Archive for May, 2011

AHMAD IBN MAJID (15th Century CE – 9th Century AH): THE LION OF THE SEAS

By | May 30, 2011 | Explorers, History, Pax Islamica | 4 Comments

Determing Latitude using "Fingers".

by Islam El Shazly

Ahmad ibn Majid ibn Muhammad ibn Omar ibn Fadl ibn Dwaik ibn Youssef ibn Hassan ibn Hussein ibn Abi Mo’alaq ibn Abi Al-Raka’eb Al-Najdey.

The Shooting Star.

The Lion of the Seas.

His books, charts, and maps guided sailors for years, and his improvements on nautical tools and nautical inventions transformed how sailors navigated the seven seas forever.

He was a Muslim Arab, navigator, cartographer, and author; born to a famous family of seafarers around 824 AH/1421 CE, in Julphar, Sharjah, one of the emirates of the UAE. Back then it was part of the coast of Oman. Read more…

Alexandrian Weekend Away

By | May 3, 2011 | Egypt, Travel + Leisure, Travel Chronicles | 1 Comment

Surf Breakers.

by M. Butcher

On a Thursday night after my husband finished work, we decided to drive to Alexandria for the weekend. We called around and got a room at a hotel right on the Corniche. We left soon afterwards and for the most part the drive was pleasant. We had to slow down many times because of construction on the road but it didn’t take too long to get there. Read more…