Stories about Travel
Tea and Kidnapping in the Sinai
“My host, the 37-year-old Bedouin tribal leader Sheikh Ahmed Hashem, had served me so many glasses of sweet tea that I had lost count. It was a hot afternoon in early July, and we were sitting on the floor of his compound in Wadi Feiran, a remote village deep within Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.” – Sarah [...]
Heliopolis Egypt
Heliopolis is an anomaly, a dream that has been engulfed by modern Cairo. On arrival most people will notice the Cambodian architecture of Baron’s Palace on the road from the airport. But Heliopolis’ century of history runs deeper. It was the brainchild of Edouard Louis Joseph, also known as Baron Empain was a wealthy Belgian [...]
Mohamad Musa’s Camel School – Mt. Sinai
Inside and outside of Egypt the common misconception is that it is a land of pyramids and camels. There is so much more in Egypt that I am reticent to do a story about camels because it will undoubtedly reinforce the incorrect steryotype. But, I feel like I have done enough other stories about the [...]
Tourism on Mt. Sinai
Adventure, spirituality, and economic incentives funnel thousands of tourists to the interior of the Sinai Peninsula where they often make a pre-morning treck up the side of Mt. Sinai, or Jebal Mosa as it’s called locally. I’m still not satisfied with this set of photos, consider them place holders until someone sends me up the [...]
Portrait of a Travel Executive
This summer I worked with Backpacker’s Concierge to help with their rebranding of travel services in Egypt and Jordan. Their new services and photos have been gaining press so the CEO needed a new portrait with a feel of the middle east and Egypt. We took an afternoon and jetted around Cairo. Here are a [...]
Hidden Gardens of the Sinai
Most tourists venture in to central Sinai for the climb up Mt. Sinai and a look around St. Catherine’s Monestary, but on a recent assignment I got to dig just a little bit deaper with a knowledgable guide. Nestled between the desert crags are lush gardens of fruit and herbs where water is carefully tended [...]
Tanta Mawlid, The Festival of Seyyid Badawi
The festival of Seyyid Badawi (Ahmad al-Badawi) is one of the largest annual gatherings in Egypt, drawing pilgrims from throughout the Middle East and doubling the size of the town, located in the Nile delta. The week-long celebration encompasses the birthday of Sufi Saint Seyyid Badawi, the celebration of the harvest, and a carnival atmosphere. [...]
Zar performed at Makan
Almost every wednesday a group of singers and performers gather for a Zar at a small club called in Cairo. The group was formed as an attempt to save the dying ritual. Zār or Zaar (زار) is a pagan religious custom, apparently originating in central Ethiopia during the eighteenth century, later spreading throughout East and [...]
Aswan Egypt, Life on the backstreets
In my continuing series of photos for Backpacker’s Concierge I took two trips down to Aswan. The first shoot was called off because a sandstorm turned everything white and ruined the idealic blue sky. The second trip went off without a hitch and I photographed in all of the major sites such as Karnak Temple [...]