The Fabulous Life of Jobin Hume

I love Louis

Louis Vuitton, that is...but I ask you, do the good people of Mongolia really need an LV store?  Seriously.  To celebrate the opening of the Ulaan Baatar branch, they have created this wierd-ass site http://www.louisvuitton.com/resonance/ which includes a lot of pictures of the poverty stricken people they are now neighbors with, as well as a tribute to Mongolian music that features a very close close close shot of a sweaty guy moaning.  And not in a good way.  I realize that the target for this shop would be tourists, but I have to tell you, I have a hard time buying stuff like this in relatively rich poor countries, but I manage.  I really don't think I could bring myself to buy such a bag in Mongolia.

According to the state department (and I realize this data is not 100% accurate, but go along with me anyway) Mongolia has 2.9 million people.  Total.  The average income is $250 per month, but government workers can make up to $550 per month.

So,  Narantuyaa, when you are done herding the camels back to the Yurt, scurry on over to buy a purse that costs a years salary, ok?

They lost me on this one.

Off to their grand tour!

I got to see some friends off on a world tour.  OK, a European Tour but with a 7-year old and TWO 5-year olds, I bet it will seem like a world tour.  Follow the escapades of the Palmers in Norway Spain and Sweden (yes, in that order) at http://scandahovianvacation.typepad.com/

Because they are awesome friends, they are bringing a few things such as this bug zapper.  I can imagine asking someone to bring a sweater, or box of chocolates, but this is a BIG FAVOR!!  You will notice that it is bigger than 2 suitcases put together.

Here they are on the way!

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Celebrity vs Princess Cruises

This will only make sense to those who have cruised before.  I chose this cruise for the awesome itinerary, in spite of the fact that my worst vacation ever was on a Princess Cruise before.  It is 1000 times better than that one, a really nice smaller ship, and great co-cruisers.

Having said that, Celebrity is still way better.  To illustrate, I shall share a few article titles from the daily newsletter:

• Don't miss our PRE THANKSGIVING OUTLET SALE (their capitalization)
• Flushing successfully (it is exactly what it sounds like)
• Check your bank account at sea (an enticement to buy internet minutes)
• Great holiday gifts - Inch of Gold & Silver (we have joked about it many times, but I think Courtney and Ashley actually are going to get an inch of gold for Christmas this year)
• Last chance Ceramics@Sea (yes, it is spelled with an @)

I will be lounging in between spa appointments and a wine tasting, so I will be unable to attend any of these events.  I did read the flushing article though, so if you have any questions about how that works, just let me know.

The pictures I wish I had gotten, but did not:

• The line where you can literally cross the street from the lush green forest of the Nile Valley and walk into the Sahara Desert
• A Chevy pick up truck full of baby camels
• The 2-donkey, 2-passenger cart with hundreds of cauliflower driving into the entrance ramp to the highway AGAINST the traffic!
• Our "security convoy" which is possibly the most dangerous thing to tourists on earth
• An Italian girl getting a tattoo in the alley behind the church in Cairo
• A sign showing the 4 SIMULTANEOUS speed limits in effect on a Cairo highway at any given moment

So I've been a little busy

An abbreviated list of the things I have seen in the last 4 days:

• Called to the principals office for special screening by Israeli immigration

• New Jerusalem
• West Bank security check in
• Bethlehem - Church of the Nativity
• Possibly bribed our way back into Israel, I can't be sure
• Old Jerusalem
  • City Wall 
  • Arab quarter 
  • Church of the Holy Sepulcher 
  • Roman Ruins in the Christian Quarter 
  • Jewish Quarter 
  • Western Wall 
• Mount of Olives
• Masada
• Dead Sea
• Tel Aviv
• Jaffa
• Mount of Beatitudes
• Nazareth
• Sea of Galilee
• River Jordan
• Capernaum
• Baha'i Gardens
• Haifa
• Sailed to Egypt
• Nearly died in Eastern Desert traffic dozens of times
• Egyptian Museum
• Cairo Church
• Cairo Synagogue
• Citadel
• Muhammad Ali Mosque
• Nearly died in Cairo traffic dozens of times
• Nile Dinner Cruise, including a whirling Dervish and belly dancing
• Watching an old man get a head massage from a teenage boy in an Adidas jacket
• Shopping at the crappiest linen store in Cairo
• Sound and Light show at the Pyramids
• Participated briefly in an Egyptian wedding
• Pyramids at Giza, Sphinx
• Saqqara
• Memphis
• Nearly died in Western Desert traffic dozens of times
• Alexandria

None of them were drive bys - we had activity in each place.  Surely you will understand that I am now needing a few moments trying to put it all together.  Many funny stories and pictures to follow!  I thought this trip was a lifetime of travel in one week, but I really think now it is like 3 lifetimes.  I haven't even written yet about Athens, Santorini or Patmos.

2 sea days ahead (thank goodness), and then Split and Venice.

Basillica of St John

 This is what is left of the church where John preached after Jesus died.

It is built from the ruins of the temple to Helena down the road which is about 1000 years older that this church, which is 2000 years old. John was entombed here but his remains went several other places afterward including San Marco in Venice and St Peter at the Vatican in Rome where whatever is left of him is today. Since we saw his cave yesterday I feel like I am following him around the Mediterranean.

View from the hill: (insert picture)

While we were here, the Muezzin (spelling??) call to prayer started up. It was very much like being in a movie. This is a whole lifetime of experiences in one week...it is almost too much Turkey is very secular - none of the women cover their heads and most people went about their business, not stopping to pray. I knew these things before I came, but it was interesting to see it in action. At least this part of the country is very much like western Europe.

Olive Picking

Did you know how olives are picked?  They wait until they are ripe and then put a net on the ground.  Then they shake the tree and the good ones fall into the net.

I realize that I have learned alot about harvesting in my travels.  I never thought about where olives come from, but if I had guessed it would have been from a vine.  Also, I learned in Costa Rica that pineapples grow on a little bush - not a tree.  I just pick these things up at the grocer store without thinking about it apparently.

Turkish Rugs

Of course at the end of the tour we had to go to the rug store and watch a bit about how silk is made and how they make the rugs by hand.  I have seen this in China already so I sat to the side and wrote out my postcards.

I had no interest in a Turkish rug, but then they started rolling them out and I almost had a heart attack I wanted one so much.  When you see them in person it is unbelievable!!!

This was the sales guy - he was very good.  He showed us the most intricate, beautiful ones first but wouldn't say how much they cost until you were shopping personally and already hooked on the idea of buying one.  It turns out the one I want costs $60,000 so I am going to have to hustle up and sell some more eye cream because now I can't possibly settle for anything other than this one.  Even the little ones that were 4x6 were more than $3K.  Also, I will have to have an estate because you can't put a 60K rug on the floor - that is just an accident waiting to happen.

I asked him about the cost of a small rug and he asked what my budget was.  I wouldn't say and wanted him to go first.  After a few rounds of this I said, in a nice way, that I was also in sales and wasn't going to give it up first.  He grabbed my arm and said "You are very cheeky, aren't you?"  It was hilarious to hear British slang from this old Turkish guy. 

Ephesus