Too Square to be Hip
A narcissist's guide to travel and culture
High above the Dead Sea sits a windswept barren wasteland that seems to be far removed from the natural world. In this post we trace my footsteps from my swimming in the Dead Sea to the Judean Fortress of Machaerus where John the Baptist lost his head. For more information on St. John, visit the …
I would like to start this article with a bit of a different format than I typically do. This is a small sort of essay that I have completed about the city and my strange love for all things Jewish. From here I will proceed to the typical city guide. My Thoughts on Jerusalem and …
Driving in capital of the OG Philadelphia is one difficult task. One of the oldest inhabited places in the world, Amman many have modernized but it is still a complex maze of 1-ways winding around and up/down a series of hills through the city center! This dynamism exhibited in Amman was not always so. The …
When the Arab armies invaded Egypt, they founded a new capital on the Nile upstream from the ruins of Memphis, one the capital of Lower Egypt. The name of this city was Fustat, now a suburb of modern Cairo. The city may have had a late start in comparison to its contemporaries but the chaotic …
Once one of the most resplendishing cities in the Mediterranean, home to two of the seven wonders and a a jewel of Hellenic culture, Alexandria, city of the Conqueror, is but a beaten down shadow of its former self. It is clear from the decaying concrete buildings and the crumbling Napoleonic era architecture that the …
Geography Oddly enough, Cadiz is the second biggest city in its commune, after Jerez, something that surprised me due to the historical importance of the provincial capital. Unfortunately Cadiz’s population has long been in decline, a trend opposite to most urban center in Spain and even in the region where many of the other cities …
Oh Sherry, how the fine wine spills. Welcome to Jerez de la Frontera, the birthplace of the famous desert wine. Most Spaniards know the city simply as Jerez, one of the 25 largest cities in Spain, yet hardly known to the outside world. The city is a hub of industry rather than government, something reflected …
My introduction to the Portuguese nation began, where it begins for most, in the Nation’s capital. One of the great cities of the colonial empire, Lisbon doubles as one of the best capital cities in Europe. This colourful cultural monolith is one of the most popular summer destinations in Europe and it is easy to …
Geography Nestled within a ten kilometer granite mountain range, Sintra sits in a mountain pass leading to an Atlantic coastal plain. It is this geography that has influenced Sintra’s unique micro-climate. The main part of town is Sao Martinhi and this post will focus on this part of Sintra area, rather than the Atlantic Ocean …
Geography Located roughly in the center of Portugal, this town located on a hill overlooking the Mondego River, is a dramatic sight, for sure. The river allows this inland city access to the Mediterranean, distinguishing it from other interior cities. The fourth largest city of Portugal it is known for its warm Mediterranean climate as …
