Things to Do in Middle East And Africa

Built in the 1960s as an engineering marvel, the Aswan High Dam changed the face of Egypt by increasing the cultivable land by 30% and doubling the country's available electricity supply. The dam also created what was then the world's largest artificial lake: Lake Nasser. This body of water would have covered the important Abu Simbel Temple monuments if not for support from UNESCO and a worldwide appeal for funds to move them to higher ground, a massive feat that was eventually successful.

Designed by Lord Kitchener, the 16-acre Aswan Botanic Gardens is home to trees, flowers and plants from India, Africa and even the world beyond. Travelers can relax in the wide-open spaces of this garden’s breathtaking natural beauty or wind through the extensive exhibit hall of towering palm trees. More than 400 species of subtropical vegetation exist in this urban oasis that’s just a Nile cruise away.

The Atlantic Coast near Cape Town is dotted with wealthy suburbs and small, seaside villages. You'll find a variety of ocean activities; many of the small villages are the gateways to secret surf spots. Within these communities, you'll find vibrant nightlife, art galleries and trendy hotspots - gourmands take note, as some of these suburbs have high-end restaurants waiting to astound your palate.

Of note are the towns of Green Point, Sea Point, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Llandudno and Hout Bay. Green Point and Sea Point are famous for their bustling night lives - Sea Point is more or less a 24 hour party town. The suburbs of Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay and Llandudno are enclaves for the rich and super-rich. If you like to marvel at multi-million dollar homes that have to-die-for views of the ocean, these are your towns.

If, however, you have no opinion on the houses of the rich and super-rich, continue north to Hout's Bay, where you'll encounter more restaurants and the World of Birds, a sanctuary for South Africa's fauna. From magpies to meerkats, the World of Birds is a great place for nature lovers.

Continuing north from Hout's Bay, you'll wind your way along Chapman's Peak Drive (a curvy road cut into a cliff face), one of the most amazing scenic drives in the world. Chapman's Peak Drive will take you to Kommetjie and Scarboroug, where you'll find Long Beach, one of the most sought-after breaks in the surfing world.

The Avenue of Sphinxes was the site of ceremonial processions and originally connected the temples of Luxor and Karnak, although it is considerably more recent than either of those sites, dating to around 380 BC. It stretched some 1.5 miles (2.7 kilometers) and would once have had 1,350 sphinxes lining its sides. Around half of those have been uncovered, with many reworked by later civilizations or sitting in museums. Much of the avenue itself is covered by modern buildings.

There are dozens of examples in various states of preservation forming the immediate approach to each temple. Some of them bear the cat-like features of the famous Great Sphinx at Giza, others have rams’ heads. The entire avenue is the subject of a major ongoing excavation project.

Set 36 miles (58 km) outside the capital city of Beirut, the ancient city of Anjar is literally a Lebanon attraction unlike any other. While many of the ruins in Lebanon existed under a multitude of rulers, the fortified city of Anjar was occupied solely by the Umayyad dynasty during the 8th century AD when it flourished for a mere number of decades. This city's Opulent rulers eventually fell to the Abbasids, but at one point their influence stretched from the valleys of India to the shores of southern France. With the exception of a mosque in nearby Baalbek, Anjar is the only place in Lebanon which provides an example of the Umayyad period.

Located in the fertile Beqaa valley amid the Anti-Lebanon mountains and along a prosperous trade route between Beirut and Damascus, Anjar made a perfect summer retreat for the ruling dynasty. Disrepair and earthquakes eventually took their toll on the city which was once protected by walls over 6 feet thick and filled with over 600 shops. The once bustling town of Anjar was left unexplored until its eventual excavation in 1949.

Today visitors can amble past the partially restored walls of the main palace and gaze at Umayyad graffiti which dates to 741 AD. Wandering the grounds of the sprawling 1.2 million square ft. compound can take a couple of hours, and a bevy of Lebanese and Armenian restaurants are situated around the city grounds. Although there are no accommodation options readily available in Anjar, lodging can be found in the nearby town of Chtaura, or, for those making a day trip from Beirut, a host of tour operators depart directly from the city.