Antique Lands Travel

15/06/2022

My friend and former colleague at the University of Arizona, Tuve Floden, writes a phenomenal blog about Middle Eastern culture and history called "Other Things." His latest post is all about drinks you have to try when visiting Egypt, ranging from sweet sugar cane juice to thick draughts of Turkish coffee. Tuve graciously asked me to photograph the drinks for this post, and I had magnificent day of sampling and shooting the best beverages that Egypt has to offer! Check out his blog at https://buff.ly/3Hs1tJD. I highly recommend subscribing. Thank you, Tuve!

A journey through lesser known aspects of Middle Eastern art, architecture, food, music, literature, and more. Come experience the region from new perspectives!

02/05/2022

Eid Mubarak from Cairo!

02/05/2022

Eid Mubarak from Cairo!

14/12/2021

Some good news out of Egypt regarding cultural protection and preservation.

The framework builds on the success of a 2016 deal that targeted the illicit trade of cultural property

14/12/2021

This we're marveling at Egypt's Bent Pyramid, history's biggest and yet grandest architectural mistake. Constructed around 2600 BCE by the Fourth Dynasty Pharaoh, Sneferu, his builders had to correct the original angle to keep the structure from collapsing. When standing next to the Bent Pyramid, you can't help but be awed by its incredible mass, and you have the feeling that this monument could come tumbling down upon you at any moment. Be sure to add this magnificent and under-visited site to your Egypt itinerary. You won't regret it.
Photo by Mark Voss

03/12/2021

It's , and today we're hankering for some Moroccan Briouat. Briouats are puff pastries that can be either sweet or savory. Sweet briouat are usually filled with almond or peanut paste, are deep fried, and then dipped in honey infused with orange-blossom water. Savory briouat contain ground lamb or chicken, cheese, herbs, and lemon. Regardless of the one you choose, you can't go wrong, but why not enjoy both?

02/12/2021

This we remember Imad ad-Din Zengi, the Turkish atabeg of Aleppo and Mosul, who this month in 1144 successfully besieged the Crusader-held city of Edessa (today's Şanlıurfa in modern Turkey), striking the first major blow against the Crusaders in the region. His capture of Edessa led to the Second Crusade in 1147, and his eventual successor, Salah ad-Din (Saladin), followed Zengi's lead, retaking Jerusalem in 1187.

01/12/2021

This we're longing to get lost again along Oman's backroads. Just about every town in Oman has a fortress of some kind, beautiful palm groves, and a refreshing water source. What they also have are incredibly hospitable people who will insist on showing you around and making you feel welcome. When you visit this amazing country, rent a car and get lost or have your guide take you to some off-the-beaten-path locales to experience some of the best that this country has to offer.

30/11/2021

It's , and when you travel to Jordan be sure to stop in the ancient town of Madaba southwest of 'Amman. There you'll want to visit St. George's Church to view this massive mosaic map of the Holy Land dating from the 6th century CE. This masterpiece of Byzantine art contains over 2 million tiles and contains a detailed map of Jerusalem, a historical snapshot of the city and its urban development in the early Christian era.
Photo by Angela Meier, Adobe Stock

26/11/2021

This we're dreaming of Karkadeh (Kerkade), a super-sweet, chilled Egyptian hibiscus tea that cools you to the core on a hot day. One of the delights of checking-in to a hotel in Egypt is being served this welcoming, delicious, and refreshing drink. It's one of many little lagniappes that makes traveling in Egypt so great.

25/11/2021

This we're commemorating the opening of the Suez Canal, which occurred this month in 1869. While that may not seem to be much of a throwback, did you know that attempts to create a canal between the Nile and the Red Sea began as early as 4,000 years ago? Darius the Great successfully built the first such canal that functioned during the Nile flood season, and subsequent masters of Egypt such as Ptolemy II, Trajan, and a-Hakim built the canal anew over 1,000 years until it silted up and fell into disuse. Today, over 10% of the world's trade flows through the modern canal that links the Mediterranean with the Red Sea.

24/11/2021

This we're longing to return to jasmine-perfumed nights in Cairo. Jasmine vendors such as this one can be found throughout the city in the evening, selling jasmine blossom garlands and bracelets. It's a heavenly, heady way to make a great evening even better.