Blogs from Jordan, Middle East - page 101

Jordanien, ein Land zwischen Orient und Okzident. Ein Land, das vielseitiger kaum sein kann. Mit seinem toten und roten Meer, seinen Wuesten, seinen vielen kulturiellen Staetten - davon Petra, einem der "New Seven Wonders of the World" - , seinem Spagatt zwischen Moderne und Tradition, seinem wunderbaren Koenig und der wunderschoenen Koenigin Noora. Der Flug nach Amman ging relativ schnell vorbei, rund 4 Stunden. Ich bin im Moment laengere Zeiten gewohnt :) In Jordanien ist man ohne Mietwagen aufgeschmissen. Das Anmieten am Flughafen war kein Problem. 25Dinar pro Tag (ca. 25 Euro) fuer einen Mitsubishi Galant ist fair. Die Fahrt nach Amman dauert ca. 40 Minuten. Ich bin spaet abends angekommen, habe schnell noch was gegessen und bin dann zu meinem Onkel nach Salt ca. 20 km westlich von Amman, sehr Nahe an der israelischen Grenze. ... read more

I hope that everyone enjoyed the last two entries, or at least managed to get half-way through the first one which is a feat within itself. This section should shock and amazing you with the camels and snorkeling and Bedouin! Here it goes... Aqaba After we spent Tuesday night in Damascus Roger and I caught a bus back to Amman where we had a frustratingly easy time getting back into Jordan. We only spend 2 hours in Amman before leaving, just enough time to go home take a shower, send some emails, repack, and cook lunch (which I carried out with me in a plastic bag which attracted many stares). After that we boarded a beaten down bus for the 4 hour trip from Amman to Aqaba which is far down south on the Gulf of ... read more

Today I saw the worlds largest flying flag on an unsupported flagpole - the size of two football pitches (apparently?!), one of the worlds oldest known statues - the al Ghazal plaster work figures and some very odd looking coffins; all in around or from the citadel in Amman. So today has been a veritable list of superlatives. Whatever next?... read more

Match me such a marvel save in eastern clime / a rose red city half as old as time. Petra is astonishing. What more, indeed, can be said? I found a car and driver to take me there and arrived at about 8:30 this morning. Al- Siq, the entrance, a 1.2 km walk through a fissure in sandstone rock; up to 200 metres high in places and only a few across; streaked with shades of pink and red and yellow and brown is a sight to behold in itself, but the anticipation of glimpsing the treasury, as you approach it; mounts, until finally there she is bathed in the golden morning sun. Apparently carved in the 1st century BC as a tomb for a Nabataean king, it is awe inspiring and at the end of a ... read more

Okay, soo lots to catch you all up on! My last week in Alex was an emotional one - saying goodbye to these people was beyond difficult as they were my best friends, my family, my support for 3 months - it's crazy to think how close you can get with people when put into situations such as this. But then I went and spent 5 days at the Red Sea - Sharm el Sheikh with two of my British friends and my friend Ellen, from Miami - it was a blast though it wasn't "egypt". It's on the Sinai which means that its part of the Middle East (part of Egypt belongs to Africa and the other part, the Sinai, belongs to the Middle East). However Sharm El Sheikh is SUCH a touristy area - ... read more