Sharjah
United Arab Emirates
April 4, 2016
Dear Friends,
I am guessing there are about one hundred and fifty shops. Have you ever seen so much gold jewelry in one place?
The elaborate pieces on display in the Sharjah Gold Souk seem fit only for the wife of an Emir or a Sheik! Considering my bank balance and my current marital status, I smiled at the merchants, took my photos and walked on.
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
April 3, 2016
Dear Friends,
“Tall!”
In a word, that is how I would describe Dubai: “Tall, very tall!”
Apartment blocks, apartment clusters, office buildings, hotels, even the minarets of the mosques are all very tall.
Dubai boasts the tallest building in the world - the Burj Khalifa. Piercing the skyline, the spike of a structure stands at 829.8m or 2722 ft.
Set on a man-made island and shaped like the sail of a dhow, the traditional ship of Arabia, the iconic Burj Al Arab hotel stands at 321m or 1053 ft. Burj Al Arab is only (!) the third tallest hotel in the world. The other two? JW Marriott Marquis and Rose Rayhaan? Why also in Dubai, of course.
Dubai
United Arab Emirates
April 1, 2016
Hello,
I need your help.
I have been asked to conduct a search for an Executive Director of a large and diversified Trust Fund. The position requires senior-level expertise in operations and financial management in the Real Estate and Hospitality Industries.
As a life-long registered Democrat, you can imagine my surprise when I received a personal letter from Donald Trump. This was no ordinary mailer asking for a contribution. This was a personal letter, on his personal letterhead.
Mr. Trump is optimistic and looking ahead to winning the Republican Party nomination for President. As the nominee, he wants to be a visionary when it comes to foreign affairs, especially in the area of military preparedness. Consequently, he is researching the sites of closed or abandoned military bases in order to expand our global reach and readiness.
In his search, Mr. Trump came upon my website and my travel letter and photographs from my recent visit to the abandoned World War Two United States Air Force base in Greenland. Apparently, Mr. Trump’s military advisors informed him that this remote spot in the North Atlantic has significant strategic importance. **
Just by chance, on my website, Mr. Trump also clicked on the link to “Jan’s CV.” He found that I had a long career in the Hospitality Industry. So he was interested.
Bangkok
Thailand
December 20, 2015
Sunday
Clear and Cool
OMG! OMB! Oy vey!
Plinio’s legs are “sore.” Howard “blew out” his ankle. Jan has a painful left hip and aching thighs. Even with his walking stick, Jan can barely limp out of his apartment today to buy breakfast.
Here’s the story:
Last August, I met Plinio on my trip to Svalbard. Plinio, from Trieste, Italy is also a “traveler.” Plinio is visiting Thailand this month before heading up to Harbin, China. (-25C)
Last Friday, I met Howard here in Bangkok. Howard hails from Montreal, Canada. We “connected” immediately. After Bangkok, Howard will travel to Cambodia, Vietnam and Bali, Indonesia.
I organized the group and we decided to hire a car and driver and head out west to Kanchanaburi Province for three days.
ב"ה
Shliach is the Singular of Shluchim
Brooklyn
New York
November 8, 2015
I met Harley Greenberg in Chengdu, by chance....
……….
Harley Greenberg and I first met in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China in the fall of June, 2010. We have been friends ever since.
Harley was a Peace Corps Volunteer in China. He smiles, a warm and caring smile.
Harley and his wife Helen live in Chengdu (population 9.6 million). They have a darling infant daughter who they named Jeanne. From the recent photos he has sent, Harley appears to be one of the most affectionate men I have ever known. He overflows with gratitude and joy and love as he embraces his wife and child.
Harley and Helen operate the Windhorse Tour travel agency in Chengdu – the gateway city to Tibet. In 2010 they helped me with my local plans and also booked me on the Yangtze River Three Gorges Cruise.
In the spring of the 2011, I called Harley from Bangkok. During the course of our conversation I happened to ask him if he was planning to attend a Passover Seder in Chengdu. Not only did Harley have no idea if there were any other Jews in Chengdu, he was quite unaware that Passover was soon to arrive.
As we spoke, I did a search and found a small group of Jews in Chengdu who were gathering to conduct a Seder. I gave Harley the information and encouraged him to make contact.
Two weeks later I called Harley again.
