Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

Middle East

Middle East

Watch for low-flying planes

Wanna get high? Dubai has turned breaking world records into something of an art form over the years, and the emirate now has yet another to add to its list. The world's first and highest 360-degree infinity pool has just opened at the Palm Tower, a hotel and residential building from developer Nakheel that offers showstopping views…

Read more

Some people have all the luck

Etihad Airways, our affiliate friends, have launched the third step of its golden jubilee celebrations as the UAE (United Arab Emirates) proclaims fifty years since its establishment.  In a group of videos released over the next few weeks, Etihad will pull together experts from the Formula 1, music and fashion  pundits from around the world, with…

Read more

Everyone, say hello to Hegra

Aren't we fortunate that our giant steps in technology allow us to see and touch things that were only dreams to our grandparents?  Above and beyond the "everyday" ability to travel to almost any corner of the world with consumate ease, we are - as humanity - unearthing new views into our past as every…

Read more

Vamos a la Nabta Playa

Fair warning:  chances are good that you won't be able to visit Nabta Playa, but we know that our readers are curious types.  And, there are plenty of other things to do in the desert. The Nabta Playa archaeological site, one of the earliest of the Egyptian Neolithic Period, is dated to circa 7500 BC This…

Read more

Prosaic mosaic

As we humans (supposedly) get smarter, we should also do smart things.  That's not always the case, but here it is.  In 2010, workers encountered an especially impressive mosaic while digging the foundation for a new hotel in Antakya, Turkey. They found an ancient mosaic measuring 9,000 square feet, making it the largest intact mosaic ever…

Read more

Miles of tiles

Many specialist skills, those creating and molding incredible pieces over the decades, have long since disappeared into our overall void of mass-manufactured sameness.  But, fortunately, there are those who still carry the torch of the artisan.  Saied Hussain has been hand making tiles out of cement for over 50 years. He says he’s one of the…

Read more

Watch your step

We think this is a good thing:  recycling is the way forward.  And here's an unusual and creative take on it. A massive new theme park is being built in the Middle East - on an oil rig. The project, called The Rig, will be spread over a whopping 1.6 million sqft in Saudi Arabia…

Read more

Red Sea spree

The Middle East is a hotbed of activity and promise, that's for sure.   And it seems like every day something new that's exciting, innovative and - in some cases - larger-than-life is underway in the region.(Have a look at some of our articles here for more.) In this case,  the Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) has…

Read more

Falling in Louvre again

It's just around the corner, but soon we will see the Louvre museum in Abu Dhabi.  A spectacular - and complex design -  makes this one of the most stunning designs in the world. Located on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It runs under an agreement between the UAE and France, signed in…

Read more

Aqaba job

"I last found myself here, inadvertently, in March 2020. My planned journey from the Saudi tourism hub of Al Ula to the Yemeni island of Socotra collapsed when the flight to Cairo was cancelled as frontiers slammed shut. Rather than taking that as an early sign of an impending travel shutdown and seeking the fastest…

Read more

Red sea speed

Egypt’s High Speed Railway Project Takes-off As we often talk about here (until we're blue in the face,) rail travel is the future.  In a world of diminishing resources and rising populations, the solutions that modern rail travel can bring for us all are too good to ignore.  That's why we're happy to see governments…

Read more

An old book smells like ancient Egypt

A book has got smell. A new book smells great. An old book smells even better. An old book smells like ancient Egypt.  Ray Bradbury But a new Egypt is even better, and it is getting better every day, indeed, especially when it comes to new architecture. Contemporary Egyptian architecture draws from a rich history.…

Read more

Radisson looks east …. Middle-East

Radisson Hotel Group has secured a record year in its fastest growing region, the Middle East & Africa, with 21 signings and seven hotel openings achieved thus far. The expansion drive includes the announcement of eight hotels in Morocco, the entry into Thakher Makkah with nearly 1,000 rooms, as well as the introduction of the Radisson…

Read more

The green mosque

Gratifyingly, people are starting to understand that climate change is real.  Turn on the television every day and a new horrifying example of our changing world appears. On a very positive note, though, Dubai just got the world's first ‘green’ mosque. As per the reports, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) inaugurated the world's first…

Read more

Trains explained

Trains are everywhere in Europe. Some of the trains travel at high speed across the continent, while others move around leisurely, either by day or by night. Find out about the different European trains like sleeper trains, chocolate trains, high speed trains and the provided facilities for a clear idea of what train travel in…

Read more

Jet ‘a Petra

Our affiliate friends easyJet have announced the launch of a new route and holidays from Manchester Airport UK to Aqaba in Jordan this winter. Flights and holidays are on sale from Manchester Airport to the scenic Jordanian city, a perfect destination for a splash of year-round sunshine and Middle Eastern culture. Read more here from…

Read more

Let’s get bent

Before ancient Egyptians built the Great Pyramid of Giza, with its impossibly straight sides, they worked on other variations of the structure. One such predecessor, which has rounded sides, is now welcoming visitors. Read more here courtesy of TravelAndLeisure.com Fly to Egypt in utter comfort with Etihad. Click above. You can't beat that view. Click above…

Read more

Constantino/bul

History is a "funny" old thing.  Like tunics tumbling in a dryer, around and around the dynasties come and go.  And, of course, sometimes they just melt into one another and no-one really remembers what it once was like. At one of the most important places on earth sits Istanbul, Turkey.  It still has a sharp…

Read more

Next phase – luxury apartments?

Human beings  just seem to love the idea of something being "the best."  Even if it's the best cheese sandwich, it inspires some awe and loyalty. Airports are no different, especially when we have to sit and fidget in them for hours and hours, waiting for a result with our flights So as to be…

Read more