Where Am I Now?

This shouldn't be too difficult if you watch the news, enjoy National Geographic, or are religious. However, some people are not religious and maybe just not geographically inclined.....the people in this country are known as Hashemites and they were so nice and hosptable everywhere I visited.

Give up?

I was lucky enough to visit the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan where I enjoyed visiting Petra, Amman, and drove the entire length of the eastern shore of the Dead Sea.

On the Border

Yesterday was my second visit to the barren border crossing up at the junction of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The border is very sparsely populated. It is especially so in Kuwait.

There are literally no homes until you get within about 45 miles of Kuwait City. Just about everyone in the entire country seem to live in the city or it’s suburbs. The Kuwaiti highway between the border and Kuwait City is lined on both sides and down the middle with Acacia trees. The tree’s are short and stunted; probably due to the extreme heat and dryness in this area.

The highway also has lighting all the way to the Saudi border, which at night was very nice. Once you get into Saudi Arabia the desert is a black hole. Sometimes you can see signs of civilization miles and miles ahead of you and sometimes you can see nothing at all but the road and the occaisional vehicle. The stars are simply awesome and are always worth a stop.

Close - But Not Quite

Kuwait Towers

I rented a car with a friend and went to Kuwait yesterday to see my son David before he goes north into Iraq. Unfortunately, when I got there I found out the rules for entry onto the American bases changed last month. I wasn’t allowed in despite my military ID. All I could think of was how depressed he would be. I figured he would be bummed because it would be his last chance to see one of us for awhile.

Luck was with us after all because he was worried about my safety and where I was so he called home to KS (collect!). Patricia then called my cellphone. I was really surprised to get a call at all because of the change in couuntries and cellular service, but she got through and put the phones together. David and I were able to talk to each other via a 16,000 mile round-trip connection. This in spite of being within a mile or so of each other.

After all was done it was a great day. We had a good talk and I was able to visit Kuwait. I only wish I could of actually seen him.

Kuwait City

Kuwait Towers - Signature Structures in the Country

The taller tower has restaurants on the lower "bubble" and a double-decker observation deck on the upper bubble. One of the decks rotates 360 degrees every 30 minutes.

The tower with one bubble is a one million gallon water tank and the tower with no bubble is a center that controls the lighting and other functions.

What a view from almost 400 feet (120 meters) up!

David Overseas

David at Delphi (August 2003)

I always liked this photo. David is overlooking Delphi which is an ancient town and seat of the most important Greek temple and oracle of Apollo. Alexander the Great visited in 336 B.C. to get his future "read" and the Pythian priestess acclaimed him “invincible”.

David is overseas again but not as a student-tourist this time. I plan to visit him in Kuwait where he is temporarily located serving in the Army.