Travels with a Humble Narcissist

What hasn’t been written about the Pyramids? What could I possibly add to the literary discourse about these incredible edifices? Grandeur almost beyond comprehension ✔️ Mysterious power⚡️✔️ Ancient civilization ✔️ Fabulous treasures ✔️ Alien construction 👽 ✔️ All these topics have been discussed ad nauseam and in ways better than I could only dream to…

This guy walked past me in the market. He was holding hands with two different women. One older, one younger, but not daughter-young. Just spectaculating that these are his two wives. . . Its nice they can all go out together. Enjoy the market, do a little shopping, perhaps go back to the house and…

Where does one begin with Petra? I think the first time I saw a picture of Petra was in some coffee table book about ancient monuments or in the Raiders of the Ark movie when I was a younger. From that moment on though I was smitten. . . What was this wondrous building carved…

There is something to be said about being surrounded by heavily-armed: Soldiers Police Bus Drivers Rabbis Kindergarten Teachers Sanitization Workers Food Delivery Guys on Scooters, etc I have to say it was actually quite reassuring knowing that if anything went “bad” while I was here. . . I didn’t have to wait for the law…

My God, I think I have solved the homeless (aka, unhoused mental health-substance abuse victim) crisis in America. The average cost in California for providing services per homeless person is $130,000. What if we just buy them all used golf carts, fix them up with a built-in tent, potty, many hooks for all their bags,…

Two cities 40 miles apart with completely opposite natures. Not too surprising, Jerusalem’s very conservative, religious, pious and proper.  Think Provo on steroids. On the other hand, there’s Tel Aviv. . . Free spirited, slightly buzzed, bikini top wearing surfers Think Miami swipes right on Vegas. One has 3 of the most important religious shrines…

I knelt down and touched some stones today. . . One was down in a hole, one was covered in oil, and one was big and cold One was under the spot Jesus was crucified One was beneath Jesus’ when they prepared his body for burial One was the place where they laid his broken…

Where does one start . . .? I’ll start with what it took to get here. 11 hour flight from Dulles to Amman, Jordan. 1 1/2 hour cab ride from Amman to cross between Jordan and Israel (plus time making small talk eating a falafel breakfast with our cab driver in downtown Amman and him stopping…

So begins the next year of my life. . . I’m taking the train to DC to catch my flight to Amman, Jordan. Petra, the Dead Sea, Kerak Castle, Wadi Rum. . . Stuff of a boy’s dreams Much planning, many sacrifices, Large backpack, small budget, Strong spirit, weak back High hopes, and low expectations.…

Where have they been hiding this enchanted land? I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t waterfalls, fjords &  remarkablely expensive liquor. Started in Bergen, a lovely town, it reminded me of the set of Northern Exposure, the TV show set in Alaska. We took a ferry ride around the fjords, rode a scenic…