through another briefing and got assigned to trek the M family. We began our trek, but about 2 hours in our rangers and guide aborted the trek because it was reported that the M family was literally in a territory skirmish with another pack of wild gorillas, making it unsafe for us to visit them.

Our guides decided to re-route and found us the R family. I was elated to find the R family.  The R family is what trekking dreams are made of.  They are a pack of about 12 to 15 lazy and friendly gorillas.  They had a super-chill silver-back leader and 4 of the cutest babies I ever saw.  They could not have cared less that we were there. They laid around eating, while the babies played with each other and climbed the trees.  It was pure bliss! I felt like we were being rewarded after the trek we had the day before. The experience lived up to all the hype!

At the end of each trek, we were awarded with our trekking certificates! After that much physical activity, the least you deserve is an award!

So, what does one wear to trek gorillas?  Well, I’ll tell you.  Here’s a little hint: you are going to look ridiculous while you are trekking.  But, the good news is, so does everyone else. Relax. This is not a fashion show.  It’s a jungle.

Anyway, you will need a good, lightweight pair of breathable pants (preferably with pockets) and a breathable long sleeved shirt.  You MUST wear hiking boots with a sturdy pair of long socks. If you have boot covers, bring them.  Otherwise, you MUST tuck the bottoms of your pants into your socks.  If you do not, you will get ants in your pants.  Big, fire ants.  In your pants. You should bring a lightweight rain jacket and probably a hat or some other head covering. You MUST bring a sturdy pair of gloves, like gardening gloves.  If you do not have them, the park’s visitor center will rent or sell them to you.  During the trek you will be grabbing on to branches, vines, and plants, many of which have thorns. Finally, you will need a backpack that can hold your lunch, some snacks, your water, baby wipes (for when nature calls; you may also want to bring a Ziploc bag for your waste) your rain gear, and your camera equipment.

I am so glad that Chad and I got to check this one off the list.  It was really an incredible experience.  If you have ever though about doing it, go.  Just go. It was amazing. It was worth every dime we paid, and all the soreness we felt afterwards. It truly was an awesome way to close out a year of remarkable adventures!

 

 

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Jordan: The Dead Sea

November 5, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

The Dead Sea. It’s dead. The End.

Just kidding. Kind of. I mean, it IS dead. And, you should save it for the end of your trip.

After 10 days of action-packed touring in Jordan, we decided to end our trip with a little R&R.  Because, after all, is it really a girls’ trip if there is no pampering? No, it’s not.

We were fresh out of the desert and covered in sand. We had spent hours walking and climbing in Petra. We had taken a biblical journey. What we needed now was naps, pools, beaches, and icy cold drinks. So, we headed to the Dead Sea to do nothing. To play dead. It was perfect!

I bet you are thinking that the Dead Sea area is some kind of resort town.  I know I was. It’s not. It’s kind of, well, dead. There are a bunch of resorts around, but not much else. No real restaurants or shops other than what is in the individual resorts, which have pretty tight security. So, it’s important that you pick a good resort, because you will be staying there for pretty much your entire stay.

We chose the Hilton Dead Sea Resort and Spa. It is the newest property in the Dead Sea area. The property is nice with two pools, a beach, and seven dining options.  There is an adult pool and a kids’ pool, but they are kind of joined.  In fact, they are only separated by a rope, so if you want to be kid-free, sorry about your luck.  There is a swim up bar on the adult side, and there are a lot of pool chairs, but they fill up VERY fast. The crowd is mostly young Arabs from surrounding countries.  The pool plays pretty loud electronic dance music, so it’s not exactly the pinnacle of relaxation. Also, because there are so many people, the food and beverage service is kind of slow. It is also VERY hot. Like dry desert hot.

However, this property is one of the only ones that has a sand beach with chairs, but the beach is a LONG walk from the pool.  There is an elevator to get you there quicker, but that was not operational when we were there. There is also golf cart service to get you down quicker. Once by the beach, there is an elevated deck with chairs,chairs on the sand with umbrellas, towel service, a beach bar, and food and beverage service by the beach as well.

The water in the Dead Sea is extremely salty. It is actually the second saltiest major body of water in the world. Because the water is so salinated there is literally nothing that lives in the Dead Sea. Hence the name.

The Dead Sea also has no outlet streams, and the Jordan River is its only major source. Like many other bodies of water around the globe, the Dead Sea is also shrinking, and the loss is evident as you drive through the region. The high evaporation rates of the Dead Sea is due to the man-made reduction of the Jordan River.  Today, all the shallow waters of the southern end of the sea have been drained and are now salt flats. As a result, measures are currently being proposed to siphon water from the Red Sea through a series of tunnels or canals in order to replenish the rapidly shrinking waters and provide water and electrical solutions to the surrounding countries.
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Because it is so hyper-salinated, it is nearly impossible to sink in the Dead Sea.  But, you can still drown. This typically happens when people do not obey the only rule for the Dead Sea, which is to only float on your back. The water is uber greasy due to the amount of salt.  If you have a cut, it is going to sting when you get in (so don’t shave on Dead Sea day!), but it will probably heal up pretty quickly after being submerged in the salt water. If it gets in your mouth or in your eyes, you are basically screwed, so try to avoid that.

While it is rocky and jagged on the shore line because of crystallized salt (water shoes are recommended for entrance, but I would take them off after that), once you get in, it is very muddy.  Almost like quicksand. In fact, you will see that the hotel staff actually collects the mud to do the Dead Sea treatments.  The Hilton is a resort and spa, but the spa was not actually opened when we were there.  Instead, they offered mud treatments free of charge down by the Dead Sea.

First you will have the mud rubbed all over your body. You need to let it dry for about 20 minutes.

Then you get into the Dead Sea to soak and wash all the mud off.  You finish off with a nice fresh water rinse and a dip in the pool!  Your skin will be SO soft after this treatment.

But the best part of the Dead Sea visit was the beautiful sunset over Israel, which is visible just across the sea.

I personally think that one or two nights spent at the Dead Sea is plenty.  If you are going to stick around for longer, here are some cool day trip options for you.  The first is a visit to the Mujib Biosphere Reserve of Wadi Mujib.  It is the lowest nature reserve in the world, located in the mountainous landscape to the east of the Dead Sea. It is dissected by several river-filled canyons that offer the best river and adventure hikes in Jordan. The Mujib valley is being developed for adventure tourism, and a number of facilities have been established including a Visitors’ Center and a beach area on the Dead Sea. Another popular spot are the Ma’in Hot Springs or Hammamat Ma’in. This is a remarkable series of natural hot springs and waterfalls, some of which have been channeled into pools and baths.

No trip to Jordan would be complete without at least a day-trip to the Dead Sea.  It is truly remarkable to float on top of the saltiest water on Earth, and your achy muscles will also thank you.

 

 

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Amman, Jordan: The City of Seven Hills

September 24, 2017 by · 4 Comments

A lawyer, an accountant, a pharmaceutical sales representative, and a teacher board a plane. Sounds like the beginning of joke, right? Well, it’s not.  It was the beginning of an epic girls trip to the Middle East.  To Jordan to be exact, home of Petra, the Wadi Rum desert, and (part of) the Dead Sea.

I know what you are thinking. The Middle East? Who takes a girls trip to the Middle East? Why not got to the beach or wine country?

Blah! We live at the beach! We are, after all, from Miami. We wanted something different.  We wanted adventure. We wanted bespoke experiences. We wanted to Eat.All.The.Hummus! So, Jordan it was.  And, honestly, it was the best decision.

Most trips to Jordan will begin with an arrival in the capital city of Amman. You may be thinking that you can just skip the capital city and get to the good stuff.  That, in my opinion, would be a mistake. Amman has a lot of interesting things to explore. We spent two days in Amman.

Amman is an old city.  It was settled back in the Neolithic period.  Today, it is one of the five most visited cities in the Arab world. Like Rome, it was initially built on seven hills. Amman is considered one of the most liberal and westernized cities in the Arab world. It is also a great base for visiting other interesting and important sites, like the baptism site of Jesus Christ, Madaba, and Mt. Nebo.

We stayed at the Intercontinental in Amman. Not only was the daily breakfast buffet delicious (complete with an omelette station and fresh squeezed local juices served daily), but it was also in a great location! It is walking distance to Rainbow Street.  Rainbow Street is the restaurant, nightlife, and shopping hub of Amman.  It is also the home of Souk Jara, a street food and handicraft outdoor market. Also, check out King Faisal Street.  It is totally Instagram worthy!

This photo is courtesy of Mr. Google because, sadly, we missed this spot. #TravelFail

Our hotel was also one block away from what most consider the best shawerma joint in the city, Reem.  Reem is open late and serves up shawerma to the long lines of locals for approximately $2.00 US dollars a piece.

King Abdullah I Mosque

We started our first day of exploration in Amman at King Abdullah I Mosque. The mosque was completed in 1989 as a memorial by the late King Hussein to his grandfather.  It is capped by a beautiful blue dome, and adorned with beautiful blue mosaic tiles. This is the only mosque in Amman that allows both women and non-Muslims to visit.

Women are required to wear abayas in order to visit the mosque.  The abayas are available free of charge from the small gift shop located at the entrance of the mosque.  All visitors must remove their shoes to enter the mosque.

By the way, I have a new appreciation for the struggle of Muslim women who wear abayas in their every day life. These babies are HOT! And not like, OMG, that outfit is so hot. But more like, OMG, I am temperature hot. The fabric is not breathable, and the dark color was not helping! Also, they are wearing full on modest street clothes underneath the abaya. In the desert. Even in the summer. Think about that for a moment. I wore one for an hour, and I was positive I had suffered heat stroke!

At the entrance to the men’s side of the mosque, we met the first of many Mohammeds that we would meet on this trip.  This Mohammed, however, loved Greek people, Greek culture, and especially Greek music.  Here he is singing us his favorite Greek song by George Dalaras.

The men’s side of the mosque can house up to 7000 worshippers.

Another 3,000 people can worship in the courtyard.

The women’s side of the mosque is supposed to be able to fit 500 women, but I would be surprised if that is the case.

There is a small museum inside the mosque with a collection of pottery and photographs of His Majesty King Abdullah I.

The mosque is open from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., but you should be careful not to visit during call to prayer (5:20 a.m., 6:25 a.m., 12:29 p.m., 3:55 p.m., 6:31 p.m., 7:38 p.m., and 1:43 a.m.). It costs about 3 Jordanian Dinar to visit, which is about $4.oo USD. You only need about 30 minutes to get through the entire mosque complex.

After our visit to the mosque, we returned to the gift shop.  The shop was quite large and had a great selection of souvenirs.

As is the custom, we were offered tea. The tea was warm and sweet!

We purchased handmade, traditional Jordanian head scarves and even got a tutorial on how to properly tie them.

Amman Citadel

Our next stop was to Amman Citadel. This is a historical site in the center of downtown Amman which is significant because it has a long history of occupation by many great civilizations. There are two  important structures at the site.

The first is the Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church. Behind the structure is what is left from a giant statute of Hercules, his hand, and a small carving of Medusa. This temple is considered to be the most significant Roman structure in the Amman Citadel.

The second most important structure in the Citadel is the Umayyad Palace.

There is also a small archaeological museum in the citadel that is free to visit with your paid admission into the Citadel. The most fascinating part of the Citadel is that the majority of it remains unexcavated.

Jerash

Our final stop for the day was in Jerash. But, by now, we were pretty hungry.  So before our visit to the Roman City of Jerash, we stopped at the Green Valley Restaurant.

This was one of the best meals we had in Jordan. While the menu is in Arabic and many locals eat here, it is also touristy in that a lot of tour groups stop here as well. Don’t let that scare you away.  This is the one exception, where the tourist trap is actually worth it!

Our guide ordered for us. All of a sudden, a parade of food appeared.  I had the BEST hummus and babaganoush I have ever tasted in my life here. It was so creamy, and as I type, my mouth is watering. The pita was large, warm, and plentiful.

It was at Green Valley that my love affair with limonnana began. Limonana is a Middel Eastern frozen mint lemonade. It is sweet, but tart. It is so fresh. It is life. Hello, my name is Anastasia, and I am addicted to limonana.

After tasting this sweet nectar water, I would seek it out and order several every single day.  I’d like to have one right now.  I wish I knew how to operate my blender. Anyway, I digress. On to the Jerash ruins. But first, a camel, because why not!

The Jerash ruins of Jordan are said to be the best-preserved Roman ruins outside of Italy. In fact, they are often referred to as the Pompeii of the East. After Petra, they are the most visited ruins in Jordan.

The most notable sites are:

  • Hadrian’s Arch: the entrance to the city

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  • Hippodrome: a restored Roman-era stadium

  • Forum: the main attraction, surrounded by 160 Ionic columns

  • The Cardo: colonnaded street running the length of the city.

  • Temple of Artemis: temple ruins dedicated to the ancient Greek goddess

  • Agora: the city’s main market

  • Nymphaeum: an ornate fountain dedicated to nymphs

  • South Theatre: still in use today

  • Jerash Archaeological Museum: houses a collection of artifacts found during the numerous excavations.

You can get to Jerash by car or bus.  There are regular buses to and from Jerash from Amman that run throughout the day until late afternoon. Tickets cost 1 JOD, which us about $2 USD. Taxis can be hired in Amman for 10 JOD  (or $14 USD) one-way or around 40 JOD (or $56 USD) for the day. Admission to the site costs 10 JD (or $14 USD) and includes the Jerash Archaeological Museum. Summertime hours are 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Winter hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can hire a guide right at the entrance of the site (not where you purchase your tickets).

After a long day like this, it was time for a treat. A sweet treat. Enter into my world Kunafa/Knafeh. More precisely, Kunafa from Habiba!

Kunafa is a popular Middle Eastern desert.  It consists of a layer of crisp pastry sitting on top of a layer of soft white cheese which is baked lightly in an oven then covered with sugar syrup and nuts. It tastes way better than it sounds. Here’s a recipe for you to try, but I doubt it comes close to the glory that is Habiba.

But if Kunafa is not your thing, Habiba has a host of other desserts to try.  Some with cream inside. Some with nuts, like baklava:

Or you can pick some up for gifts or for later:

The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ- Bethany on the Jordan River

Remember the movie Free Willy? You know how at the end they play that Michael Jackson song Will You Be There? You know, the one that goes Hold Me; Like the River Jordan; And I will then say to thee; You are my friend.  That song references this place! And this is where we headed on day two in Amman.

Most modern scholars believe that John the Baptist performed a baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, which borders both Jordan and Israel at the baptism site.  I have not been to the one in Israel, but the one in Jordan has many significant sites to see prior to reaching the actual river, and has now been recognized as the official baptism site of Jesus.

To enter the site you must first walk about 1o minutes on a trail that looks like this:

You will first reach the John the Baptist Church which has the baptism pool.  The exact place where Jesus was baptized has not yet been discovered, but it is believed that the garments of the Lord were taken care here at the time He was baptized:

On the opposite side is the Basilica or the Church of the Trinity:

Today, a Greek Orthodox church sits near the river:

Across from the church is the entrance to the Jordan River:

Once at the river, you can rent white baptismal gowns from the church for $15 USD and actually get into the river.  Across the river is Israel.  You will see people coming into the river from Israel as well. Apparently, you can hire a priest to perform an actual baptism at the site. Bring an empty water bottle if you want to collect “holy water” from the Jordan River.

Madaba

Our next stop was to the Christian town of Madaba, which is known as the City of Mosaics. Here, we visited the St. George Greek Orthodox Church.

The church contains the masterpiece of Madaba, a Byzantine map of the Holy Land that dates back to the 6th century, called the Madaba Map.

To this day, the Madaba Map represents the oldest map of Palestine in existence.

Because I am Greek and Greek Orthodox, I am partial to Greek churches.  In my travels, I have been in A LOT of churches from all denominations.  I think the Greek Orthodox churches are the most beautiful!

Apparently, an archaeological park is located a short walk from the church which houses the remains of several Byzantine churches, including the mosaics of the Church of the Virgin. I would have been interested to see this, and, honestly, I am kind of annoyed that we missed it.

By now, we were pretty hungry.  In an effort to top Green Valley, our guide told us he had called ahead to a local, family-owned restaurant called Hikayet Sitti, or the Food Basket.

This little gem is an old home that has been owned by this family from Amman for several years.  They decided to turn the home into a restaurant.

There is no menu at the Food Basket.  You call ahead to see what’s cooking or to make a request. But, regardless, the food is incredible and tastes authentic and homemade. The meal starts with mezze (or appetizers), and then momma brings out enough food to feed an army. The portions are very generous.

This is the cook and her husband who entertains the guests.

Her sons are the servers, and the service is great.

Mt. Nebo

Next, we visited Mount Nebo.  Mt. Nebo is the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land by God. The view from the summit provides a panorama of the Holy Land and, to the north, a more limited one of the valley of the River Jordan. The West Bank city of Jericho is usually visible from the summit, as is Jerusalem on a very clear day.

The mount is marked by this stone:

As you walk through the site, you will find a sculpture called The Brazen Serpent:

On the highest point of the mountain, stands the remains of a Byzantine church.  The church has the most beautiful mosaics inside.

Mukawir

Our next stop was to Machaerus or Mukawir. Mukawir is a fortified hilltop palace that is believed to be the location of the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist.

It is quite a hike to get up to the site where only two columns remain. The hike starts at this gate and is about 2 miles long.

At the top, you see this:

There are some pretty great views along the way, but, unless you are making a religious pilgrimage/tour or feel like doing some exercise, you can probably skip this site.

Kerak

We were scheduled to visit Kerak Castle. But, due to a planned protest that blocked the roads and the entrance to the site, we could not. So, the shots above are courtesy of Mr. Google. But, if you have time, you should this castle. Kerak Castle is the largest crusader castle in Jordan. Kerak was the capital of the biblical kingdom of Moab.

Needless to say, it was an action packed two days, and we haven’t even gotten to the most popular sites yet! I hope I was able to give you a small taste of Amman.  Please stop by to read the next four posts I have planned on Jordan, including one on Petra, one on Wadi Rum, one on the Dead Sea, and one on things you need to know before you go to Jordan.  Leave me a comment, and let me know what you think.

Also, in case you were wondering, we used Jordan Select Tours to plan this trip.  They were fantastic, responsive, and affordable! The entire trip was privately guided by the best driver in Amman, Hytham! He was so patient and entertaining.  Thanks for putting up with four crazy Greek-American girls for the week, Hytham!

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Tikko Travels: Dorian’s Story

May 5, 2017 by · 2 Comments

Guess what!  We have a new travel companion!  Meet Tikko.  Tikko is a traveling polar bear that belongs to a very special boy named Dorian.  Dorian is a 13-year old boy with Autism Spectrum Disorder (“ASD”).

Tikko travels the globe through the help of his ambassadors to raise awareness for ASD. Tikko takes a letter from Dorian outlining some of the characteristics of Autism, and an invitation to “Join the Journey” on Tikko’s Facebook page, “TIKKO TRAVELS“.

Tikko has been to a lot of places.  But Tikko came onto my radar in an unusual way.  As you may recall, I recently wrote a post about a friend whom I lost in a tragedy.  My friend had been a Tikko ambassador, taking Tikko with him on many of his adventures, his most notable being to the summit of Mount Everest.

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Tikko may not be able to top the travel tales that my friend provided to him, but he sure will get around the globe a bit with me, and, hopefully, in the process, we can do our part to accomplish Tikko’s mission of raising worldwide awareness for ASD.

I hope you will join our journey as we take Tikko to the corners of our beautiful globe to raise awareness for ASD and to remember a most extraordinary friend.

Where to next, Tikko?? GREECE!!

 

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Living Life To The Fullest: In Memory Of A Friend And Great Adventurer

March 30, 2017 by · Leave a Comment

“I can’t believe that we would lie in our graves, wondering if we had spent our living days well.”

Lyrics from Lie In Our Graves, Dave Matthews Band.

You always hear these adages, encouraging you to live life to the fullest.  To live with no regrets.  But what does that really mean, and, honestly, how many of us really heed that advice? How many people do we know that actually live these full lives?

I recently lost a friend in a tragic and unexpected way.  To me, he was the living embodiment of what it means to live life to the fullest, and to never take a single day for granted.  He was the one person I knew that lived these truths.

Neither my friend’s identity nor the details of his death are important.  What is important is the person that he was.  He was the kind of guy that had seemingly lived 100 interesting lives.  I met him 10 years ago in law school.  We were in the same section, and, if you know anything about law school, you know that means that we spent the next year together because we had the exact same schedule– every class, every day for a whole year. We bonded over our mutual love for travel and for animals, dogs specifically.

He was the kind of guy that basically excelled at everything he did, but not in an annoying way. In an inspiring way. He attended the Portuguese Air Force Academy where he graduated first in his class. He had a career as a military pilot and as an airline pilot for one of the largest airline companies in the U.S.  He was an accomplished private, commercial, instrument and ATP rated pilot as well as a Gold Seal Flight Instructor. He once told me that he enrolled in law school as a result of a bet/dare from his wife.  True to form, he was accepted to the best law school in the State of Florida and graduated second in our class, booking almost every class he took (non-lawyer translation: at the end of every class in law school, they give out an award (often endowed), called a book award, to the person who has the highest grade in that class). I always wondered if finishing second annoyed him since he was so used to being first.

He had an affinity for adventure and speed.  He loved fast (German) cars and fast motorcycles, and had both. He also loved to fly. He was the only person I knew in law school who had a plane, and that includes the faculty and staff.  He loved taking his fellow classmates up in the plane.  Two of my girlfriends and I once flew to his home to meet his wife and puppies (all 5 of them) and have dinner.  He let me take control and fly the plane on the way back, which was so exciting because I had never before (or since) flown a plane.  I saw a light in the distance and told him that he should probably resume control of the plane since there was some air traffic up ahead.  He laughed and said, “That’s not a plane, Anastasia; that’s a planet!” Whoops!

He was the kind of guy that always had time for conversation (especially if the conversation was a debate). He as not afraid to take a position, even an unpopular one, and he stood by his convictions. He believed in himself. He was also the kind of guy that never said no. He was always willing to help.  If you were struggling to understand a concept, he would take time and explain it to you the way he understood it.  I sat next to him for an entire month during our bar preparation course, which I was in charge of running.  He was early every morning, ready to help. He was an authentic and genuine soul.

After law school, we kept in touch through Facebook.  He briefly worked at a law firm, but hated the structure, so he started his own firm with his wife who was already a lawyer. He also provided safety consulting services to the offshore and land-based oil and gas industry. In his spare time, he volunteered his time and his plane to provide free air transportation to financially distressed people with medical needs and to health care organizations through a non-profit charitable organization.

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Over the course of two and a half years, he completed the Seven Summits Challenge.  That means that he summited the highest mountain on each of the seven continents: Mount Everest in Asia, the Aconcagua in South America, Denali in North America, Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa (twice), Mount Elbrus in Europe, Vinson in Antarctica, and Puncak Jaya in New Guinea (Australia).  Because there is a debate about whether Mount Kosciuszko or Puncak Jaya is the tallest in Australia, he climbed both. I teasingly told him that I would be impressed only after he also summited K2. He matter-of-factly told me that he already summited the highest mountain in Asia and the world. Touche.

In between climbing mountains, he had some other pretty epic adventures, including gorilla trekking in Uganda and Rwanda, expeditions to Antarctica, and 100s of “trips of a lifetime” to the Galapagos Islands, Australia, South America, North America, Europe, Asia, and Africa. It seems he that he always immersed himself with the locals wherever he went, and he always found dogs to love all over the world. His pictures are National Geographic amazing, because he was, of course, a professional level photographer. He was my travel icon, and we often compared notes on travel, although my travels paled in comparison to his.

On the rare occasion that he wasn’t off on some bucket list journey, he spent time at his second home in the Bahamas, which he built and dedicated to his squad of adorable Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  In my next life, if I can’t come back as him, I want to come back as one of his dogs. He would load up the pups in his plane, put the  protective earmuffs on them, and fly them down to their island home, Sandy Paws. They would spend time exploring the island in their golf cart and taking to the seas in their boat, the Barkardi. He and his dogs would go paddle-boarding. These dogs live a charmed life, and I loved it.

He got involved in a local charity in the Bahamas that built homes for and fed stray Potcake dogs on the island, which is a mixed breed dog commonly found on the Caribbean Islands.  He flew plane loads of supplies to the island from the States to support this cause and the these dogs. He loved all animals and our environment, but he especially loved dogs. He had tattoos of the face of every one of his dogs on his body. I judge the greatness of a person by the way they treat animals, and he was one of the greatest.

The last country he visited was Bolivia, where he was hiking up a volcano. Before he died, he was working on completing the Explorers Grand Slam, which he planned to start next month. That involves skiing to both the North and South poles. I am sad that such a great adventurer will never get to complete this feat.

He was truly the most interesting person I have ever known (and probably will ever know). His life was remarkable, inspirational, and one that deserves celebration. He lived life to the fullest. The last time I spoke to my friend was on March 15.  He died four days later.  I never got to tell him how much I admired him, and for that I am sorry.

As news of his death spread, his Facebook wall was loaded with pictures and messages of condolences from people around the world. Literally, around the world: his climbing friends, his Island friends, his local community, his law school friends, even people who had met him once in passing.  It is amazing to see the impact and reach that one person had on so many. The messages are similar: “amazing man”, “great human”, “inspiring person”, “authentic”, ” positive, fun-loving and gregarious” “remarkable and wonderful[ly] accomplish[ed]”. In times where humanity can’t seem to agree on anything, scores of people from different cultures, races, and religions seemingly agreed: he was good people.

They say all dogs god to heaven, and if that is true, on March 19, heaven’s dogs met their greatest angel.  I hope that he is resting peacefully in heaven, surrounded by dogs, gazing over the highest and most amazing peaks. I hope he died feeling like he spent his living days well. 

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