Ras Al Khaimah: Abandoned Fishing Village

Posted April 5, 2016 by twj
United Arab Emirates

Jazirat Al Hamra Fishing Village

Ras Al Khaimah Emirate

United Arab Emirates

April 5, 2016

My Friends,

In the guidebook, the abandoned Jazirat Al Hamra Fishing Village is categorized as a “neighborhood….”

“….For an authentic glimpse of the pre-oil era, poke around this deliciously spooky ghost town, one of the oldest and best preserved coastal villages in the UAE.”

“First settled in the 14th Century, its people subsisted mostly on fishing and pearling until they suddenly picked up and left in 1968.”*

Cautiously I make my way up and around the rocky paths amid the cluttered ruins of homes, schools, shops, mosques and towers. 

The Souk, Sharjah, UAE

Posted April 4, 2016 by twj
United Arab Emirates

 

Sharjah

United Arab Emirates

April 4, 2016

Dear Friends,

I am guessing there are about one hundred and fifty shops.  Have you ever seen so much gold jewelry in one place?   

The elaborate pieces on display in the Sharjah Gold Souk seem fit only for the wife of an Emir or a Sheik!  Considering my bank balance and my current marital status, I smiled at the merchants, took my photos and walked on.

Dubai: Tall

Posted April 3, 2016 by twj
United Arab Emirates

Dubai

United Arab Emirates

April 3, 2016

Dear Friends,

“Tall!” 

In a word, that is how I would describe Dubai: “Tall, very tall!”

Apartment blocks, apartment clusters, office buildings, hotels, even the minarets of the mosques are all very tall.

Dubai boasts the tallest building in the world - the Burj Khalifa.  Piercing the skyline, the spike of a structure stands at 829.8m or 2722 ft. 

Set on a man-made island and shaped like the sail of a dhow, the traditional ship of Arabia, the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel stands at 321m or 1053 ft.  Burj Al Arab is only (!) the third tallest hotel in the world.   The other two?  JW Marriott Marquis and Rose Rayhaan?  Why also in Dubai, of course.

Blind Trust - Feel the Burn

Posted April 1, 2016 by Jan

Dubai

United Arab Emirates

April 1, 2016

Hello,

I need your help. 

I have been asked to conduct a search for an Executive Director of a large and diversified Trust Fund.  The position requires senior-level expertise in operations and financial management in the Real Estate and Hospitality Industries.

As a life-long registered Democrat, you can imagine my surprise when I received a personal letter from Donald Trump.  This was no ordinary mailer asking for a contribution.   This was a personal letter, on his personal letterhead.

Mr. Trump is optimistic and looking ahead to winning the Republican Party nomination for President.  As the nominee, he wants to be a visionary when it comes to foreign affairs, especially in the area of military preparedness.  Consequently, he is researching the sites of closed or abandoned military bases in order to expand our global reach and readiness. 

In his search, Mr. Trump came upon my website and my travel letter and photographs from my recent visit to the abandoned World War Two United States Air Force base in Greenland.  Apparently, Mr. Trump’s military advisors informed him that this remote spot in the North Atlantic has significant strategic importance. **

Just by chance, on my website, Mr. Trump also clicked on the link to “Jan’s CV.”  He found that I had a long career in the Hospitality Industry.  So he was interested.

Kanchanaburi: Hike to Waterfalls and Caves

Posted December 20, 2015 by twj
Thailand: Central

Bangkok

Thailand

December 20, 2015

Sunday

Clear and Cool

 

OMG!  OMB!  Oy vey!

Plinio’s legs are “sore.”  Howard “blew out” his ankle.  Jan has a painful left hip and aching thighs.  Even with his walking stick, Jan can barely limp out of his apartment today to buy breakfast.

Here’s the story:

Last August, I met Plinio on my trip to Svalbard.  Plinio, from Trieste, Italy is also a “traveler.”  Plinio is visiting Thailand this month before heading up to Harbin, China. (-25C)

Last Friday, I met Howard here in Bangkok.  Howard hails from Montreal, Canada.  We “connected” immediately.  After Bangkok, Howard will travel to Cambodia, Vietnam and Bali, Indonesia.

I organized the group and we decided to hire a car and driver and head out west to Kanchanaburi Province for three days.

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