Whenever I tell people I want to explore the Middle East, they never understand why. The remarks are always like, isn't it too dangerous? I don't want to travel to learn, there's way to much religious outbreak happening, etc, etc. I've always had a desire to travel around this area of the world and learn more about the traditions each culture has. I've compiled a list of places I must explore.
Egypt
Egypt has always been at the top of my list. I find the Egyptian culture fascinating and so heart-warming. There are so many incredible landmarks to see here as well, like Luxor Temple, Pyramids of Giza, The Sphinx of Giza, Abu Simbel, Valley of the Kings, The Monastery of St Catherine, Mt Sinai, and so much more.
Israel
Being a Christian, I think exploring Israel would be incredible. Walking where Jesus walked and just standing in the presence of where he's been... amazing. The Dead Sea, Hike Wadi Arugot in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, explore old city Jerusalem, The Rash Hanikra caves, the
town of Tel Aviv
Jordan
Indiana Jones, that's it. A lot of this film was actually filmed here in Jordan which gave it the exact exposure it needed. Petra, is the famous wonder that lives here and definitely a top landmark I want to see. I want to break Bread and have Chai Tea with a Bedouin in the Dana BioPreserve, seems particular but just think how amazing it would be to be in the middle of nowhere, watching the sunset become vibrant stars and baking bread over a fire. Stand on Mount Nebu which is where Moses first saw the Promised land and of course, trek the Arabian desert, because well, Aladdin.
Lebanon
A hidden gem of a country that's actually a lot safer than people make it out to be. It's considered the 'Paris' of the Middle East, one of the main reasons for that is the fashion, females are always dressed stylish! Some of the things I'd love to do in Lebanon include: exploring the funky streets of Beirut, watch the sunset in Raouche, wine tasting in the Bekaa Valley, explore the caves of Jeita Grotto, but most of all, the food. The average lunch or dinner lasts about 3-4 hours since there is SO much and they take heart in relationship and actually enjoying each other's presence.
Cyprus
Cyprus is an island located just off the coast of Lebanon in the Mediterranean Sea. Not only does it have insanely beautiful beaches but it covered in historical sites and picture perfect villages to explore. Cyprus also has a history of winemaking that stretches back over 6,000 years. That’s 6,000 years of accumulated winemaking knowledge passed from
generation to generation.
Turkey
Just say Turkish coffee and you sold me, it's delicious. Turkey is covered with hidden pathways, markets, brilliant architecture and lots and lots of good food. Some of the must see places are, Amasya (perched in the Black Sea region), the thermal pools of Pamukkale, the island of Tenedos, Goreme in the Cappadocia region to see the vast area of hot air balloons, check out the history in Ephesus and of course, explore Istanbul.
Iran
A massive array of landscapes, tiled architecture, delicious cuisine and hidden sights this country has something for everybody. The people of Iran are special, they treat you like family and will always invite you into their homes, they do hospitality extremely well here. Some of things I'd love to do here are: Explore the capital city of Tehran, go to the Grand bazaar, eat in the village of Darband, stay in a traditional Iranian house in Kashan and so much more. Iran is a country where you have to dress very conservatively and cover your hair with a hijab, but that definitely wouldn't stop me from diving into the beauty of this country.