The Story of Paul

Paul one of Jesus's many followers he was called Paul of Tarsus, Saint Paul, Paul the Apostle or just Apostle Paul. Paul was a Roman Citizen which helped because he had some social status that helped people listen when he was spreading the word of Christ.

Paul never did meet Jesus but he converted when he was going to Damascus and saw the resurrected Jesus in a vision and he was temporally blinded. Paul helped spread the word of Jesus by writing letters to churches and Priest.

He converted many people to the religion he believed in so much. But it in the end his faith came back to kill him as the christian tradition says he was beheaded in Rome in the mid 60s A.D.

City of Mecca

Caleb and I are each picking a topic on Christianity, Islam, or Judaism for our Social Studies class. I am writing about the City of Mecca.

Mecca is the holiest meeting site in Islam. Each Muslim must make a pilgrimage to Mecca, called the Hajj, once in his or her life. Abraham created Mecca when he built the Kaaba with his son Ishmael. By the 6th century Mecca was a major trade hub. In the 7th century Muhammad, the Islamic Prophet, proclaimed Islam in Mecca.

In Mecca is the Masjid al-Haram, the largest mosque in the world. The Kaaba is what the mosque surrounds. Muslims turn towards it during prayer. The cover that goes on the Kaaba each year costs 5 million dollars to make each year. The Abraj Al Bait Towers are being built in Mecca and will be one of the world's tallest buildings.

Our Map

Here is a link to the map of our trip,
OUR MAP

Plateau of Iran

Hello and welcome back to Caleb and Will's Asian Adventure. We are at the Plateau of Iran also known as Persian Gulf. It covers most of Iran, but it is also in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan. We found out it extends close to 2,000km. This highest point on the plateau is Damavand at 18,406ft.

Zagros Mountains

Welcome back to Caleb and Will's Asian adventure today were at the Zagros Mountains that are 932miles long and formed when the Eurasian and Arabian Plates crashed together, the highest point on the range is Zard Kuh at 4,548meters tall. Will and I had hired a plane to fly us over so we could see the numerous salt domes in the center of the range. Our pilot also told us that it is an important part of Persian Gulf oil.

Negev Dersert

Hello it's Caleb and Will back in Asia today we are in the Negev Desert, it is in Israel. Will found out it meant "Arid Land" in Hebrew. It covers over 4,600sq. miles. Will and I decided to go on a Jeep tour through the desert to Ramon Crater it is the worlds largest makhesh.

Sea of Marmara

We went to the Sea of Marmara yesterday. It is the sea that connects the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea. The farther down you go the more salty it gets. It is very deep going 1370 m down. It also separates Istanbul's Asian and European sides. At the suface it is 22 parts salt per thousand and at the bottom it is 39 parts salt per thousand.

Taurus Desert

Today Will and I went to the Taurus Mountains sometimes called the Toros Mountains a mountain complex in southern Turkey. Will decided to go mountain climbing and hiking on some of the many trails. I decided to go skiing with some other friends at one of the ski resorts. The Taurus Mountains are less then 750 kilometers.

Rub al-Khali Desert

Rub al-Khali is where we went today. It means the Empty Quarter in English. It covers 250,000 sq. mi. Summer temperatures can get as high as 131 degrees Fahrenheit. It has sand dunes over 1100 ft. I'm glad we brought plenty of water because it barley ever rains.

Syrian Desert

Hey it's Caleb and Will but this time in the Syrian Desert also known as the Syro-Arabian desert. Will found out that it combines steppe and true desert. It covers 200,000 miles, and its landscape is formed by lava flows! At the end of the day Will and I went over to the fertile crescent on the north side of the desert.

Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

Today when we went to the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers we saw water buffalo, endemic rodents, antelopes, and gazelles. Areas around these rivers are very fertile. It has a subtropical climate. These rivers have 52 native fish species so we are thinking about going fishing. They are mainly in Iraq.

Persian Gulf

We went to the Persian Gulf today. Lots of crabs live there and eat the mangroves that grow there. The Persian Gulf is the world's largest single source of crude oil. The Middle Eastern countries form a semicircle around it. We went snorkeling around the many coral reefs that are found there and it was really fun. We tried to find some pearl oysters that are supposed to be abundant there but we had no luck.

The Jordan River

Today we visited the Jordan River. It is 156 miles long and considered to be one of the world's most sacred rivers. The mouth of the Jordan River is the Dead Sea which we just visited. It runs along the border of Israel and Jordan. It has two major tributaries, the Yarmouk River and Jabbok River.

The Dead Sea

Last week Caleb and I went to the Dead Sea. It is really weird to swim in it because you don't sink. You don't sink because it has a very high salt level. In fact it is the saltiest lake in the world. The suface of the lake lies 1,385 feet below sea level making it the lowest point on any continent. It is called the Dead Sea because little life is found in it, only bacteria lives in it. At 1,240 feet deep it is the world's deepest hypersaline lake.

Mount Ararat

Hey were back in Asia but this time at Mount Ararat, I've been told by some fellow tourists that Mount Ararat is 16,854ft. tall! It is also the highest point in Turkey. It is a dormant volcano its last eruption was in 1840. Will and I decided to climb it. Before we went up we found out first accent was in 1829 Johann Jacob Friedrich Wilhem Darrot, and Khachatur Abovian.

Red Sea

Hey it's Caleb and Will reporting form the Red Sea.(Which is between Africa and Southwest Asia)Did you know that the average depth 1,600ft but the deepest place is 7,250 feet. Will was wondering how it was named the Red Sea so we went and asked a tour guide he said the name comes from the seasonal blossoms of the red-colored Trichodesmium Erythraeum. He also told us that it is the worlds most northern sea. Well it's time for us to go so see you later.

A Place I Would Like To Visit

One place I would like to visit in Asia is China. I want to go to China to see The Great Wall of China and eat the food. China, or anywhere in Asia, is so much different than the North America and that is why I am interested in going. I would also like to see where the 2008 Olympics were held.

About Will

Hi, my name is Will. I go to Callanan Middle School. I like hanging out with friends, swimming, watching movies, and playing video games. I am writing this blog for my Social Studies class.

Where I'd like to Visit

Hey it's Caleb again one of the many places I'd like to visit in Asia is Japan. I've been to Japan once already and it was very amazing everything was so beautiful. The people nice and from where I was staying I could see Mount. Fuji from my window.

About Caleb

Hello I'm Caleb I play many sports some of my favorites are soccer, football, disk golf, and racquetball. I also like to draw and hang out with my friends. I go to Callanan Middle School.