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17. MIDDLE EAST TRAVELS (Sept. 2002)
I've been privileged to travel to some parts of the world most haven't--- including Turkey twice, and, on the most exotic Arabian Peninsula, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. It does seem now we're at war with the terrorist part of the Middle East's population, and this is the information age, we're endlessly told, so how about some really far-out information from someone who's been there? People get up and go to work, come back and go to sleep, raise families and die, drive around in cars, pass beautiful mosques with missile-like minarets, gorgeous sand dunes out of the movies, camels so common in some places they started looking like Middle Eastern squirrels to me, not enough water, unfortunately, and a sun above which don't know how to quit. The people love certain aspects of the West. That's obvious. Also, they hate certain aspects of the West. The Turks are the friendliest people in the world, the Arabs cooler, but courteous. The cries from the mosques to the faithful to worship Allah fill the air throughout the day, and the faithful stream in. It's a beautiful sound followed by an impressive sight. Warning: these people take their religion seriously, and I don't think that they fear death as much as we do. It's a very beautiful place, the Middle East, visually clean and overwhelming, with striking, impressive and very proud people. It's a shame a few have gone crazy. We could really be friends. Just a few thoughts from an unlikely New York Jew who's travelled.
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