I'm in Istanbul right now, and I have had that song in my head for every second of the past twenty-four hours.

I had an experience today in the middle of the desert today that underscores the differences between the culture in the Middle East and the U.S. Our guest and I walked into a movie set from the 1970s that we had thought was abandoned. It turns out this was someone's home, it was clear that we made the owner very uncomfortable. To compound matters, ( Read more... )

I am bloated with amazing Pakistani food. That is not why I write this. I write this because I am baffled.

A diner appeared at a nearby table. He was an Arab man, a wife and mother--both dressed in full, head-to-toe abayas--by his side, and a baby in a stroller. The man wore baggy cargo shorts, a trucker hat, and uneven stubble and sideburns, and an ( Read more... )

About a year ago, my spouse and I left the United States to come live in Qatar, located in the Arabian Gulf, next to Saudi Arabia, about 275 kilometers from Iran. In that time, I've acquired some habits I'm going to have to overcome when I return to America. Here are but a few:

- Tipping no more than 10 percent.
- Not recycling.
- Free valet parking.
- ( Read more... )

Gather around, kids! Today, I'd like to tell you a story about how much more entertaining it is to shop in this part of the world than it is back home in the States. And so, let's all go down to the auto parts store, where our hero enters, on a quest for a tow cable and an air compressor ( Read more... )

I couldn't quite get the clear picture of Buckingham palace in the shade that descended over St. James Park. My wife and I, along with our hosts, gave up and made our way to a nearby cafe for beer and fizzy water.

The day was long, and the tea was plentiful, so I surrendered to my bladder and found the nearest urinal. While relief coursed through me ( Read more... )

I was, until this past weekend, a tourist, and I loved it.

Usually, my wife and I simply strolled through the City of London (and Westminster, etc.) with our hosts. Often, though, they enjoyed some professional sightseeing assistance. These are very informative, and they reveal certain traits about other tourists--usually Americans. For example, ( Read more... )

I learned a number of things after spending the past two weeks in London:

The folks who staff the immigration desk at the airports are called Border FORCE!, which, you have to admit, sounds pretty exciting. The English are still pretty touchy about their (former) empire; I'm pretty sure this is tongue in cheek. Everything seems cheaper when it's in ( Read more... )

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I'm slowly getting used to the metric system, but there are still setbacks. For example, I still feel a little weird going up to the butcher's counter and ordering things by the gram. Today, though, was the biggest hiccup, when I tried out the compound's treadmill for the first time, and was running at 9.0 for two minutes without gasping for breath ( Read more... )