Anyone been to Egypt?

[RacerX]

+1 for Tel Aviv. One of our development centers was just outside the city at a previous employer, so I spent probably 3 months or so there total over the years. Not sure how much you got out of the city, but Israel is a really geographically diverse place from the North to the South.

E.g.

North Israel (Golan Heights, Nazareth etc)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/Umm_Qais_Galilee-Golan_panorama.jpg

South Israel desert, down towards the Dead Sea

http://www.touristisrael.com/wp-content/uploads/South-Desert.jpg

Cool coastal historic areas like Caesarea (pics don't do it justice):

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/e...esarea-maritima-lost-worlds_45947_600x450.jpg
http://yuvalnadel.com/images//caesarea.jpg

My personal favorite city was Haifa. The grounds at the Bahai Temple are amazing.

http://ihg.scene7.com/is/image/ihg/crowne-plaza-haifa-3337469044-2x1?wid=1600&hei=800&fit=fit,1

Jerusalem also is a very cool city.

I didn't have time to tour around the country, would have loved to check those places out - I did carve out one day and I took the underground guided (tunnel) City of David tour in Jerusalem. Blew my mind.

Also, nearby in Jerusalem, in one relatively small area you have the religious fulcrum points for Turks/Muslims/Jews/Catholics. I have nearly zero interest in organized religion of any sort, but even a non-believer like me can appreciate the history and relevance of it all. BTW, loads of religious wing-nuts everywhere, but that did not diminish the experience at all.

 

[remydat]

Supposedly I can bang women out there left and right, and if they complain, they're in some deep shit.

Hmm, I think that only applies if you are Muslim. Once you open your mouth and they realize you are an obnoxious American, then it comes down to which death they consider appropriate for you ie hanging, stoning, strangulation, or a beheading.

 

[biscuit_in_the_basket]

Got about 12 full days out there. Looking to spend about 8 in Egypt and 4 in Jordan (visit Petra and the Dead Sea). In Egypt, did you do a Nile Cruise? We were looking at doing one from possibly Luxor to Aswan.

If you got 12 days and two countries you will be a little limited. Definitely need to go to Cario and the Giza Necropolis (Grand Pyramids Hotel is basically walking distance (for me at least). Have to do Luxor and Valley of the Kings which I suspect that Nile river cruise will get you to. Aswan if possible. I would skip Alexandria, as it was still pretty beat up the last time I was there about 15 years ago.

You will like Petra.

 

[WCL]

That whole region is fucked thanks to all of the good-for-nothing religions!

(We can go ahead and move this into the B&I sub-forum. You're welcome.)

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

That whole region is fucked thanks to all of the good-for-nothing religions!

(We can go ahead and move this into the B&I sub-forum. You're welcome.)

 

[JimJohnson]

That whole region is fucked thanks to all of the good-for-nothing religions!

(We can go ahead and move this into the B&I sub-forum. You're welcome.)

Good. That means I can tour in peace without obnoxious tourists whipping out their selfie sticks right in front of my damn face.

 

[JimJohnson]

If you got 12 days and two countries you will be a little limited. Definitely need to go to Cario and the Giza Necropolis (Grand Pyramids Hotel is basically walking distance (for me at least). Have to do Luxor and Valley of the Kings which I suspect that Nile river cruise will get you to. Aswan if possible. I would skip Alexandria, as it was still pretty beat up the last time I was there about 15 years ago.

You will like Petra.

Yea the cruises that I have seen hit those spots. There was one ultra luxury one I was looking at by "Sanctuary Retreats." 3 nights from Aswan to Luxor for $3,200. Considering it.

Super excited about Petra! That's going to be amazing, I just know it.