Tag Archives: Middle East

Travel & Culture: ‘Dubai – The Old And The New’

Filmed and Directed by: Gunther Machu

For me, Dubai is a very interesting mixture of the hypermodern skyline with the Burj Khalifa and the Dubai Frame but also the “old” part at the Dubai Creek with the gold souk, deira, and old dhows which carry goods from Iran and beyond (wooden arab boats). Watching people loading and unloading these old dhows and the busy scenes in the souk are a real joy to witness.

I hope you enjoy my little mini documentary about an overnight stay in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. On artificial islands just offshore is Atlantis, The Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.

World News Podcast: The Plague Year, Arab Spring Lookback & CEO Memos

A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week: reflecting on the plague yearten years after the Arab spring (9:50), and what if CEOs’ memos were clear and honest? (15:30).

Walking Tours: Old City, Golden Gate And Lions Gate Of Jerusalem (Video)

The Golden and Lions Gates are located on the east side of the old city of Jerusalem. Israel.

GOLDEN GATE: As it is called in Christian literature, is the oldest of the current gates in Jerusalem’s Old City Walls. According to Jewish tradition, the Shekhinah (שכינה) (Divine Presence) used to appear through this gate, and will appear again when the Messiah comes (Ezekiel 44:1–3) and a new gate replaces the present one; that is why Jews used to pray for mercy at the former gate at this location. Hence the name Sha’ar HaRachamim (שער הרחמים), the Gate of Mercy. In Christian apocryphal texts, the gate was the scene of a meeting between the parents of Mary, so that Joachim and Anne Meeting at the Golden Gate became a standard subject in cycles depicting the Life of the Virgin. It is also said that Jesus passed through this gate on Palm Sunday. In Arabic, it is known as the Gate of Eternal Life. In ancient times, the gate was known as the Beautiful Gate. It has been walled up since medieval times. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR…

LIONS GATE: The Lion’s Gate is located near Mount of Olives and the Via Dolorosa. This is one of the seven gates that were created in the wall of the old city, and the only one that is open towards the east. The gate was built as part of the wall of the old city during the 16th century by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. On both sides of the gate there are lion embossments. According to the legend, they were integrated into this structure following the dream of Sultan Suleiman, in which two lions were about to devour him, as a punishment for the situation of the holy city of Jerusalem, which was not protected at the time. The sultan interpreted the dream as a sign from above, and ordered to surround the city with a wall. In fact, the embossments resemble cheetahs more than lions. Some say that they were taken from a more ancient building of the Mameluke ruler Baibars, whose symbol was a Cheetah. https://www.itraveljerusalem.com/ent/…

Travel: ‘Dubai – United Arab Emirates’ (Video)

Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates known for luxury shopping, ultramodern architecture and a lively nightlife scene. Burj Khalifa, an 830m-tall tower, dominates the skyscraper-filled skyline. At its foot lies Dubai Fountain, with jets and lights choreographed to music. On artificial islands just offshore is Atlantis, The Palm, a resort with water and marine-animal parks.

Burj Khalifa – The 828-meter-tall Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. Everything about this majestic structure spells out opulence: the exquisitely landscaped Burj Khalifa park and the giant fountain system with its fifty colored projectors and over 6,000 lights. Check in at one of the hotels in Burj Khalifa and join the At the Top tour to watch the spectacular view of the metropolis from the observation deck.

Palm Jumeirah – Choose from any of the numerous hotels and resorts at Palm Jumeirah, a manmade archipelago that had cost $12.3 billion to make off the coast of Dubai. Shaped like a palm leaf, the artificial island’s fronds are home for many residential villas. Palm Jumeirah has scenic marinas, several luxury resorts and spas, as well as many upscale shopping districts.

Dubai Marina – This popular Dubai tourist attraction sports a breathtaking skyline, a picturesque beach, and numerous shops, restaurants, and coffee shops. Tour Dubai Marina’s two major walkways, The Marina Walk and The Walk, and then join a cruise on a yacht.

Wild Wadi Waterpark – If you travel with kids, consider spending a day at the Wild Wadi Waterpark. Beat the sweltering desert climate of Dubai with a frolic at the park’s water rides and waterfalls.

New Travel Videos: ‘Israel’

Israel, a Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean Sea, is regarded by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the biblical Holy Land. Its most sacred sites are in Jerusalem. Within its Old City, the Temple Mount complex includes the Dome of the Rock shrine, the historic Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Israel’s financial hub, Tel Aviv, is known for its Bauhaus architecture and beaches. 

Middle East Tourism: ‘The Red Sea Project’ – Island Archipelago, Saudi Arabia

The Red Sea Project is being created as a unique, luxury tourism destination that will embrace nature, culture and adventure, setting new standards in sustainable development and positioning Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map.

The 90-plus pristine islands are a haven of natural beauty. 75 percent of the islands will remain undeveloped and nine have been designated as areas of special conservation interest.

With its own dedicated airport under development, the Red Sea Project will be easily accessible to visitors from around the world. At the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, 250 million people will be within three hours flying time. With an average summer temperature of 32 degrees and 360 days of sunshine, the Red Sea Project will be a truly year-round destination.

Website

Design: French Architect Jean Nouvel’s ‘Cave Resort’ In Saudi Arabia (Video)

French architect Jean Nouvel has revealed plans for a  subterranean resort and hotel that would be hidden within the rock dwellings of AlUla, a natural region of north-west saudi arabia. located deep within the sharaan nature reserve, the project references the nearby hegra — a famous archaeological location that forms the country’s first UNESCO world heritage site. set to be completed by 2024, the development will include 40 guest suites and three villas. meanwhile, a retreat summit center nearby will feature 14 private pavilions.

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New Aerial Travel Videos: “Saudi Arabia From Above”

Filmed and Edited by: Stef Hoffer

Did you ever see Saudi Arabia from above? In this short film, I travel through the country and explore some beautiful regions with a drone.

Saudi Arabia has long been off limits to foreign tourists and travelers. Since a few months, however, it’s possible to visit the country on a tourist visa. I made use of this opportunity and traveled solo to Saudi Arabia for 2 weeks. I also brought a small drone and captured shots from several regions, including: Riyadh, the Edge of the World, parts of the desert, Al Ula (camel races), Jeddah, the road to Mecca, Umluj and the Red Sea, and the ruins of Khaybar city.

Saudi Arabia is mostly known in the ‘Western world’ for its petroleum export, the birthplace of Islam, and unfortunately also poor human rights record. But as I discover there is much more to this massive country than first meets the eye. In these series I hope to give a glimpse into what was once an almost ‘forbidden place’ for independent travelers, and is now open for visitors from around the world.

Instagram: instagram.com/eyeingasia/

World News Podcast: Protests In Beirut, Tik Tok Sues, Slow Immigration

NPR News Now PodcastNPR News Now reports: Protests erupt in Beirut in aftermath of massive explosion, Tik Tok sues U.S., and other world news.