Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Middle East Peace....according to Google Maps

Google Maps is not letting a few minor geopolitical complications get in its way....
While researching a vacation in Russia I indadvertedly asked Google Maps to find me driving directions from my home in Haifa, israel to Moscow. To my amusement it proposes 3 alternative routes , one via Iraq and Iran, one via Syria and Turkey and one via Libya, Tunisia and Italy. The shortest of the 3 (83 driving hours according to Google Maps) has me driving down Israel to Eilat (that's ok) , then across Jihadi-infested Egyptian Sinai to Cairo, down some Muslim Brotherhood enclaves to Hurghada, by ferry to Saudi Arabia, across through Iraq, Iran and Azerbaijan onto Russia's excellent roads. If an Israel driving across Iran doesn't sound right, then you can turn left in Iraq and drive through civil-war-torn Syria into Turkey, across to peaceful Ukraine and then it's a doddle to Moscow. If you really want to play it safe, enjoy driving from Cairo along Libya's coast and through Tunisia to a ferry to Italy. Happy driving!