Final week

Hello everyone

We arrived at our last destination Saudi Arabia. We have had such a wonderful time during our trip.
I can't wait to explore our last destination. I would like to thank you all for reading our blog and we're glad we are going home.

bye bye !

xoxo

Mieke

Klaas, Celita, Marco and Mieke

Saudi Arabia- economy

Hello everyone

This week we are in Saudi Arabia and I will tell you guys something about the economy. Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government control over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 18% of the world’s proven petroleum reserves. It’s ranked as the largest exporter of petroleum and plays a leading role in OPEC.

The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 92.5% of budget revenues, 55% of GDP and 90% of export earnings. Five and a half million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy. The private sector growth is encouraged by the government to lessen the kingdom’s dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population.

After many years of negotiations Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO. They did this as a part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy. Because of the high oil revenues can the government post large budget surpluses. Riyadh has been able to boost the spending on job training and education, infrastructure development and government salaries.

So that was it for this week

Talk to you soon!

Xoxo

Mieke

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Saudi_Arabia

Saudi Arabia - Buraydah: Nightlife

Hi bloggers!

What a week we had in Saudi Arabia! Never thought I would be so amazed by this city. Nice people, great food and awesome parties! Because I don’t want us to forget our crazy experiences I’m going to talk about nightlife. Oh yes, we had a blast!

As we wanted to relax before we started our night we went to Islande SPA Beauty and wellness. We treated ourselves with some foam and herb massages. After our massage we went in the Jacuzzi with some champagne. A manicure and pedicure followed and to end our hair and make-up was done by some professionals.

Before we went to the club we wanted to eat and drink something as you can’t party with an empty stomach. We chose to go to ‘7 seas’, a bar and restaurant in the centre of Riga.  It had a nice summer terrace but unfortunately it was too cold to sit outside. Nevertheless the interior of the restaurant was just as nice as the exterior. After a nice meal we went to the bar to have some drinks before taking the limo to our next stop.

With our Saudi Arabia VIP Club Access we were allowed to go to several clubs. With this pass we got VIP treatment in every club so we didn’t have to wait to get in and we always had a table especially prepared for us. Life is good you would say!

First club we went to was Club Essential, a stunning club with several rooms and music genres. Second and last club of the night was Push club. Push Club is internationally known because it has clubs all over the world. There were performances of several dancers and we experienced an amazing fire show.

Although we had a splendid time I’m happy to be home again.

Celita xxx

Sources:

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Middle_East/Saudi_Arabia/Nightlife-Saudi_Arabia-TG-C-1.html

https://www.rollinglobe.com/RGWeb/CityGuides/nightlife.aspx?city=1465&cat=2

Buraydah - Saudi Arabia - Climate

Hi Bloggers!


HOT HOT HOT!!!


Man it is hot here. We are at our final destination, sadly! But it is the perfect site for ous to relax and enjoy the sun.

Buraidah has a typical desert climate, with hot summers, cold winters and low humidity. The climat is marked by high temperatures during the day and low temperatures at night.

Some facts about the weather:

• The average temperature in Saudi Arabia is 25.3°C.
• The warmest average max/ high temperature is 45°C in July & August.
• The coolest average min/ low temperature is 3°C in January & December.
• The month with the driest weather is June, August, September & October when on balance 0 mm of rainfall occurs.
• The month with the wettest weather is April
• There are 0 days annually with measurable frost

So I think it's clear that we have nice weather down here!

I would like to thank you all for following us and I hope you enjoyed our journey across the South-East! Don't hesitate to subscribe!!

Map of our journey

Bye bye guys!!

Lots of love from Celi, Mieke, Marco and myself!! x

Karbala - Iraq - Culture

Hi Blogggers!
Because of the war, many things were destroyed and many things changed. That's why i'm going to blog about the culture of Iraq and Karbala.


Iraq has one of the world's oldest cultural histories and a very rich heritage. It is known for its poets, painters and sculptors who are among of the best in the Arab world.

The architecture of Iraq is seen in the sprawling metropolis of Baghdad, where the construction is mostly new, with some islands of exquisite old buildings and compounds, and elsewhere in thousands of ancient and modern sites across Iraq.

Unlike many Arab countries, Iraq embraces and celebrates the achievements of its past in pre-Islamic times. What is now Iraq was once the Cradle of Civilization in Ancient Mesopotamia and the culture of Sumer, where writing and the wheel were invented. In the 8th and 9th centuries, the Islamic Abbasid Caliph's presided over what was then one of the world's richest civilizations.

Iras has a lot of different traditions like their traditional music consists of instruments such as ouds, flutes, violins, drums, and tambourines. Now however, there are many young artists generating pop, rap, and wider types of musical genres. Tea houses are scattered throughout Iraq, and in the afternoon, it is a habit for shopkeepers to retreat into the back with close friends to sip tea over gossip, an Iraqi "siesta".

Rites of passage in Arab Iraq are mainly centered on children being schooled enough to correctly read the Quran, quite the challenging task. The Quran is perhaps one of the hardest texts to read, both because of depth of meaning and due to the difficult range of sounds Arabic demands from the human vocal cords. The child with least pronunciation errors is called the hafiz or memorizer. There is usually a large celebration in the child's honor.

Marriages and births are enormous parts of Iraqi life. It is common to have hundreds of people attend weddings. Marriages are often arranged, but rarely forced.

In Iraq there are some strange believes and habits like:

Iraqi Arabs believe that wisdom comes with wrinkles in old age, and as such grandparents and parents are highly respected. It is seen as a disgrace if a child is publicly rude to someone of the elder generation.

As in other Middle Eastern nations, the left hand is used for sanitary activities including the restroom, and the right hand is used for food and greeting. 

Offering to shake with the left hand may be perceived as an insult, and eating with the left hand embarrassing. 

Iraqis are a particularly extroverted people, and their conversations will often be adorned with many hand gestures.
(foto: Saddam Hussein gestures during his trial in 2006)

Generosity is valued in Iraqi culture, and it is seen as rude to snub someone asking a favor. This is heightened especially during the month of Ramadan, when it is necessary to give zakat or donations to the poor. Many families, rich and poor, cook for the homeless, or invite them to dinner. Some prepared plates of baklava or a dish of kebab can be taken with them.

Hope you liked the cultural side of Iraq and Karbala!

Keep blogging!

Greetz Klaas

http://www.imamreza.net/eng/imamreza.php?id=4483

http://www.4to40.com/culture/Islam.asp?city=Karbala

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Iraq

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karbala

Kabul - Afghanistan - Sight Seeing

Hi followers!

As you might know we are in Kabul in Afghanistan. The city of Kabul, which used to be a tourist attraction, has lost its charm during the last 24 years of its history. Infrastructures such as roads and traffic system, telephone and electricity system, water sanitation, renovation of buildings is in shambles and the need for reconstruction is very high. Its days as a popular stop for backpackers making their way along the fabled Hippie Trail are long gone, but the war-ravaged Afghan capital is beginning to attract a new generation of travelers.

Here are some major places of interest:

The Kabul Bala-Hisar

The Bala-Hisar means a citadel or fortress within a walled town on top of a ridge or hill. Bala-Hissar as town’s main defensive complex has served as residence of Afghan rulers. Most of Afghan historic cities have a Bala-Hissar. This 06th century old fortress has witnessed most of the exciting events of the century’s history until 1880 when it was destroyed during the second Anglo Afghan war. Nadir Shah started the process of reconstruction and since 1939 it served as military college until it was left in ruin by the bombardments & skirmishes.

The Kabul Museum:
The Kabul Museum, which used to have one of the finest collections of antiquities in Asia, has had nearly three-quarters of its finest collections looted. It is still possible to see the remaining artifacts.

The Gardens of Babur:

The pleasant Gardens of Babur were once a cool retreat near the city walls. Moghul Emperor Babur laid out these gardens in 16th century. Later Emperor Shah Jehan built a mosque. 

Babur died in Agra in 1530 but he loved these gardens so much that he wished before his death to be buried in these gardens. His Afghan wife, Bibi Mobarka, who built his tomb in these gardens, fulfilled his wish. Recently these gardens were in ruin but now AKDN (Aga Khan Development Network) has taken the responsibility of its re-construction to return back to its past glory.

ARG (Palace):
Amir Abdul Rahman built this citadel to operate the Bala Hisar places. Within the Arg, there was Salam khana (hall of salutation) and the Dilkosha Palace (Heart Delight palace). Later it was used for presidential offices until it was left in ruin due to heavy bombardments.

Mausoleums:
The tomb of Timur Shah

The Mausoleum of Amir Abdul Rahman

It stands in Zarnegar Park, in the center of the city as a fine example of 19th century architecture remaining in Kabul.

The Mausoleum of Nadir Shah

The imposing white-marbled, blue-domed  stands on the hill known as Tapa Marajan overlooking Kabul.

After visiting all these sites we finished in the bazaars. Kabul’s many colorful bazaars were the places to attract a large number of visitors for shopping and sightseeing. Among the most famous, which exists in today’s Kabul as well are Chicken Street, Shor Bazaar and Bazaar-e-Charchata.

I'm glad that we've been here but I’m also glad we are leaving. I can imagine that Kabul was a beautiful city once but due to the war there are so many things destroyed. It is not 100% safe for us to be in this city much longer so up to the next!

See y'all in Iran!

Greetz and love

Klaas

http://sitara.com/afghanistan/tours.html

Iraq- sights

Hello everyone

We are in Iraq and we’ve haven’t be able to do a lot of sightseeing during our stay here because it’s very dangerous here in Iraq especially in Bangladesh. We have to be very careful because there is a continuing high threat of terrorism, violence and kidnapping.

I have heard a lot of sights that are really worth the visit if Iraq would be safer. You could visit Babylon which is the most famous of Iraq’s ancient sites. Babylon had high walls and magnificent palaces and temples. Babylon was regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful cities. But now all that remains of the ruins of Babylon is a huge and magnificent lion eroded by time and the weather.

lion

Babylon

 

You also have to  visit Baghdad Bazaars. After being a no-go area for some years the bazaars have started to come to life again. At the bazaars you can buy food, clothes, soap for very low prices. Souk al-Ghazal is a bird market where pigeon fanciers. It’s a popular pastime in Baghdad. You can buy birds, exchange tips and relax at local cafés.

Souk al-Ghazal

 

The Iraq National Museum re-opened with great fanfare in 2009. It’s one of the top attractions in Baghdad. The wealth of the archaeological artifacts brings the ancient world of the Babylon to life.

National Museum

The Kadhimimain Mosque in Baghdad is one of the most important Mosque in Iraq. This mosque has four gold-coated minarets and two domes.

The Kadhimimain Mosque

 

We went to Erbil and we’ve wandered through the Qaysari Bazaar in the downtown area. This has recently been reconstructed using traditional architecture. On this Bazaar you find everything from stalls selling fresh fruit, organic Kurdish cheese or honey, shoes, electronics, clothes and also souvenirs. A very popular souvenir is Kalash which is a hand-made white Kurdish shoes.

Qaysari Bazaar

 

 

So that was it for this week!

Talk to you soon

Xoxo

Mieke

http://diplomatie.belgium.be/nl/Diensten/Op_reis_in_het_buitenland/reisadviezen/azie/irak/ra_irak.jsp#tab4_content

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/iraq/sights/archaeological-site/babylon

 

Iran- Climate

Hello everyone

As you know we are in Iraq and the sun is shining all day long.

It’s very hot and dry here in Iran. The summers are long, hot and dry. The winters are short and very cool. Iran’s located between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area and the climate is influenced by this location. It’s very cold here in January, it’s actually the coldest month with temperatures from 5°C to 10°C. August is the hottest month with temperatures from 20°C to 30°C or more.

The summers are warm to hot with virtually continuous sunshine in most of the areas. There is high humidity on the southern coastal areas of the Persian Gulf. The daily temperatures here can be very hot because on some days temperatures can reach easily 40°C or more. Especially when you’re along the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea which can cause a danger of heat exhaustion so be very careful.

A bad time to visit Iran is between November and March because 70% of the average rainfall falls in the country around that time, June through August are often rainless. The rainfall in Iran varies from season to season and from year to year. Precipitation is sometimes concentrated in local, but violent storms, causing erosion and local flooding especially in the winter months. So try not to visit Iran during the winter months. There is a small area along the Caspian coast that has a very different climate. Rainfall is here the heaviest from late summer to mid-winter but it falls in general throughout the year.

People wear lightweight Cotton clothes in the summer with a sweater  for cooler evenings especially when you’re visiting the inland areas. When you visit Iran during the winter you should wear waterproof clothes and warmer clothing is recommended when you’re visiting the mountainous areas of northern Iran.

 

As you may have read it’s very hot now here in Iran so I can’t stay inside. That’s why we’ve decided to go to the beach! You don't have to be jealous because here in Iran they have a very strict dress code especially for the tourists. So we will not have much tanning because bikini's are forbidden.

Below you find the dress code:

MenShorts are not acceptable.
Wearing ties or bows is not a problem.
T-shirts are acceptable.


Women
Obeying Islamic rules including Hijab or Islamic dress-code is necessary in Iran. However these rules are not observed very strict, especially for tourists and foreigners. You must not worry about maintaining your hijab , since in times you have forgotten about it, the maximum penalty will be a request (usually in a kind way) to make it correct.
There are some minimum requirements for foreign women dress-code in public places

1. Color : It's a completely false belief that wearing  must be dark in Iran. There is no limitation in this respect and we recommend you make sure using light colors in summer.
2. Head : Hair should be covered. It does not mean you shall have a tight scarf around your head. Don't worry, It is very usual that some parts remain out of the cover. It's quite acceptable for women to allow whips of their hair to frame their face. Appropriate hats & caps can do this function as well as scarves. Scarf is the most common covering for head and is called "Roosari" in Farsi.   3. Body : Should be covered with loose clothes like man shirt, coat or manteau. Arms should not be bare.
4. Legs & feet : Legs should be covered down to ankles. Feets can be bare and you can wear sandals. Tight jeans are no problem.

Tip1 : In summer and hot weather, you can cheat(!) and not wear shirt under your coat/manteau. Who understands?!

Tip2 : In winter time, apart from covering the head, the rest is the same as what you wear in your home country.
 Tip3 : You better enter Iran with a coat and a scarf and select your style by watching the Iranian women in the streets.

Tip 4 : Once a chador is needed, like in holy places, it will be given upon entrance.

Tip 5 : Following the dress-code is necessary form the time of on-boarding international flights. On Iranian Flights, it is usually requested when the plane enters the Iranian boundaries.

 

Talk to you soon!!

Xxx

Mieke

http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Iran.htm

http://www.letsgoiran.com/iran-women-dress-code

Tehran: Sight seeing!

Hi dear bloggers!

This time we went to Istanbul! My favourite city in the world and this visit confirmed that once again! Good weather, lots of culture, nice and friendly people are only a fracture of what this city has to offer. There is so much to do and see that I’m going to tell you more about places we visited. Istanbul, I love it, I can’t wait to go back!

Tehran Bazaar

This mosque was built in the 4th century. But in fact the Tehran Bazaar hasn’t always been a mosque. At first it was built by the Christians and so it was a cathedral. Only after the conquest of Constatninopel by the Ottoman Empire, Sultan Mehmet 2, turned it into a mosque. Minarets were built, the cross on the central dome was replaced by a moon and Byzantine frecoes were covered. Only when Mustafa Kemal Atatürk became head of Iran he turned it into a museum. Nowadays people can visit it and discover its old history as a cathedral and its history as a mosque.

Golestan Palace

Sultan Ahmet mosque or the Blue Mosque is a replica of Golestan Palace and is built right in front of it.  In 1609 Sultan Ahmet 1 gave the order to build this mosque. People say ‘Blue Mosque’ because of the blue tiles that were used. An important difference is that it counts 6 minarets which is unusual. The Islamic world was a little offended by this because the most important mosque in Mecca also has 6 minarets. Sultan Ahmet 1 solved this by giving this mosque its 7^th minaret.

Muslims still pray there nowadays but it’s also possible to visit the mosque. You do have to be fully covered with scarf before you can go in.

Topkapı sarayı - Topkapı Palace

Topkapı Palace was the first residence of the Ottoman sultans. It consisted of four courtyards and lots of other small buildings. The palace also contained several mosques, a hospital, bakeries and lots of other things. It was possible to live there and not to leave it because it could function as a city on its own. Finally sultans left Topkapı Palace to go and live in Dolmabahçe Palace because this palace was more luxurious and modern.

Reza Abbasi Museum

As already said Dolmabahçe became the royal residence after Topkapı Palace. This palace has kept all its grandeur of ancient times. Inside the palace you can find the biggest chandelier in the world. It weighs 4.5 tonnes and contains 750 lamps. It takes 6 months to clean all of this.

Also Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, one of the most important people in Turkish history, lived there the last years of his life. His room is now part of the museum tour.

In order to keep its old grandeur there are a lot of rules during your visit. You have to wear plastic covers around your feet in order to protect the floors and carpets. You cannot touch the banisters while walking down the stairs and in fact you cannot really touch anything. You also cannot take pictures inside the building. If you don’t obey these rules you have to leave.

Grand Bazar

if you want to relax a bit you can go shopping. The Grand Bazar is a covered Bazar which contains hundreds of litlle shops. You can find everything there. Clothes, jewelery, scarfs, handbags, herbes, food,... You can wander around for hours in this Bazar and still discover new places.

It was fabulous! Talk to you soon!

Celita

Sources:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/iran/tehran/sights

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g293999-Activities-Tehran_Tehran_Province.html

Tehran - Iran and economy

Hi guys!

After a 25 hour flight we finally have arrived in Tehran. Our hotel is in the middle of the city an the weather here is very nice! Tehran is the capital city of Iran and the Theran Province. With a population of about 8,300,000 and about 14 million metropolitan area, it is Iran's largest city and urban area, and one of the largest cities in Western Asia.

Flag of Iran

Tehran is a modern city featuring many structures, of which the Azadi (Freedom) Tower and the Milad Tower have come to be symbols of Tehran itself. Tehran is ranked 29th in the world by the population of its metropolitan area. Throughout Iran's history, the capital has been moved many times, and Tehran is the 32nd national capital of Iran although it has been Iran's capital for about 220 years. Persian is the city's native tongue, spoken by roughly 98% of the population. The majority of people in Tehran identify themselves as Persians.

Some history of Tehran

In the 1920s and 30s, the city essentially was rebuilt from scratch under the rule of the Shah of Iran, Reza Shah Pahlavi. Reza Shah believed that ancient buildings such as large parts of the Golestan Palace, Takieh-ye Dowlat, the Toopkhaneh Square, the city fortifications and the old citadel among others should not be part of a modern city.

They were systematically destroyed and modern buildings in the pre-islamic Iranian style, such as the National Bank, the Police Headquarters, the Telegraph Office and the Military Academy were built in their place. 

Many historic buildings were destroyed in order to build wide straight avenues in the capital. Many Persian gardens also fell victim to new construction projects.

During World War II, Soviet and British troops entered the city. Tehran was the site of the Tehran Conference in 1943, attended by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin, and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

 The Milad Tower

Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi

the Islamic revolution of 1979

In the 1960s and 70s Tehran was rapidly developing under the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. Modern buildings altered the face of Tehran and ambitious projects were envisioned for the following decades. The majority of these projects were continued after the Islamic revolution of 1979 when Tehran's urbanization had reached its peak, and the new government started many other new projects, such as Milad Tower. During the 1980–88 Iran–Iraq War, Tehran was the target of repeated Scud missile attacks and air strikes.

Some economical information

Central Bank of Iran building

Some facts

• Tehran is the economic centre of Iran
• About 30% of Iran's public-sector workforce and 45% of large industrial firms are located in Tehran and almost half of these workers work for the government.
• Most of the remainder of workers are factory workers, shopkeepers, laborers, and transport workers. 
• Few foreign companies operate in Tehran because of the Iranian government's relations to the west.
• Today many modern industries of this city include the manufacturing of automobiles, electronics and electrical equipment, weaponry, textiles, sugar, cement, and chemical products.
• Tehran is the leading center for the sale of carpets and furniture.
• Tehran has four airports : Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport, Ghal'eh Morghi airfield and Doshan Tappeh Air Base.
• Tehran relies heavily on private cars, buses, motorcycles, and taxis, and is one of the most car-dependent cities in the world. 
• The Tehran Stock Exchange has been one of the world's best performing stock exchanges in recent years.

Tehran also known as The City of Lights", "Persian Capital" , "The Great Tehran", "City of Proper"

More info and blognews about Tehran soon!!

Bye guys!

Greetz Klaas

Afghanistan- Culture

Hello everyone

This week we are in Afghanistan. There is a lot of culture here in Afghanistan and it’s unfortunate that Afghanistan isn’t a safe place to visit. We have to be very careful when we leave our hotel.

 

I will talk about art, architecture, cuisine, religion and holidays.

 Art

The world’s first oil painting was found in Afghanistan. The most famous art is the Gandhara art that is based on Greco-Buddhist art. The art was originally almost entirely done by men, but recently women are entering the arts programs at Kabul University. The art is largely centered at the National Museum of Afghanistan, the National Gallery of Afghanistan and the National Archives of Afghanistan in Kabul.

                                                           First oil painting

                                                           Gandhara art


Traditionally, only men have been involved in theater acting but recently women have begun to take center stage in theater arts.

Other forms of art in the country are music, poetry and some sports. Afghanistan is also very good at making carpets. They are known for making beautiful oriental rugs.

 

Afghanistan carpets

 

 

 

 

Architecture

The region has made major contributions to the world’s architecture. UNESCO has acknowledged Afghanistan’s role by declaring the Minaret of Jam and the Valley of Bamiyan, home of the famous Buddhas destroyed by the Taliban, World Heritage Sites.

Minaret of Jam

Valley of Bamiyan

 

Cuisine

The cuisine is largely based upon the nation’s chief crops. This are cereals like wheat, maize, barley and rice.  They also eat dairy products, various nuts and native vegetables. Afghanistan is well known for its grapes and they eat fresh and dried fruits. The Afghanistan cuisine is undeniably unique. They also eat a lot Naan.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Religion

The main religion of Afghanistan is the Islam. More than 99% of the Afghans are Muslims. About 80% of the population practice Sunni Islam, 10% practice Shi’a Islam and 1% are followers of other religions. Beside Muslims there are thousands of Sikhs and Hindus living in the country.

 

 Holidays

The religious holidays are almost the same as Islamic holidays. Some of the most important religious holidays are Eid ul-Fitr which is the end of the Ramadan, Eid ul-Adha, Ashura and Mawlid.

Farmer’s day is a traditional holiday and it’ an ancient annual festival which celebrates both the beginning of spring and the New Year.

The national holidays are Afghan Independence Day on August 19 and Mujahideen Victory Day on April 28. Other holidays are International Women’s Day on March 8, Remembrance Day for Martyrs and Disabled on May 4 and National Labour Day.

Eid ul-Fitr

 

So that was it for this week, I know it’s not as exciting as the other weeks but we may be happy that we can walk around safely.

Talk to you soon!

Xoxo

Mieke

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afghan_cuisine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Afghanistan