Libya: From “Rogue State” to “Must Visit”

by Brett Atkinson on

Despite being branded by George W as a “rogue state” in his 2002 addendum to the ridiculous “Axis Of Evil”, the North African country of Libya is on fast forward to become one of the Middle East’s prime destinations for curious and wordly travellers. And leading the way is a son of hardline Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

The 33-year old Saif al-Islam Gaddafi recently outlined a massive proposal to put Libya firmly on the tourist trail and in direct competition with burgeoning super cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The focus of the development is the ancient city of Cyrene, reckoned by archeological whizzes to be one of the best preserved of ancient Greek and Roman sites. Attractions already include the Temple of Apollo and the partially excavated Temple of Zeus, and there are now plans for more than 20 luxury hotels and thousands of houses to surround the ruins on Libya’s northeast Mediterranean coast.

Apparently developers are striving for a clean, green image, but with so much development occuring it will be a fine balancing act.

Via Telegraph Group Ltd and thanks to h_savill on Flickr for the pic of the Temple of Zeus.

Three-Day Wait to Score Shrooms in Amsterdam? Maybe

by Justin Glow on

Looking to score ‘shrooms in Amsterdam? You may have to wait three days.

The Netherlands’ policy on drugs distinguishes different substances as hard or soft. Hard drugs, like heroin and cocaine, are illegal, and possession — even for personal use — is a crime that’s fully enforced. Soft drugs, like marijuana and mushrooms, while still technically illegal, are tolerated.

Job Cohen, Amsterdam’s mayor, is looking to make it a bit tougher to score by enacting a three-day waiting period for the purchase of psilocybin mushrooms — just like Wal-Mart does with guns. The effort stems (haha, stems… get it?) from the death of a 17-year-old French girl who jumped off a bridge while totally whacked out on shrooms, man. Buzzkill.

“Under the proposal, potential mushroom buyers would have to show identity papers when visiting one of the ‘smart shops’ where they are sold in the famously tolerant city. They would then be given a card with the date listed on it, as well as fliers with information on the mushrooms,” according to the AFP. ” Three days later, the mushrooms could be collected.”

Not a bad idea, I guess.

It’s Official, Ramadan Starts Today and Tomorrow

by Jamie Rhein on

Ramadan, the Muslim holy period of fasting starts with the sighting of the new moon. That’s today–or tomorrow, depending on which country you’re in. Turns out, the new moon isn’t the only marker. Astrologicial calculations might be a factor. Here’s an article that explains this more. Regardless, if you’re traveling in a country that’s mostly Muslim, it’s helpful to be aware of a few pointers so you’re not left wandering in the middle of the day looking for a meal–or taking a swig of water or eating in front of people who are abstaining.

Depending on where you are, it’s not uncommon for restaurants to be closed after sun up and before sundown. Once the sun goes down, the day’s fast is broken and the eating begins. You are not expected to be fasting yourself, but it’s helpful to be culturally sensitive, and not create a stir depending on where you are. If you are in a strict Muslim country like Iran, eating and drinking in public is not allowed and you could find yourself in trouble. The Lonely Planet has a helpful guide for traveling in Muslim countries. One suggestion for taking advantage of your travel experiences is to hang out at a restaurant right before it opens, and then enjoy the feast.

So what is this fasting about you might be wondering?

This is when Muslims commemorate when Allah (God) revealed the Quran to the prophet Mohammed. During this time, Muslims are to purify themselves in mind and body by devoting themselves to endeavors of the spirit. Fasting is a practice of showing devotion to Allah and to strengthen resolve to be a better person. Giving to charity is also important during this time. (Okay, what I’ve presented is the condensed version.)

By the way, the country with the largest Muslim population is Indonesia. And the Gambia, where I was in the Peace Corps, is also mostly Muslim–both are quite diverse from each other. In Singapore, because there is a large Muslim population who live there, the first and last day of Ramadan are also holidays.

Let’s Party Like It’s 1999

by Brett Atkinson on

Well, the year 2000 actually if you’re a Coptic Christian living in Ethiopia. According to the calendar of the ancient Coptic Church, September 12 2007 is actually New Year’s Eve 1999. Based on the ancient Egyptian calendar the Coptic Calendar was replaced by the Gregorian calendar (the one we now use) in 1582. The Coptic Church ignored Pope Gregory XIII’s unilateral decree and maintained their own timetable. More than four centuries later the gap between the two systems is now seven years.

Despite it being the end of the millennium, the residents of the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa have been surprised at the lower than expected number of visitors. Only 25,000 tourists are reckoned to have made the trip to one of Africa’s oldest cultures. A proposed food fair and a run by the great Ethiopian athlete Haile Gebrelassie had to be cancelled because of the threat of terrorism. In the absence of tasty street food and jogging, the biggest gig in town has been a concert featuring the Black Eyed Peas.

Now if only they’d managed to get Prince…

Thanks to Rudy Neeser on Flickr for the pic of downtown Addis.

Via The Independent

From The Country That Brought Us The Great Leap Forward

by Brett Atkinson on

This has to be a joke right? Beijing has just been annointed as China’s most beautiful city. Mmmm, maybe Shanghai’s Bund and a moonlight journey on Hong Kong’s Star Ferry aren’t as flash as I thought.

Sadly it’s not an early April Fool’s prank. The grandly titled China Insitute of City Competitiveness Survey has nominated the Chinese capital as the most stunning city in all of China. Thankfully, Hong Kong came in second, but the craziness returned with the southern boomtown of Shenzen registering third. That’s about as legitimate as the bogus iPhones that are currently on sale in a thousand Chinese streetmarkets.

I know the Olympics kick off in a year or so, but I really thought China’s PR practitioners were a little more savvy.

Via Reuters and thanks to dbaron on Flickr for the gorgeous Beijing cityscape.