Travis Pantin in the Middle East

Summer 2009

Updated mostly by txt messaging from the road (via twıtter)

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Aug
11th
Tue
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Back in Abu Dhabi for 2 days before going home. The trip is finally over. Sad; I think I still could have been a hobo for much longer.

Aug
10th
Mon
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Just watched the sun set over Petra. Definitely the most compelling and impressive ruins I’ve ever seen.

Aug
9th
Sun
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In Petra

After a few days spent in and around a certain unnamed city near Amman, I am now in Petra. Waking up tomorrow at 5:30am to catch the sunrise. Photos soon…

Aug
5th
Wed
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I’m in Amman now, and I’ll be uploading some photos from the Dead Sea in a bit, but until then, here is one of the movies that I have been trying to upload for a while. It’s from the Aleppo Souq, which I still anoint the coolest bazaar in all of the Middle Eastern cities that I’ve ever seen. The video is a bit long, so give it some time to load. And make sure you have the sound on — the clanging in the beginning is from the water-seller guy with the big jangly metal tank strapped to his back.

Aug
4th
Tue
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Just got back from a visit to the UN-Syria administered part of the Golan Heights. Interesting to see the ruins. Nothing rebuilt since 1974.

Aug
3rd
Mon
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Mar Musa at dusk.

Mar Musa at dusk.

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One of the monks. From Switzerland.

One of the monks. From Switzerland.

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An awesome little zipline contraption the monks rigged up to get goods up and down from the monastery. This basket was pulled up from the road below using a small motor.

An awesome little zipline contraption the monks rigged up to get goods up and down from the monastery. This basket was pulled up from the road below using a small motor.

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The bible stand in the Mar Musa church. During the services, everyone sat on the floor, including the priest. Shoes were left outside, rather like a mosque.

The bible stand in the Mar Musa church. During the services, everyone sat on the floor, including the priest. Shoes were left outside, rather like a mosque.

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The back of Father Paolo, the head of the monastery. He was just getting ready for Sunday mass, which was conducted in Arabic, with bits of Syriac mixed in apparently. He kindly translated certain bits into English and Italian for those of us in the audience who didn’t understand what was going on. A beautiful and strange service, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I’ve got some video footage which, like the rest of it, I’m going to have to upload once I get out of Syria.

The back of Father Paolo, the head of the monastery. He was just getting ready for Sunday mass, which was conducted in Arabic, with bits of Syriac mixed in apparently. He kindly translated certain bits into English and Italian for those of us in the audience who didn’t understand what was going on. A beautiful and strange service, like nothing I’ve ever seen before. I’ve got some video footage which, like the rest of it, I’m going to have to upload once I get out of Syria.

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Mar Musa, from the hill behind it.

Mar Musa, from the hill behind it.

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Some pretty creative architecture from these monks, once you get up there.

Some pretty creative architecture from these monks, once you get up there.

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Mar Musa monastery. A long, winding, hike up.

Mar Musa monastery. A long, winding, hike up.

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En route to Mar Musa, through the desert, from the front seat of the minivan.

En route to Mar Musa, through the desert, from the front seat of the minivan.

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My driver to Mar Musa

My driver to Mar Musa