Jordan

After all the fun we had in Egypt I was concerned that we would find Jordan dull, however, the country rose the challenge and we were anything but bored. We took the ferry to Aquaba (actually Allana and I weaseled our way into the bridge and were allowed to drive the ferry--we found that our stature as young, foreign women could get us about anything we wanted). We were amazed to find out that the two land masses on either side of us were shared by 4-5 countries. Egypt on one side, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Palestine on the other. When we landed in Jordan we looked out and over the water could see the lights of an Israeli city--so close that you could swim across.

(relaxing in a Bedouin tent in the Wadi Rum desert)














(Queens of the Desert)

We started our trip in the desert of Wadi Rum and were ferried around all day in the back of a pick-up truck by a driver that had two wives because he drank camel's milk (he explained to us that the milk gave him a lot of "energy"). Wadi Rum is breathtakingly beautiful with its red sands and crystal clear blue sky. Nadi, our guide, showed us "ancient" carvings (although we were unimpressed with the age because they were done around 500 BC and we had just left a country were 500 BC is practically current history). It is amazing that Egypt was thousands of years ahead of the rest of the world in the peak of Egyptian civilization. Nadi also showed us a secret topographical "map" hidden in a little cave--a large flat stone carved with depressions of various sizes showing the size and number of mountains in the area. After touring all morning, running up and down sand dunes both on foot and in the truck, we stopped at a Bedouin camp for lunch--the best meal we ate on the whole trip. Again, we were surprised at the amount of food that came out of a tiny little kitchen in the middle of the desert.

After our massive meal, we moved on to Petra. Jordan is a small country so we only had to drive for several hours to get to the amazing ancient city featured in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". To get into the city, you have to walk through the Siq--a miniature version of the Grand Canyon which in places is only 3-4 meters wide but is at least 1 km long. After walking and walking, the Siq suddenly opens up onto the "Treasury", Indiana's famous Temple of Doom. The rock from which all the buildings are carved are an spectacular array of colors- red, yellow, green and blue. At times the colors blend in swirls and waves and it feels like you are in a psychedelic film.

There are thousands of ruins from multitudes of cultures-- there are greco-roman columns, the elaborate facades of the Nabataean tribe, and mosaics from Semitic inhabitants, etc. The widely varied architecture is nestled in the beautiful landscape, but the most amazing thing about Petra is that is it largely undiscovered. Archeologists believe that only about 5% of the ruins have been excavated--surely any historian's fantasy.




Before heading out of town, Allana, Mollie and I jumped at the opportunity to take a private Jordanian cooking class.

We finished our journey to the Middle East with a swim in the Dead Sea. With a salinity of about 30%, the Dead Sea can float the most dense person with ease. When you step into the water and lie down you literally can not get your feet down and you instantly become a beach ball floating on top of the water. And of course, we took the opportunity to cover ourselves in the Dead Sea mud that people pay top dollar for in spas.