Chick Talk Dallas Test Blog

If you haven’t tuned into Chasing Mummies on the History Channel, you haven’t experienced ancient Egyptian history. I know, I know it’s a History Channel reality show following the adventures of the very, shall we say, “energetic” Dr. Zahi Hawass. And whatever you think about him–and a lot of people think he’s a dramatic, mean, crazy, self centered, narcissistic, scene stealer or just cruel–the man has a way of talking about Egyptology in a way that you can’t help but be

I’ve officially hit the lowest point of my trip. The Dead Sea is 1,385 feet below sea level and borders Jordan, Israel and the West Bank. Salt cakes rocks and burns cuts on your skin. It’s blistering hot here but all around families are huddled under beach umbrellas barbecuing, lounging on rented chairs, enjoying the occasional cool breeze and briny scent of the sea water. It’s strange to walk onto a beach area and see women covered in conservative clothing

It’s close to sunset now and the desert spread out before us is a desolate place dotted here and there with signs of life. On the Jordan and Saudi Arabian border, Wadi Rum is the famous backdrop of Lawrence of Arabia. We rent a 4×4 and set out into the sands where dunes form lizard spines and crawl across the desert floor on hills and embankments–I hate to disturb the perfect mounds with footprints but camels have already walked these

We start out at 6 a.m. on a three hour trek outside of Amman to the place just named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World (and there’s a sign telling you that in case you get lost on the way). Petra is the rose red city our guide tell us–the sand here is a mixture of yellow, red, and tan. It’s blistering hot and many tourists have opted for a horse drawn carriage ride through part of

Jerash columns rise high into the morning sky. The remnants of Greco-Roman architecture, this city is one of the most well preserved ruins in the Near East and it’s a photographers dream. We start our morning off with a gladiator show–they tell us it only takes a week to train the actors. They play theme music from the film The Gladiator and each man is channeling his inner Russel Crowe as he thrusts toward his opponent. It’s a lighthearted spectacle

I’ve never really been that into the World Cup namely because I can’t stand soccer moms and the soccer snobs that clutter North Dallas fields with their matching uniforms and impossibly high league fees. Give me a walk-on pitch where all are welcome any day. But abroad you really get what the World Cup is about. Everywhere everyone is cheering for teams and discussing scores. They hang country flags from the sides of buildings, in taxi cabs, in cubicles and

I guess it’s only appropriate to end my Middle East vacation with a tour of holy Christian sites. First stop, a Greek orthodox church in Madaba where the remains of a sixth century mosaic can still be seen in the floor of the chapel. Today, we asked to take photos but somehow hearing the click echo in the church felt uncomfortable. They assured us it was fine and as we walked around believers praying and lighting candles, the sound of

In Jordan and finally the weather has snapped. It’s in the 80s during the day and quite chilly at night. Hallelujah! First night in Amman we walk through the streets. It’s Thursday (they’re Friday night equivalent) and everyone is out enjoying the cool breeze. A caravan of boys in cars go honking by. One has his head stuck out the window and is hoisting a diploma. He just graduated and his friends and family are banging drums and driving up

The Nile river cuts through Cairo, a murky meandering water stream of faloukas, kayaks, boats and people. We rent a falouka, a sail boat and make our way out into the river. Ahead, the Cairo tower glows at night, its pineapple basket weave dotted with lights is a flashy reminder of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s attempt to build the biggest building in Cairo. It’s since been dwarfed by other structures but tonight its one of Cairo’s many glowing buildings cutting through

The anticipation is killing me. You can’t be in Cairo without seeing the pyramids and this morning we drive out of Zamalek at 7 a.m. excited by both the cool weather and chance to see the triangle mountains in the desert. For some reason I thought we’d be driving in the desert over dunes not the Egyptian equivalent of an access road off the highway. I look over my shoulder and there they are poking out of the sand. It’s