While I'm proud of everything I've written here on IbnIbnBattuta.com, in my opinion the entries below capture the most poignant lessons, powerful memories (both good and bad), and vivid characters from my travels around the world. Most importantly to me as a writer, I feel these entries also showcase some of my best storytelling.
First, a few "must reads" that will interest any visitor to the site:
- "The Women of Adilisha" (Tanzania, July 2006)
- "Instead, They Sing" (Mozambique, August 2006)
- "Water, Water Everywhere, No Time to Stop and Think" (Morocco, October 2008)
- "Hating Hijabs or Badgering Blondes: What's the Difference?" (USA, July 2010)
- "Sylvestre's Stories" (Rwanda, June 2011)
The rest are grouped based on interest—take your pick!
Current Affairs: learn more about the world's political undercurrents...
- "Barack Obama and the End of the American Disappointment" (Morocco, November 2008)
- "January 2011 Explained: The Arab Street Gets Its Moment" (January 2011)
Food and Drink: whet your taste buds...
- "Quince: A Culinary Love Story" (Morocco, December 2008)
Historical Sites: clamber through ruins of ancient civilizations...
- "A Castle, a Column, a Kurd: A Visit to Aleppo" (Syria, July 2005)
- "Lalibela: Sacred Spaces from Another World" (Ethiopia, February 2010)
New Destinations: follow me to a place you've never dreamed of traveling...
- "To Ma'aloula and Deir Mar Musa, in Search of Spiritual Roots" (Syria, June 2005)
- "Hama Weekend, Part 2: Hospitable Friends" (Syria, August 2005)
- "The Real World: Baghdad (Life Behind the Blast Walls)" (Iraq, May 2010)
- "Swimming with the Quirimbas Current" (Mozambique, August 2006)
Photography: enjoy some of my favorite shots...
- "Best Photos from Morocco: Introduction" (January 2010)
- "National Geographic Photo Contest: Help Me Pick a Winner!" (August 2010)
Religion: explore the preachings and practice of other faiths...
- "Joyful Welcomes and Tearful Worship: A Day of Prayer with Damascus's Muslims" (Syria, August 2005)
- "Observing the Holy Month, from a Safe Distance" (Morocco, September 2009)
Sports: check these out, sports fans...
- "Moroccan Hoop Dreams" (Morocco, January 2009)
- "The Final Countdown: Surfing Mehdiya in Winter" (Morocco, December 2009)
Travel Reflections: hear what I've learned in my time on the road...
- "Lessons Learned from a Banana" (Mozambique, August 2006)
- "Lessons Learned from Backpacking, and More Yet to Learn" (January 2010)
- "Mulling It Over, or: I Lost My Passport in Kombolcha" (Ethiopia, February 2010)
War: travel to the heart of a recovering conflict zone, or maybe even an active one...
- "My Day at the Pool in Kigali" (Rwanda, July 2004)
- "There but for the Grace of God: A Lesson in Congolese Chemistry" (DR Congo, July 2004)
- "Ghosts from the Past, Prayers for the Future" (Sierra Leone, September 2007)
- "A Glimpse of the New Rwanda" (Rwanda, November 2010)
Wildlife: come nose to nose with wild critters...
- "Reflections from the Serengeti & Ngorongoro Crater" (Tanzania, July 2006)
Remember, these are just the tip of the iceberg! If you like what you read here, be sure to check out others. And if you just can't get enough, you can always start reading from the beginning!
Updated July 2011
