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Location: Places >> Middle East
Traveling to the Middle East this Spring
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Posted January 6th, 2013 - 9:36 pm by  from Philadelphia, United States (Permalink)Considering your European destinations, I would just go to Morocco for two weeks. Either that or Turkey, which you can easily spend two weeks in (and much more than that). It's traveler friendly, enormously varied, and a really just one of my favorite places in the world. If you are really determined to go further east, Jordan and Israel are the easiest to see together, and they both have plenty to see. Remember, you can't go to most Middle east countries (with the exception of Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey) once you have an Israeli stamp in your passport. Syria is amazing, but it is not a tourist destination right now, it is a war zone, so cross that off your list. Lebanon is beautiful, and I highly recommend in a general sense, but keep in mind that when Syria is destabilized it usually leaks over into Lebanon, and that state can collapse really quickly. Also, you can't get to it through Syria anymore, so you would have to fly. Egypt is a big, wonderful, confusing place, but it is hard to adjust to for just a couple of days. That is a place that takes some more time and energy investment. Also, it is still figuring out what its political future will be, and can be unstable. I also found Egypt to be the most difficult place to be a woman in the Middle East, so if you are traveling with a woman it is likely to be harder on her than other destinations (though traveling with a man makes it way easier). Anywho, those are my thoughts, good luck with your travels!!!
Posted January 7th, 2013 - 7:56 am by  from Sassocorvaro, Italy (Permalink)Hi Gregory I completely agree with Susannah! Please consider Europe, Maroc and as well the Middle East is not only Airplains, Airports, Taxis, sleeping and 2 monuments. Only while reducing your list to a maximum of 3 or 4 countries you will have deeper impressions than just the "touristic surface". Enjoy Peter
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Posted January 7th, 2013 - 6:26 pm by  from San Francisco, United States (Permalink)This post has been removed by the user.
Posted January 7th, 2013 - 9:31 am by  from Cologne, Germany (Permalink)Hi Gregory, the others are right, you are way to ambitious for this short time. Take it easy or take more time off :-) Plus, if your list really is the order of place you want to visit, your journey will be over after you've visited Israel. Neither Lebanon nor Syria will let you enter when you have an Israeli stamp in your passport. Sometimes the people at the Israeli boarder are not cooperative and they stamp your passport if you want it or not. Moreover, there is a civil war going on in Syria so you don't want to visit (considering you're American they might not allow you to enter the country anyway at the moment). Lebanon is likely to also be affected and the military presence is a lot bigger than usual. I'd highly recommend to shorten the list of destinations to Spain, Portugal and Morocco. If you're really in a hurry you could enlarge the trip with a little capital hopping including Cairo and/or Istanbul but as Peter already mentioned this would only give you a very touristy (and probably not even real) view of things. Have fun! Julia
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Posted February 8th, 2013 - 12:43 pm by  from Bratislava, Slovakia (Permalink)Gregory, Lebanon is mostly safe and though things are heating up there, friend which was there month ago had no problems. There is no war there, like in Syria. That saying, if you decide to go there (as for Israeli stamps you can ask border guards to stamp them on separate paper) its probably for the best to avoid Bekkaa border area with Syria and north (Akkar, Arsal and check news before going to Tripoli for clashes with Jabal Mohsen). Beirut is fine, mt. Lebanon as well and burning tires from time to time aside so is Sidon. Cheers.
Posted February 8th, 2013 - 1:21 pm by from Sassocorvaro, Italy (Permalink)Hi Gregory attention about "as for Israeli stamps you can ask (Israel) border guards to stamp them on separate paper" is correct, but resolve only a part of the issue: the immigration officer in Liban will view your passport and if he find an exit stamp from Egypt or Jordan toward Israel he understand and can, probably will reject you. Please check with your embassy or other official contact. There seem to be 1 "inofficial way": wenn you use the Allenby Bridge between Jordan and Israel for both ways it may work, because here Jordan don't consider you "leaving the country" and Israel will (upon request) usually issues the above mentioned "stamp on separate paper". A bit risky, but I know about people who did it. Peter
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Posted February 9th, 2013 - 6:43 pm by from Bratislava, Slovakia (Permalink)From the countries you mentioned in your original post only Lebanon won´t let you in with Israeli borders stamp (well and Syria but you can´t go there anyway). Morocco does not recognize Israel but I never heard about them banning entry of those who have Israeli border stamps. Jordan, Egypt and Turkey have diplomatic relations with Israel. If you want to follow that route, maybe visit Lebanon before Jordan, Israel and Egypt and than just take the land route between those three (fly from beirut to Ammam, than Israel and than take through Sinai to Port Said, Alexandria or whereever you want to go).
Posted February 14th, 2013 - 11:12 am by from Sassocorvaro, Italy (Permalink)Oliver is right. The only thing I would ad: book your flight to and from Liban not much in advance, political situation there may change fast.
Posted January 7th, 2013 - 11:56 am by  from Minsk, Belarus (Permalink)hello :) because of some reasons like internal war and ... , you can change Syria with Iran. Iran is a good idea for a tourist. you can find 4 season when ever that you travel there, you can visit historical places, beautiful nature, delicious food , friendly people, a lot of museum and .... . i know there are a lot of couch surfer in Iran and they will be happy to host you . have a good trip :)
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Posted February 26th, 2013 - 2:44 pm by  from Naestved, Denmark (Permalink)yes, the others are right. yr trying to see too much in too shortof a time. enoy nonetheless! |