Reed Ruddy Armies in the Sand

So I got this book to help me write my thesis and it is, of course, on the topic of Mecca and the Holy Hajj. The 5th pillar of Islam is very interesting as is the entire Islamic culture that I've been studying for most of this semester. In this book I learned all about how Mecca came to be so significant in the culture, I learned about the physical features of the area up and down the eastern coast of the red sea and I learned more about a geographic region I, as well as many people, would be wise to learn more about. This whole region, known as the holy land, bleeds wilderness and spirituality as many of hte foremost religions in the world had their most significant events occur in this region. I would love to someday travel to the region in order to see Mecca and Medina (preferably Medina since apparently outside of the spiritual experience Mecca has nothing but salt and sand storms to offer). This blog is basically me thinking about how interesting the region I once considered an endless desert wasteland truly is. The culture fascinates me and I am debating a future in studying and learning the culture for a possible career in the government where I would be interacting with and immersing myself in the culture I have recently become very attracted to.