I just listened to this enlightening podcast from the American Public Media radio show On Being. If you're a fan of radio journalism like This American Life, you'll love On Being. Krista Tippet is an intelligent and dynamic host, and she produces programs on the topics of related to "religion, meaning, ethics, and ideas". Check out the website and browse through the podcasts; there's an incredibly wide variety of subjects and viewpoints covered and you're sure to find something that piques your interest.
It has been a very busy couple of days, and I am still adjusting to life as part of a tour group. It is a very different experience to going round Jordan with just a driver. For a start getting so many people on and off a bus every time is a major endeavour.
The tour started yesterday in Istanbul with a tour of the major sites (see photos below, with explanations) The only place we went I don't really have a photo for was the spice market, also sometimes known as the Egyptian bazaar.