Tag Archives: Jordan

February 15, 2013 · 8:57 pm

Beauty in Jordan and Lebanon

In my last two weeks traveling in Jordan and Lebanon, I was delighted by the beauty of both places – different as they are. Here are some images I took not to illustrate a story but for their simple loveliness and interest.

Roman arches and columns in ancient Jerash, Jordan:
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Fallen stones in Jerash:
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Mountain trees in limestone meadow near Koura, Jordan:
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Caterpillar heap near Koura, Jordan:
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Stairs in Amman, Jordan:
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Stairs at the Dead Sea, Jordan:
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Sandstone walls at Petra, Jordan:
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Martyrs’ Square Statue in Beirut, Lebanon:
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Imam Ouzai Square, Beirut, Lebanon:
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Mediterranean sunset, Beirut, Lebanon:
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Near Mar Bishay Hermitage, Qozhaya, Lebanon:
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Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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February 15, 2013 · 1:41 pm

Where We Stayed in Jordan and Lebanon

The TechWomen enjoyed some very good hotels while traveling in Jordan. My daughter Jessica and I were also pleased with our lodging in Beirut, Lebanon. In case you are headed there, here is where we stayed and also the names of our tour guides:

Hotels:

Four Seasons Hotel, Amman, Jordan
(5th Circle, Al-Kindi Street, Jabal Amman, Tel. +962 (6) 550-5555)
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Kepinski Hotel Ishtar – Dead Sea, Jordan
(Swaimeh, Dead Sea Road, P.O. Box 941806, 11194 Amman +962 5 356 8888)
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Phoenicia Hotel – Beirut, Lebanon
(P.O. Box 11, Beirut 846 Lebanon, Front Desk +961-1-369100)
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Tour Guides:

  • Michael Schuring, Amman, Jordan, Tel: +962 65 68 55 53
  • Natacha Asmar, Lebanon Tour Guide and Archaeologist, Tel: +961-3-476474, Syndicat Des Guides Touristiques Liban

Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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February 15, 2013 · 6:42 am

Jordan and Lebanon

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I arrived home in San Jose, California, yesterday afternoon from my amazing trip to Jordan and Lebanon. My daughter Jessica got safely home to Washington DC the day before. I enjoyed two days of discussions about mentoring and MentorCloud with the remarkable Al-Makassed (the Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association of Beirut), including impressive tours of three schools. I very much look forward to continuing to work on Makassed program development. Two other TechWomen delegates to Jordan were on my flight to San Francisco – the entire group is making our way back home.

I walked the ancient cities of Jerash, Petra, and Sidon, rode a camel, met many groups of capable technical girls and women, visited the site of Jesus’ baptism and the tomb of Kahlil Gibran, and talked with a Princess and Vatican Ambassador.  The best part of this once-in-a-lifetime trip was spending time with my daughter and my dear TechWomen friends, deepening our understanding and love.

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Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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February 10, 2013 · 10:47 pm

Friends in Beirut

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The 2013 TechWomen delegation to Jordan has sadly said its goodbyes. Most of us have returned to Algeria, Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Morocco, Yemen, Tunisia, Jordan, and the USA.  We will continue to communicate on email, Skype, LinkedIn, Facebook, by telephone and sometimes even through precious visits to each other’s homes.

My daughter Jessica and I traveled yesterday to the lovely city of Beirut, Lebanon, to visit more TechWomen friends and to meet with Al Makassed (the Makassed Philanthropic Islamic Association of Beirut).  Our dear TechWomen friends Sukaina Al-Nasrawi and Maysoun Ibrahim met us in the hotel lobby when we checked in, then took us on a walking tour of downtown. We were honored to have a driving tour and marvelous dinner with Dr. Amine Daouk, President of Makassed, and Adla Chatila, Makassed’s IT and Finance Director (my amazing and talented TechWomen 2012 mentee). We look forward to seeing even more of this fascinating place today.

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Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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February 9, 2013 · 7:36 pm

TechWomen at Petra

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On our last day together, the TechWomen delegation drove by bus from our Dead Seaside hotel to the ancient city of Petra. As with many “touristic” locations, souvenir vendors and sellers of services (in Petra’s case: camel, donkey, and carriage rides) are as much a part of the site as are the ruins. I took so many photos that the poor computer service at our hotel could not handle the upload – so I will post the image of Jessica and me on camels later. The colors of the sandstone were luscious and changed as the light shifted during the hours we walked through Petra. The TechWomen said goodbye to our beloved friends as the delegation left for home. Jessica and I fly from Amman, Jordan, to Beirut, Lebanon, today.

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Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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February 8, 2013 · 7:40 pm

TechWomen Tour Dead Sea Area

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Yesterday, the TechWomen delegation enjoyed a day of rest and exploration. Some of us stayed at our Dead Seaside hotel to enjoy the spas and a quiet time. Jessica and I went with the group who visited the site of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River, then Mount Nebo where Moses died. For the Christians among us, the baptism site provided a moving opportunity to pray together in a holy and historic place. In the evening, the TechWomen gathered to watched the sun set behind the mountains before we enjoyed our final dinner and dancing as a group. Today, we tour Petra then sadly go our separate ways.

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Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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February 7, 2013 · 11:19 am

TechWomen Meets Princess Sumaya

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Today, the TechWomen delegation visited the Princess Sumaya University for Technology to meet students and professors. We were honored also to meet Her Royal Highness, the intelligent and remarkable Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan herself, who spoke to us about her strong support for technology and entrepreneurship in Jordan. I was particularly honored to be among the members of the delegation who joined the Princess upstairs for a brief discussion about our work and the TechWomen program. I also got to speak with Professor Issa Batarseh, the capable and charming President of the university. We discussed the Plug and Play Technical Center, MentorCloud, TechWomen, and the benefits of professional mentoring. I hope that today’s meetings will result in continued and strong connections between the technical communities of Jordan and the Silicon Valley.

After the PSUT meetings, we left Amman for the Dead Sea and Petra where the TechWomen will spend a quieter time with each other before going home to our many countries.

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Images Copyright 2013 by Katy Dickinson

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