Soaring skyscrapers and architectural marvels define the next generation of opulence and visual art in today’s Persian Gulf region. Set off on Ker & Downey’s Sands of Arabia journey and travel to Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates for a glimpse at the culture, rich history, cutting-edge design, and futuristic innovation of these shimmering cities through experiential travel. Doha, Qatar – The Islamic Museum of Art Designed by Chinese-American architect I. M. Pei, the designer of the Louvre Pyramid, the Islamic Museum of Art stands on an artificial island adjacent to Doha’s port. Pei spent a great deal of […]

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Written in the sand and rock lie the age-old stories of cultures past, all choosing this spot to leave their mark in search of legacy with the greats. The facade of ruin that shows from monuments, tombs, and ancient temples belies the vibrant life beneath, an adventure waiting to be had. Valley of the Queens Nefertari’s Tomb: The dream has come true and the restoration works of Nefertari’s tomb, the most famous of all queens, has been achieved. This tomb has been a symbol of challenge. Since its discovery at the beginning of this century in 1904 by the Italian archaeologist […]

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Qatar is, undeniably, one of the world’s emerging countries. Nestled on a peninsula jutting precariously from Saudi Arabia, Qatar is a tiny country with near untold riches. For much of its history, Qatar has been neutral, more favorable in issues regarding trade than geography or any other. For centuries, the country was dominated by empires, first the Ottomans then – most notably – the British. The British sought to use the country as a intermediate point for ships traveling between their far-flung colonial conquests. During this time, the Al Khalifa clan ruled in the stead of the British from the […]

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Jordan is a landlocked country bordered by Israel, the West Bank, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Of note, there is no hostility between Muslims and Christians and the country is one of the most modern and liberalized in the region. Petra, a city in the southern part of the country is known as the fabled “rose red city, half as old as time.” It was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom around the 6th century BC.  As one of the most important centers of trade and commerce, Petra flourished until a catastrophic earthquake destroyed most of the buildings and crippled […]

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Cappadocia is an area in central Turkey known for its unique moon-like landscape. For millions of years, the volcanoes of the Central Anatolian Plateau spewed their contents across the lands that would later become the cradle of civilization. Blessed with a moderate climate and fertile volcanic soul, one of the world’s earliest communities was founded 10,000 years ago at Catalhoyuk along the river banks of the Casambasuyu near Konya. Mankind’s first nature painting, found here, portrays the most recent eruption of Hasan Dagi nearly 9000 years ago. Now, its snow capped peaks dominate the Konya plain. Here, in the shadow […]

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Take a hike up the Snake Path on the eastern side of the mountain, access the cable cars via the Dead Sea road and enjoy Masada in modern Israel. Largely untouched by humans for nearly two millennia, the Roman ramp built on the western wall still stands and can be climbed safely by foot. Masada today is one of the Jewish people’s greatest symbols. So much so that Israeli soldiers take an oath upon completion of basic military training that, “Masada shall not fall again.” Besides Jerusalem, Masada is the most popular tourist destination for Jews visiting Israel. Further, the […]

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