Gaza Resist

Mountain villages clutched against canyon walls, clusters of dates weighing heavy in the plantation oases, a ribbon of sand blown across the dunes, a lone camel padding across the limitless interior – these are the kinds of images afforded by the beautiful and enigmatic country of Oman.

In years gone by, Oman was rich with copper and frankincense, and enjoyed an extensive East African empire. Then, in the early 20th century, a deeply conservative ruler, Sultan Said, chose deliberately to isolate the country from the modern world. His son, peace-loving Sultan Qaboos, assumed the throne in 1970 and that date now marks the beginning of the widely celebrated ‘Renaissance’ in which the country has been returned to an age of prosperity and progression.

What makes Oman’s renaissance somewhat unique in the region is that the transformation has been conducted with great sensitivity towards traditional values – there are few high-rise buildings in the capital, Muscat; the country’s heritage of forts (numbering over 2,000) are meticulously restored; ancient crafts like weaving are actively supported. Moreover, traditional Arabian values, such as hospitality and practical piety, are still in evidence making Oman somewhere to experience Islamic culture at its best.

The Syrian Arab Republic revels in its antiquity, having been inhabited for tens of thousands of years – and in the variation and cultural riches that such antiquity has brought it. This is a country that preserves scores of relics documenting the rise and fall of different civilisations, and which continues to welcome such diversity.

Syria was once regarded as a frontier region, bordered to the east by the Arabs and Persians. The Persian invasions were repulsed but Syria eventually fell to the Muslims in the mid-seventh century. From then on, Syria was to be firmly part of the Muslim world, although retaining Christian and Jewish populations. Muslim control of Syria was vital to the defeat of the Christians and their expulsion from Jerusalem. Even when the terrifying force of the 13th century Mongols was unleashed on Syria, their massive Hulagu army was eventually defeated at the Battle of Goliath’s Well – a victory that, in retrospect, must be seen as one of the world’s most decisive military engagements, preventing both the Muslim world – and the Christian one – from certain doom.

Today, Syria’s Islamic identity is as central to the country as its Arab roots. Such doctrine over-spilled into Arab nationalism in the 1950s – indeed, Nasser’s revolution in Egypt prompted Syria to join Egypt in the United Arab Republic. However, the alliance was short-lived, Syria seceding in 1961 to form the Syrian Arab Republic. Since then, Syria has been ruled at the head of a tightly controlled dictatorship. Even when General Hafez al-Assad of the Ba’ath Party (or Arab Socialist Renaissance) died in 2000, and his son Bashar assumed headship, Western hopes that the country would pursue a more pro-Western line proved misguided – in the vocabulary of the US Bush administration, the Syrian Arab Republic is a ‘state of concern’ (one level below the ‘axis of evil’).

Although Syria pulled its forces out of Lebanon in 2005 after being implicated by a UN report for the assassination of former Lebanese premier, Rafik Hariri (Syrian troops have remained there ever since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, in a (successful) attempt to prevent the expansion of Israel, and to counterbalance Israeli military might in the region), relations with numerous Western states remains fragile.

In short, the Syrian Arab Republic’s long history is littered with dramatic episodes, from being subsumed into past empires (Babylonians, Canaanites, Assyrians, Phoenicians, and so on) to more recent events, such as Napoleon’s campaign in 1799/1800, the Egyptian invasion in the 1830s and the insurrection in 1860-61. However, such battles and scrambles over territory have translated into a catalogue of staggering cities full of stunning monuments, from the entire city of Damascus to the country’s many mosques. The events have also failed to impair the character of the Syrian people who – surprisingly to some – exude friendliness and warmth, and are justly proud of their land.

With a name meaning ‘Two Seas’ it is little wonder that Bahrain, an archipelago of 33 islands in the Gulf, defines itself in relation to the water that surrounds its shallow shores.

Modern developments
Those shallows once harboured a precious trade in pearls; now the same shallows are being reclaimed for ambitious, high profile developments, such as the twin 50-storey towers of Bahrain’s World Trade Centre and the 2,787,000 sq m (30,000,000 sq ft) horseshoe of man-made islands at the southern tip of the country.

Oil wealth
In the middle of Bahrain, not far from where the Formula 1 racetrack now draws the crowds, is the point where in 1932 the Arab world first struck gold – black gold, that is – and oil has been the mainstay of the country ever since. As visitors travel the modest length of Bahrain, visiting the ancient burial mounds, forts, craft markets and potteries, they will run into many reminders of this momentous discovery, not least in the relaxed affluence of Bahrain’s multicultural residents.

Lebanon’s diverse patchwork of Mediterranean-lapped coast, rugged alpine peaks and green, fertile valleys is packed into a parcel of land some 225km (140 miles) long and 46km (29 miles) wide.

Once known as the ‘Paris of the East’, Beirut commands a magnificent position, thrust into the Mediterranean. Behind the city are towering mountains, visible when the traffic haze settles down. The Corniche seafront boasts beaches, restaurants, theatres and a dazzling variety of shops and restaurants.

Beirut suffered greatly from Lebanon’s 16-year civil war, but following an impressive and ongoing process of reconstruction, the city was poised to become one of the most popular tourist and business destinations in the Middle East before the Israeli attacks of 2006.

Outside of the capital, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites await, many of which reflect the country’s various ancient civilizations. Phoenician tombs, Roman temples, Crusader castles and Mamlouk mosques can be found in the cities and ruins of Baalbeck, Byblos and Tyre. The town of Aanjar in the Bekaa Valley contains an Umayyad site from the 8th century – a unique historical example of a commercial centre that was inland. Within the mountainous interior of the Kadisha Valley, ancient monasteries and churches can be seen, including a chapel built into the rock face.

Once an important trading centre of the Roman Empire, and straddling the ancient Holy Land of the world’s three great monotheistic religions, Jordan is a tiny desert kingdom wrapped in history.

Stand on Mt Nebo and survey the land promised to Moses; unwrap a scarf or two at Mukawir, where Salome cast a spell over men in perpetuity; float in the Dead Sea, beside a pillar of salt, reputed to be Lot’s disobedient wife; go just about anywhere in Jordan and you’ll find every stone bares a tale, and those of Madaba’s legendary mosaics tell more tales than most.

Petra, the jewel in the crown of Jordan’s antiquities, is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The magnificent rock-hewn city of the Nabateans has been a favourite destination for Europeans since the 19th century, and at sunset on a winter’s day, when the rose-pink city catches alight, it is easy to see why this enchanting place has charmed generations of visitors.

Yemen has established itself as a tourist destination, attracting travellers with its striking scenery and spectacular Islamic and pre-Islamic architecture. Yemen boasts hugely varied landscapes, from magnificent mountains to lush fruit-growing valleys to semi-arid plains and wide sandy beaches. The towns and cities hide souks and spice markets, mosques and ancient city walls.

To the Romans, Yemen was Arabia Felix, whose mountains and fertile areas distinguished it from the barren desert of the rest of the Arabian peninsula. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Yemen came into the seventh century under the influence of Islam. It remained within the orbit of various regional powers until, in the 15th century, it became a flashpoint in the struggle between the Egyptians and the Ottoman Empire. During the early 17th and early 19th centuries, the struggle for control was between the Europeans and the Ottomans. Split in two by political and civil warfare throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Yemen was finally reunited in 1990 under Ali Abdullah Saleh.

The country is home to numerous significant archaeological sites, while adventure travellers can enjoy camping and trekking in the unique Socotra archipelago, which counts over 270 endemic species among its enormous range of wildlife and plant life.

Travel by 4WD across the deserts of Dubai on an afternoon excursion that takes you sandboarding on the sands and dining under the stars. Heading into the desert is a must-do experience when you’re visiting Dubai.

Zipping along by 4WD, you’ll have several photo stops during an exciting drive across the dunes to your first destination, a camel farm. The drive continues across the desert and you will witness a beautiful desert sunset. It’s one of the highlights of a trip to the Arabian desert.

Upon arrival at your campsite, you have the opportunity to ride on a camel, experience the thrill of sandboarding and try out a henna design on your hands or feet.

After all that activity you will have worked up an appetite, so enjoy a delicious BBQ dinner and a shisha (the famous Arabic water pipe). The evening also includes a belly dancer performing her show around the campfire in the moonlight (except during Ramadan).

Please note: The belly dancer does not perform during Ramadan (approximately mid-September to mid-October) and alcohol will only be served after 7pm.

Machu Picchu History
Hiram Bingham, the credited discoverer of this historical site, along with several others, originally thought that the citadel was the traditional birthplace of the Inca of the “Virgins of the Suns”. Machu Picchu was built around 1460 at the height of the Inca Empire but abandoned less than 100 years later. It is likely that most of its inhabitants were wiped out by smallpox before the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the area, and there is no record of their having known of the remote city.

Another theories suggest that Machu Picchu was an Inca “llacta”, a settlement built to control the economy of these conquered regions. Yet others think that it may have been built as a prison for a select few who had committed heinous crimes against Inca society. Research conducted by scholars has convinced most archaeologists that rather than a defensive retreat, Machu Picchu was an estate of the Inca emperor, Pachacuti.

Although Machu Picchu is located only about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the Inca capital, Cusco, it was never discovered by the Spanish and consequently not envaded and destroyed. Over the centuries, the surrounding jungle grew over much of the site, and few knew of its existence. The site was found on July 24, 1911, by Hiram Bingham.

Machu Picchu was established as a World Heritage Site in 1983 when it was described as “an absolute masterpiece of architecture and a unique testimony to the Inca civilization”. On July 7, 2007, Machu Picchu was voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Machu Picchu Visitor Information
There are several different ways to visit Machu Picchu: on foot, along the Inca Trail, by train from the city of Cuzco to Aguas Calientes, or by helicopter from the Cuzco airport to Aguas Calientes. Tours cost a few hundred dollars, while helicopter excursions cost more. There is a park fee of US$40 dollars to help maintain conservation of the park area.

Most people get to Machu Picchu via the Inca Trail. This is a four day hike through the mountains. It’s not long but it is very hard and the ascent is very steep. Tours book out months in advance and cost hundreds of dollars. The majority of hotels in Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley can be found in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes. A little closer to the site itself, however, the Machu Picchu Sanctuary Lodge occupies an amazingly privileged spot, while back down in Cuzco, the Hotel Monasterio is an equally attractive (if not quite so perfectly located) choice of hotel in Machu Picchu and the Sacred Valley.

Highlights to see and do while visiting Machu Picchu include:

• Aguas Caliantes – Before your journey to Machu Picchu begins, Aguas Caliantes is a small village that sits at the bottom of Machu Pichu. The entire village is built around a river that is known for its hot springs. A small village where hikers and travelers alike are able to soak in the fresh air of the mountains, relax in natural hot springs, and fall asleep to the sound of the steadily flowing river.
• Temple of the Sun – The Temple of the Sun was used to honor and celebrate Inti, the Sun, an important Incan deity. When the sun of the winter solstice enters through the central window, it falls directly on the large ceremonial stone. The round building protects the stone.
• Temple of the Three Windows- located west of the main square and has a large rectangular floor. Its name comes from the fact that it has three main windows and two blind bays. With the main temple it is one of the most impressive architecture structures in Machu Pichu.
• Huayna Picchu – In Quechua this means “young peak”. The peak of Huayna Picchu is about 2,720 metres (8,900 ft) above sea level, or about 360 metres (1,200 ft) higher than Machu Picchu. You can hike to the top of Huayna Picchu in about 1-2 hours, and once atop you can look down over all of Machu Picchu. Truly a site not to be missed and well worth the extra hike. However, you may want to do this first as they only allow the first 400 people to make the hike.

Machu Picchu Conservation Efforts
UNESCO continually threatens to put Machu Picchu on its list of World Heritage in Danger sites, a designation meant to encourage swift corrective action.

In January 2001 the government began to regulate the trail and to require permits. Of the 93 tour operators that had sold Inca Trail packages at the time, half were denied permission to continue operating. To meet the new requirements tour operators must use only assigned camp sites with proper toilet facilities; carry all garbage with them; use only propane for fuel (no open fires); provide two guides for groups of more than seven tourists; and limit the amount porters carry to 25 kilos.

The World Monuments Fund placed Machu Picchu on its 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world because of environmental degradation resulting from the impact of tourism, uncontrolled development in the nearby town of Aguas Calientes that included a poorly sited tram to ease visitor access, and the construction of a bridge across the Vilcanota River that is likely to bring even more tourists to the site in defiance of a court order and government protests against it.

Iran is located in the Middle East, bounded by Turkmenistan and the Caspian Sea, Afghanistan, Pakistan, the Persian Gulf, the Gulf of Oman, Iraq and Turkey. The centre and east of the country is largely barren desert with mountainous regions in the west. Tehran, the capital, is essentially a busy and modern city, but the best of the old has been preserved.

As one of the first countries to be occupied by the early Islamic armies which came out of Arabia in the seventh century, Iran has a rich and detailed history. The antique sights of Persia, one of the greatest empires of the ancient world, can be witnessed alongside bustling metropolises and vast mountain ranges. Several bazaars are just as old and Iran is the destination for those in search of the most expensive rugs and carpets in the world.

Iran has maintained a distinct cultural identity within the Islamic world by retaining its own language and adhering to the Shi’a interpretation of Islam. As a unique Islamic Republic, Iran is ruled by both supreme leaders and elected presidents.

Forget the 20th-century stereotype of a rich Arab Gulf state, of hastily thrown up tower blocks, chaotic streets and bafflingly tacky urban sculpture: Qatar – or at least the capital, Doha – has metamorphosed into a self-confident, elegant entrepôt that gives the UAE a run for its money.

Occupying a flat peninsula jutting into the oil-rich waters of The Gulf, Qatar is one of the richest per capita countries in the world – a wealth exhibited in high-profile projects, such as the new Museum of Islamic Art, built to house the largest such collection in the world.

With 50% of Qatar’s population living in the capital, the country is a virtual city state.  But for those not content with jogging around Doha’s fine corniche, a string of beaches beckon for rest and recuperation, and the magnificent dunes of Khor al-Adaid help even up the odds between God and Mammon.