Germany 2007

AG-07 - Algeria trip with a stop in Frankfurt, Germany Date of travel: Mar 10 - Mar 31, 2007 ITINERARY: In the morning on Mar 10 I left Vista in a rented car for Los Angeles airport. There I took a Lufthansa plane for Frankfurt, Germany, where in mid morning on Mar 11. Because I had 12 hours between flights, I visited a Natural History Museum and a Botanical Gardens there. Late that night I flew from Frankfurt to the city of Algiers in Algeria, where very early on Mar 12. After short sleep we visited with a military escort (request from US embassy) the ruins of the Roman city of Cherchell and in the afternoon the ruins of another Roman city Tipaza both outside Algiers. Next morning we have escorted sightseeing of the city of Algiers, while in the afternoon we fly from Algiers to Bechar in western Algeria and from there we drive with the military 90 km south to the Taghit oasis. The following day we tour this oasis, like cut out of the old movies about the French Foreign Legion, but we see it in living colors. We admire the rock engravings 5 to 30 thousand years old, when there was no desert here and lions, giraffes and buffalos lived in present Sahara. The oasis is surrounded by gigantic sand dunes. On Mar 15 we drive through the desert in the northeast direction from Taghit via Bechar to Ain-Sefra oasis seeing more rock engravings and the spectacular desert countryside. The following day we reach the historical city of Tlemcen with Moorish buildings, which strategic importance already recognized by Romans. On Mar 17 we continue to Oran on the Mediterranean Sea, the second largest city in Algeria and important commercial and military harbor. After its sightseeing we fly to the city of Annaba also on Mediterranean Sea but in far east of the country. The next day we explore Annaba, mostly what’s left after the Romans including the ruins of the Roman city Hippone and a Roman theatre at Guelma both outside Annaba. We have the military escort all the time. On Mar 19 we drive to the city of Constantine named after the Roman Emperor, who accepted Christianity in the 4th century AD. It is a city on a rock outcropping. In the afternoon we visit Djemila about 100 km west of Constantine with one of the best excavations of a Roman city. The following day continuing south to Batna with excavations of Roman Timgad. The city is well preserved with the main streets Cardo and Documanus crossing in its center. Night in town of Biskra. Then from Biskra we enter the Sahara Desert again and spend night in Touggourt oasis. From this oasis via Ouargla for lunch and by evening we are in Ghardaia. On Mar 23 is sightseeing of this great Saharan place. In the afternoon all our tourists, except Joanne and I, drive to the airport and fly home. It leaves us 2 with an Algerian tour guide, who does not speak English. Neither Joanne or I speak French or Arabic. It leaves me, because my exposure to foreign languages, to work on communication. And it works. I am surprised, how many French words I can dig out of my brain. Of course, we lost our military escort. In the morning on Mar 24 our tour guide takes us for a stroll to one of the 5 towns lying around Ghardaia. In the afternoon we visit another one by taxi. On Mar 25 the two of us fly from Ghardaia in a propeller plane 4.5 hours directly south into the 100 thousand people city Tamanrasset in the Hoggar Mountains with peaks up to 3000 m above the sea. The accommodation is quite primitive here. Next three days we take a ride in 4WD Toyota throughout Hoggar Mountains. For the trip we have with us a French tour guide, who speaks English, a driver and a cook. Both are Tuaregs. The mountains have magic shapes and we see many more rock carvings. Late in the afternoon on Mar 28 I fell and broke my left arm at the wrist. I got some help in a hospital in Tamanrasset, but left the needed operation for my return to California. Our departure from Tamanrasset to Algiers was delayed by one day due to a canceled flight. Eventually we left on Mar 30 at 3:30 in the morning and reached Algiers at 5:30 AM. From there on Lufthansa to Frankfurt. Because I missed today’s plane, I was put on a standby for Mar 31. I had to arrange a hotel for myself. The following day I left Frankfurt at 11 AM and after 11 hours of flight I came to Los Angeles at 1 PM the same day (Mar 31). I rented a car and drove home to Vista. Travel office: Spiekermann Travel Service - with an office in Detroit, USA Who took part: There were 9 of us with some people from the Algerian office. From Ghardaia there are only Joanne a I and a tour guide from the Algerian office.