As we explore Jordan, it becomes clear that this is the last of the eastern lands we will visit. It was very surreal coming up the Red Sea and entering into the Jordanian area. We are docked, and as we look out our stateroom balcony we see Israel only about 3/4 of a mile away across the Red Sea. As we look a little bit south and west we see Egypt. Saudi Arabia is to our south and east. Jordan is surrounded by 5 countries and their only port area is where we are, Al' Aqabah. I was very surprised to learn that Jordan has no oil. Jordan has no natural gas. It seems strange that all the surrounding countries do but here is Jordan and they have none. What they do have and it is in abundance is sand. As far as the eye can see in almost any direction.
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| Israel on the port side of the ship |
Jordan is a friendly country. They have to be because they have to import just about everything so they cannot afford too much confrontation. Because of their location they are tolerant of western societies and religion but make no mistake, it is about 95% Muslim. The people are very friendly to the American tourist. It wasn't the hard sell that we saw in India. They were inviting and when you entered their stores or buildings they welcomed you and were eager to help you should you need it.
Let's start our adventure because it was a great one. Those who are fans of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade will know what I mean when I say Petra. The ancient lost city of Petra. It is also called the Rose City due to the color of the stone from which it is dug out of. The Treasury. When you see the pictures, it will all make sense. It is unbelievable! Just like you would picture it as you descend down the narrow crevice called the siq, thru the mountains until you break out into the open and there it is. It is spectacular. And the Treasury facade is just the beginning. A whole city of 20,000 people lived here at it's peak. The Bedouin people were living here as late as 25 to 30 years ago. They were living in the caves which were dug out of the mountains many years before. In fact, they would still be living here gladly if it weren't for the fact that they were moved out to better preserve the site and to accommodate the tourism industry. More about the Bedouins later.
Today, tourists are everywhere. Countless pictures are taken from every conceivable angle. There are camels to ride here. They say it costs $5.00 to get up on the camel and they walk you around for a minute then they start negotiating the price to get you back down. Donkeys with carts will take you back and forth up the cobblestone paths for a price. Vendors are here to sell everything Petra to the eager visitors. You can spend most of the day here and not see it all. The siq is all downhill to get to the site of Petra so that means it is all up hill going back. It is about a mile and a quarter one way and it was a beautiful day so it wasn't too bad.
Petra is located in Wadi Musa or the Valley of Moses. It is here that Moses struck the rock with his staff and water ran out for his followers. Very close by is Mount Hor where it is believed that Aaron, the brother of Moses, is buried. It is believed that Petra was built by the Nabataean's back in the 4th century BC and remained their capital city thru the first century BC when the famous structure known as the Khazneh, or the Treasury, was constructed. It was believed to have been a mausoleum for the King Aretas IV. Then the Romans conquered the Nabataeans and it's importance declined steadily. An earthquake hit in 363 and destroyed several structures there. It was slowly douins and nomads until 1812 when it was rediscovered by Johann Ludwig Burabandoned to time and remained hidden to all except nomadic tribes of Beckhardt.
Today, Petra is Jordan's largest tourism draw. At it's peak, 1,000,000 people visited Petra yearly but in recent years political unrest in the area has reduced that number. Now, with a more recent stability in Jordan and the middle east, tourism has begun to increase and currently 800,000 tourists come to Petra annually.
After a nice lunch at a Marriott Hotel, we loaded back into our buses to begin the journey to Wadi Rum. The Valley of the Moon where the famed Seven Pillars greeted us! This valley is the site of many of the conflicts during the Arab Revolt of 1917 and 1918. T.E. Lawrence passed thru here many times during those conflicts. Yes, this is the site of Lawrence of Arabia. Not just the movie but many of the actual conflicts took place in the same sand we were trucking around in. Also, more recently, due to the terrain and landscape, a lot of the movie 'The Martian was filmed here. We saw one of the movie sets on our way out to the Bedouin camps. We were all loaded up into the back of 4 X 4 trucks and taken out into the desert. Along the way, we would make a couple of stops to get some fabulous pictures. We would climb up large sand dunes to see the sun set over the mountain. The red sand would fill our shoes as we climbed up.
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| pods from The Martian film ... to be used as overnight camps? |
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| in front of Seven Pillars of Wisdom |
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| Bas Relief of Lawrence of Arabia |
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| Wadi Musa or "Valley of Moses" |
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| Shepherd tending goats is common sight |
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| The Bedouins were moved from caves of Petra to this settlement |
At a Bedouin camp we viewed ancient camel petroglyphs carved into the walls, and there the Bedouins offered camel rides. They make a living selling beautiful sand art, silver bracelets, "ancient" coins, and camel rides. They live off the land which to the naked eye offers absolutely nothing but it is home to them. At another Bedouin camp we stop and have teas and coffee. The Bedouins are known for their hospitality and if you are a welcomed guest then nothing is spared and nothing is asked for in return.
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Only $5.00 to get up on a camel ....
but $50.00 to get down!!! |
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| Beautiful sand art using local sands from the desert |
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| Camp where Bedouin hospitality was at its finest |
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Traditional Bedouin tea
with dates & sesame cookies |
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| A wonderful day comes to a perfect close. |
So we are driving around in the back of an open truck, in a desert, and at every turn we are amazed at the vistas given us. Huge rock formations reaching up hundreds of meters. Huge rolling sand dunes that the wind shapes and reshapes daily. As the sun sets behind the mountain it brings a chill that is accentuated by being in the truck. But all too soon we are back to our bus that is to take us to our ship. A two hour drive gives us time to reflect on our fabulous day at Petra and Wadi Rum. Jordan has been a very pleasant surprise for us and we continue on our journey looking forward to the next day as we enter into and transit the Suez Canal.
Thanks for taking the journey with us!
Vialula & LeRoy
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