The Middle East is not all about conflict and problems. There is much beauty and culture to be discovered there.
a table top guide to the elements of a simple, traditional Turkish breakfast
An uncle had told us that while in Kuala Lumpur we must visit the Menara Tower. We did it mainly for the views, but were nicely surprised with everything else we discovered.
If you're looking for something more luxurious than the usual rust buckets offered for cheap cruises, than a cruise on a traditional Turkish wooden gullet is probably the best option.