Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Come with me where tourists are not allowed. How strange it is to be in a land where tourism is for Muslims and foreign business people and workers only. Because we were invited to Saudi Arabia by a prominent businessman, we received a business visa under our business name. It is difficult to describe the impact on us from the world of the Arabs.

All woman must cover their bodies when out of the home, none can drive, and never show their wrists or ankles outside of the home. So wearing the abaya is for everyone, plus face coverings are very common. Restaurants have family sections but separate entrances. Chauffeurs wait with their cars lining the streets at night.

During the day, if prayer time comes during shopping, the doors are closed, Muslims go to their knees and pray and shoppers wait to continue shopping. But my reaction was strange for the time we were there, just for the my clothing issue though As I did not cover my face or hair I enjoyed wearing a pretty abaya! It was lightweight, trimmed in colors, with no thought to what to wear before going out in our chauffeured car. Living this way all my life is a different thing!

There’s a certain understanding for Muslin women that comes from this experience. It’s one that makes the woman feel very cared for, very special in some reverse way. Many Muslim women in other countries do feel a certain identity by the wearing of their “costume,” even though it seems an anathema to independent women of the world.

In today’s Saudi Arabia women live under the guardianship rule, which says the man is in charge of her life. Be it father, husband or relative, all women must have the authority of a man for all her decisions. This archaic practice is being seriously contested by those women who understand that they are the equal to men, and can decide what they want for themselves.

There are so many rules to keep track of about women’s behavior, while the Mutawa, the dress code police switch women if parts of their body show that should not be seen.

One Saudi man with three wives and wishing no one to see them, built a huge hanger-like structure over his entire estate that shields those on each side of his property to be able to see in. This covers his main large palace and two other smaller palaces for his second and third wives, plus sumptuous gardens interspersed throughout his property.

Riyadh, the capital city, located in the center of the country is very strict with the women while Jeddah which is on the Red Sea tends to be looser with certain rules. The latter city has beautiful architecture that has clean symmetrical lines, brick and stone with plaster facing homes, well-maintained streets, especially the ones traveled by the King. His royal palace and grounds are humungous with a view of the world’s highest water fountain that he had built. The King is known to have many wives. The entire Royal family numbers in the thousands. When guests visit the King, they usually stay at ornate guest houses outside the palace grounds.

Foreign business executives live in compounds, walled, gated and guarded communities that provide many amenities for these impermanent residents. Gardens are everywhere, flowers, fruit and palm trees spring up out of the desert sand with the use of desalinated water from the sea. Gasoline at this time was $.15 a gallon! All the businesses there have at least a half ownership by a Saudi.

Western Saudi Arabia has well-preserved and beautiful ancient ruins, similar to Petra in Jordan. Saudi Arabia’s are unseen by most of the world because of the inability of tourists to come there. Those privileged to visit Mada’in Saleh, a sister to Petra, can get there by an hour’s flight and a two and a half hour drive. The extraordinary tombs were built by an ancient people called Nabataeans whose settlement flourished in the first century BC and remained strong until the latter half of the first century AD. On the way to the site, camels, sheep and donkeys dot the rocky desert landscape. It is thought that the carved tombs surrounded the tents of the residents. At present there are almost one hundred monumental tombs with decorated facades dug out of solid rock outcroppings.

Nearby Al-Ula is another historic oasis. There well- preserved houses still stand on an ancient trade route. It was at these places that civilizations grew and passed, trade flourished, then failed, and people lived, passed away and were buried in rock-cut tombs.

Jeddah is a city of 3 million residents with millions coming to do their ‘once during their life’ pilgrimage to close-by Mecca. Along the highway to this sacred city is a road sign, “Straight ahead for Muslims” and a turn-off for “Non-Muslims.” Modern-designed Bedouin tents cover acres next to the airport where foreign Muslim pilgrims register for their Hajj or pilgrimage, and even they are closely monitored and only go to and from this area to Mecca.

Conversely, most of the workers in Saudi Arabia are from other countries; Pakistan, India, Syria, Philippines, and other Arab countries, though it is now required for companies to have 30% of their employees be Saudis. Our business friend has become somewhat of a pioneer in hiring Saudi women, who are eager to work.

The roads day and night are filled with all types of cars, many very large. In the evening and especially at 10pm and after, the restaurants are filled with people. Any type of alcohol is forbidden; fruit juices are a popular drink. Women go out together, many covering their faces. Some remove their head scarves when seated at a table as there are separate and private areas for these women. At the beach, black abaya-covered women sit and visit, picnic with children and swim in the water, never removing their cumbersome and heavy coverings.

Visiting Saudi Arabia is like visiting another world, one with every luxury and modern convenience possible, yet with thinking as archaic as the ancient tombs of Mada’in Saleh.

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Alaska Cruising

At this moment imagine you’re at your last port, Ketchikan, of the 7 day cruise of the Alaskan Inland Waterway. You’ve felt the rhythm of the water’s movement throughout the trip. Like the beat of your favorite music, time and you seemed to have slowed down, even though it’s been a short trip with a maximum of sights of gorgeous glaciers and forest filled mountains. Your choice of shore excursions was vast, from riding a narrow gauge railroad, hiking into canyons, seeing wildlife and waterfalls and flying over fjords. Each day you chose from a list of activities, from bingo and blackjack, a multitude of musical happenings to relaxing on the fantail watching the wake of the ship. Onboard your ship, the Noordam, soft pumpkin, gold and earth colors framed in black details was your stage on this refined elegant ship of the Holland American Shipping Line.

At this point you’ve realized that the 1900 passengers represented all economic levels of life from the absence of sameness of those you met. Adding to this cultural history lesson were the ship’s crew representing the world globe, all as courteous and helpful as any fine hotel in the world. Your wealth of variety of food has been challenging, five restaurants and cafes from which to choose. Ironically this causes a common fear of those trying to watch their weight!

You’ve first visited Juneau, then Skagway and now Ketchikan. All three towns very small, perched alongside the water and existing almost exclusively from tourism. You watched three other cruise ships also descend on these quaint villages filled with jewelry stores and art from Alaskan artists, and souvenirs from totem poles to videos.

How was it, this trip to a land so different from most? For us, who now have left Ketchikan and are on our way back to the start city, Vancouver Canada, the time was delightful. It has been what seems like weeks of emotional moments seeing some of the 100,000 magnificent glaciers in Alaska, meeting new friends and exploring the hidden treasures of this largest state in the US.

You may ask about cruise ship born illnesses. Be calmed as all were encouraged to use hand sanitizer containers placed around every corner. Also, sense the quiet provided by the lack of loud speaker announcements used only for what you wanted and needed to know. Would you have missed some of the extraordinary views? No, the captains of the Noordam and the small vessel expeditions expertly revolved and lingered their crafts so all on board could get views and photo opportunities.

A way to involve physical travel with travel within for us was to join two seminars…a comprehensive ”Speak, Write and Publish” by Hay House Publishing and fascinating talks and demonstrations of hypnosis by expert psychiatrist Brian Weiss. His book, “Many Lives, Many Mansions” brought scientific proof of reincarnation to the public many years ago…though written in this lifetime! Brilliant life coach Cheryl Richardson and knowledgeable president of Hay House Reid Tracy infused their attendees with all information and encouragement needed for speaking, sharing and publishing their individual projects. Thank you’s to all.

If you never leave your home for Alaska, let these photos offer you the serenity and beauty given to us by our Father of All.

Swept Away
Bon Jour, Buon Giorno, from Switzerland

You know how it is when you have that sense that you see all things in just one moment, as if all comes together at once. For me this trip can be summed up in one moment; swept away. Bill and I have seen, felt and learned so much yet it all amounts to traveling within ourselves.

Come with me as we drive into Florence along the most important street where no cars are allowed. Going by the Grand Cathedral we turned left at times when we should have turned right, and sometimes had no idea where we were going. But all this and the good stuff has been swept into one moment, a fantastic Grand Tour.

I’d like to introduce you to someone. These travels would never have happened without my Bill, who is and has been the most generous, thoughtful, and kind man, my husband, my guide, my best friend, and my love. His two children, Teresa and Ted reflect these same virtues. How appreciative can one be surrounded by this? Bill has driven the roads of Europe with such skill and ease, into small alleys, on fast autostradas, found parking, paid the tolls, carried our luggage and remember he’s “pushing” 82 at a the time of this writing (now he’s pushing 85). Throughout this trip I felt protected and taken care of, something Bill has done for so many others, including my children, grandchildren, many families in need and countless”extended” families. I only know my “travels” make me again aware of outstanding human beings.

There’s also a larger family that we’ve met: the French in Provence, courteous, welcoming, exacting, wine and food enthusiasts, even their backyard piles are pretty – the Italians, passionate, friendly, fun, emotional, they love their food and wine too – the Swiss, exacting, business-like plus all the other attributes depending on whether they live in the French, German or Italian regions of Switzerland.

The moments flash by: Provence, France – Uzes with the most picturesque open market in Provence where live the dear and talented Bradleys – Tiny Cucuron in eastern Provence and our darling Cousin Sue and Len – with them conversations and concerts (one a 16th century organ recital of 16th century music, another a big band and jazz concert with a vocalist singing with a French accent). This family adores their new life in Provencal Cucuron after exiting their birthplaces in Africa.

One special night was with Bill in extraordinary Eze, France with its enormous views. Eze is perched-on-an-outcropping-of-rock-over-the-Mediterranean Sea. No autos can drive past a certain point. From then on winding walkways pass enticing shops, ancient buildings, flowers and cafes till you reach the top where two hotels sit. There the feeling is a balance of being way up in the sky at the same time as part of a vast sea out in front of you. We went on into northern Italy with its walled city of Lucca, the Leaning Tower of Pisa nearby – next staying at the former monastery outside of Siena with its still active beautiful church. We drove the teeming Tuscan villages filled with history and surrounded by fields turned golden – Florence where a Charlie Chaplin-like street performer (for 27 years) picked me out of several hundreds and did his act with fire and smoke while I was told in a whisper, “Don’t move.”

Venice, the start of a love affair!

Verona and its larger-than-life Tosca performed in the outdoor Roman arena – moving on from there unexpectedly because of unbearable heat to cool Cortina, located on Bill’s Bucket List’s jagged Italian Dolomite Mountains.

We found ourselves spending my birthday in St Moritz, Switzerland.

It was ironic that our birthday dinner was planned by a Scottish waitress. She wrote out directions to a hotel/restaurant only reached by funicular, 3000 ft up from the valley floor. We saw the world from there, through the rain. With this view, it seemed to me that the Father wanted us to know that there is such beauty, power and love here for us all if we would only see it, continue that awareness, and appreciate it.”¨”¨ As we leave stately Zurich Switzerland those travels of ours, physical, mental and spiritual will stay with me. It’s here for all to enjoy, in good times and the difficult ones, if just in “Imagine Travel” within ourselves, for we really are traveling that way in the end.

Love, above all,
The Grand Tourists

Outer Banks Dunes

Out in the Atlantic

Getting away from South Carolina’s Charleston to the Outer Banks is easy… find Highway #17 and go north. Driving along the coast line was a surprise, no ocean views from #17. Instead, there were continuous waterways to cross, water, water, water all the time with the accompanying luscious celery green grasslands. No doubt many love Myrtle Beach, the resort town plunked at the half way point. From evidence, tons of hotels, the amazing amount of miniature golf courses and a Technicolor water park, people here are enjoying themselves.

As our goal to visit the setting of many novels, the South Carolina Outer Banks starts with a two hour ferry ride to the most southern island, enchanting Ocracoke. Immediately fanning out is a merry harbor filled with welcoming outdoor cafes, treasure shops, trails to bicycle and wandering alleys to explore. Sunsets sit down in the bay so the silver and pink trail of light etches the sailor’s way out to the Atlantic.

Kill Hill Beach

Moving on, another ferry carries cars to Cape Hatteras, that most easterly point spoken of in weather reports and that won the honor of one of the three best beaches in the US. Continuing, names like Buxton, Avon, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills, Kitty Hawk, Duck, and Corolla, book end the north and bring long ago heard stories and history alive.

Fishing on Kill Hill Beach

Traveling along the skinny dune bordered islands, that marvelous sense of being free of the busy world comes alive.

The multitudes of newer homes

mimic the southern style, three stories and straight up in the air. But future trees and natural island growth will soften the popped-up look, as if these structures are surprised to have found themselves so far off the terra firma of the mainland.

Living on the Outer Banks

The miles of ever shifting sand beaches and grayed down brown shingle homes tell another story, one of many years of weekends of play and happiness for those fortunate enough to wander onto the far-away Banks.