It’s only few days until Christmas, which means that 2011 is winding down. I’ll be spending the next two weeks going through my best and worst from a year that included stops in four continents, 11 countries and 10 states. All that time on the road, more than 120 days in all, meant plenty...

You know how some places give you a bad vibe? I felt that way about my Nile River cruise stop in Edfu, where caleche drivers have essentially bullied tour companies into using their services.Located on the Nile between Aswan and Luxor, Edfu is known for the Temple of Horus, one of the best-preserved...

As a lifelong cat lover, I always had a thing for Bastet, the ancient Egyptian cat goddess depicted in art and sculpture. The Egyptian love of the cat looms large in popular culture; it’s the ultimate sign of approval that cats are more regal than their doggy counterparts.So imagine my surprise...

Before I went to Egypt, I had read about the country’s overly aggressive street hawkers. What I didn’t realize is that the country’s downturn in tourism since the Revolution would have the causal effect of making the few travelers who ARE visiting Egypt more prone to attention from...

Last week, I wrote about what is happening in Egypt tourism since the Revolution in January 2011, focusing on the Cairo area. After spending the past week cruising the Nile from Luxor to Aswan (and back), I have a few more observations that might be useful to people thinking about taking such a trip.The...

Looking down the 138 steps inside the Bent Pyramid, I feel a little dizzy. My guide has left me to make the descent into the ancient artifact at Dahshur by myself, and I’m not sure I’m up to the task. A hint of ammonia wafts from the necropolis’ entrance; I’ve been told that...

I’ve been in Egypt since Sept. 26, hanging out at the Mena House in Giza until I join a Uniworld Splendors of Egypt tour that I’m covering for Cruise Critic. It’s a very posh way to spend a few days, so I’ve been removed from the typical day-to-day life of the Egyptians, many of whom are personally...

Photo courtesy of Salim Photography (www.salimphoto.com)This post previously appeared on Frommers.comMark Lammers planned his April trip to the Middle East in December 2010, months before the first government protests in the region took place. He watched nervously as the riots and regime changes...

Jerusalem lends itself easily to pictures. I found this scene while wandering through the Muslim Quarter last May. Parts of the Quarter are fairly chaotic and crammed with tourists (the Via Dolorosa, where the Stations of the Cross begin, starts here), so I appreciated the quiet of the chess game.

Out of a travel schedule that included two sailing cruises in the Caribbean, two trips to Europe, one long weekend in Mexico, and time exploring cool new regions in the U.S. (Hocking Hills, I’m looking at you!), I’ll always remember 2010 as the year when I first went to the Middle East –...