Blogs from Petra, South, Jordan, Middle East

Finally arriving somewhere that you have long wished to visit can put you a little on edge. We walked down the long siq towards the famous and much photographed canyon like entrance to Petra wondering could it be as impressive as the pictures and other people say. When we turned that final corner and came upon the gap with the rose coloured façade of the Treasury peeping through all our concerns vanished. Much as with other well photographed icons such as the Taj Mahal there is nothing to compare with being there and seeing it for yourself. The Treasury is truly impressive, carved out of the cliff face rising to a great height and in a beautiful soft colour is something very special. This of course is not all there is to Petra, it’s a huge ... read more

18 March 2012 20:00 local I don't have Internet access here, so I am completing this now with the intention of publishing it at the first opportunity. I woke up at 3:30. Listened to the basketball game (too many easy baskets) and spoke with Melly and Caterina. I then napped, showered, packed, caught a taxi to the bus depot. As soon as I got out of the taxi someone screamed from across the street if I was going to Petra. I asked taxi or bus, he said bus and so I hopped in. The ride was very crowded (damnit Jessie, close your legs) and we were a little long in leaving, but it turned out fine. Petra weather today is a lot like New Mexico, chilly, sunny, and windy. I found my hotel, dropped off my ... read more

19 March 2012 5:45 local Now it can be told. I left my jacket in the bus from Aqaba to Petra. I went to the bus station next to the visitor's center when I realized it was missing (3 + hours later) to see if they have a lost and found. It turns out there are two bus stations. The one I went to is for tour busses. Mahmoud who runs the entrance gate invited me into his kiosk while we tracked down the driver of the bus I was on. A few phone calls located the jacket and arrangements were made to pick up the jacket from the bus station the next morning. While we were trying to get people on the phone, Mahmoud and I shared sweet tea and stories. He has seven kids. ... read more

19 March 18:02 local Breakfast was delicious. My favorite things were a stuffed tomato and a piece of toast that was loaded with so much green spice (pesto?) I expected quite a kick - it was so light and delicious. After breakfast, i went to the bus stop (see previous post). Then, I made it back into Petra and got to see a lot of things I missed on the first day. I went into more tombs, found and walked along a Roman road, found a church with beautiful mosaics, revisited the Roman temple, and had tea with a Beoduin woman and her children. Going through customs, I met a German woman who sat behind me on the bus to Petra. We talked and she gave me a ride to the airport. Her name is Sigi. ... read more

The first Bedouin I met, I loved immediately. His name is Hamdan and he owns a few huts on the beach in northern Sinai (a camp called Yasmina, near Al Mahash, if you want to go visit him – and I recommend you do). With every Bedouin I’ve met since then, my appreciation for them has only grown. They are some of the most genuine people I have ever met and I completely dig their view on life. Money is not an issue for them; instead, sharing is caring. They share endless cups of tea, they share food, they share stories. But, most importantly, they share positive energy. They love seeing people see through their eyes, and they love to see people smile. While most people go to Wadi Rum to experience traditional Bedouin life – ... read more

So much has been written about Petra and so little does it justice. I am not certain I can succeed where better writers have failed. Here is the Wiki link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra. An ancient city, according to a famous poem "half as old as time itself" but really only 2000 plus years, it was "lost to the west " until 1812 when it was rediscovered by a Swiss wanderer. He must have been astonished indeed to stumble upon this amazing place. The approach to the City is through a narrow canyon. It must be 8 feet wide five stories high and go on for half a kilometer. Progress is slow as it is hard not to take a picture every 100 meters. Then comes the big reveal. A faux front of an enormous building carved into the ... read more

Jordan is divided into three regions: the Jordan Valley, the East Bank plateau and the desert. The fertile valley of the Jordan River is the dominant physical feature of the country’s western region, running from the Syrian border in the north, along the border with Israel and the Palestinian Territories and into the Dead Sea. The majority of the population lives in a hilly 70km strip running the length of the country known as the East Bank plateau. The remaining 80% of the country is desert, stretching into Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Mount Nebo - Madaba Mount Nebo is where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land. He then died at the age of 120 and was said to have been buried in the area, although the exact location of the burial site ... read more