It was one of those infamous Southern California mornings of May Gray when you want to reach up and pry the clouds apart. The sun is comfortably hidden above its shroud-covered floor, and you know that no amount of wishing or cajoling is going to make it break through the fog. I was sitting at … Read More
These days of social distancing are folding one into the next, as if the calendar’s only purpose is to decorate our desktops. Except for daily walks in the neighborhood and weekly grocery runs, we remain inside, quarantined in a strange new existence, hiding from an invisible foe we hope to never meet. It has been … Read More
“I would do it soon.” It was the word we were dreading to hear. Herb and I were sitting in the office of Dr. Lars Svensson, world-renowned cardiovascular surgeon and Chairman of the Heart & Vascular Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Dr. Svensson was reviewing the status of a defective heart valve that Herb had … Read More
“If bliss can be described as an exalted state of wishing not to be anywhere else, then this had been bliss.” ~Paul Theroux, Fresh Air Fiend: Travel Writings Car horns were beeping, and morning traffic was in full swing as we headed out on Ring Road to the Giza pyramid complex. It wasn’t Cairo’s traffic that … Read More
“As you set out for Ithaca hope your road is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery… And may you visit many Egyptian cities to learn and go on learning from their scholars.” ~C.P. Cavafy, Ithaca “I know a short-cut,” our driver was saying as we were headed to Dubai’s International Airport. It was … Read More
With only one day to experience Dubai, I knew this was going to be a “greatest hits” kind of tour. Last night’s surprise architectural extravaganza had offered a preview of what this United Arab Emirates city is all about – biggest, newest, tallest and dressed up in its sparkly best. Attractions are spread out across … Read More
Although it was my first visit to Dubai, I would have recognized that skyline anywhere. Like a conductor of a grand architectural orchestra, the “world’s tallest” Burj Khalifa takes center stage, pointing its baton skyward in a symphony of modern design. Buildings of imaginative shapes and creative configurations spread out in both directions. It’s a … Read More
If I had to choose a crayon from a box of Crayola 64s to color Muscat, it would simply be white. From its pristine white architecture set against the sepia-toned Hajar Mountains to the crisp white dishdashas worn by Omani men, Muscat has a uniform feel – clean, modern, orderly and bathed in a white … Read More
Salalah, Oman, is a bit of a conundrum. On one hand, Oman’s second largest city (pronounced Sa-lá-lah) and capital of the Dhofar province has swiftly moved into the twenty-first century, playing a fast game of catch-up with its Arab neighbors. Yet despite the growth, the area exudes an old-world feel, with camels roaming the beaches, … Read More
The flash of light flew by our cabin window long after the sun had set. Any happenings in the Red Sea were far from our minds as Herb and I were watching Lawrence of Arabia, hoping to finally finish the epic film we had started before visiting Wadi Rum. But when I spotted a light … Read More