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May 6-9: Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses), Petra. Logistics:
Drove 3 hours to Wadi Musa, with stops at MadabaArcheologicalMuseum, St. George's Church (19th C.)which has a great mosaic map,Mt.Nebo where Moese supposedly was shown the promised land. Unfortunately we missed the Pope's visit by two days, but the 'spit and polish' was in progress at a furious pace. A full day tour of Petra (7 hrs. walking up, down, over and across ancient stones); followed by a two-hour tour - Petra By Night. A second day to see Little Petra, sip tea in a real Bedouin tent, an hour at an internet café, and an afternoon of 'downtime' at our lovely 5* hotel, Moevenpick Nabataean Castle.
Observations and Comments: Hidden in a remote valley in the heart of southern Jordan's Shara mountains is one of the seven modern wonders of the world - majestic Petra. At first sight it is difficult to imagine how humans could have existed in these harsh steep canyons, let alone carve ornate monumental tombs, temples, and theaters out of its immense rock formations. In fact, it was an easily defendable place with a well-watered and lush interior. A principal pathway for the north/south Arabian caravan route. The Nabateans created a city built on tariffs extracted from traders seeking a safe passage through Arabia. Romans, Byzantines and Crusaders also played a role within these mysterious canyon walls, but no more so than the Bedouin pastoralists whose ancestors remain here today. It is fascinating that this once-vast empire was left in complete obscurity for 500 years. It was not until 1812 that the Swiss explorer, Johann Burckhardt, re-discovered Petra.
The city is as startlingly magnificent as one might imagine. It does not disappoint in any way, even with the several hundred tourists who walked through it with us.
Petra by night was just as beautiful, even more so in a spiritual way. About 500 of us gathered in the dusk, at about 8:30PM, and walked the ½ mile to the entrance of the Siq. As we began our journey down the mile-long narrow canyon that represents the fortified entrance to Petra's interior city, all one could hear was the crunching of about 500 pairs of feet on the sandy floor. In complete silence we walked the dramatic, candle-lit gorge, with a full moon occasionally shining down through the fissures in the towering walls. I was so moved by Petra's aura and history, and wanting so badly, as I always do when I am on one of these worldly adventures, to have been able to share this incredible experience with my children and their families.
As we came around the last abrupt corner, where the tall canyon walls had narrowed to a few meters wide, the grandeur of the Treasury's façade came into view and gathered us into its mysterious environment. Hundreds of luminarias covered the large sandy square facing the Treasury, giving this magnificent memorial tomb an eerie glow. Quietly seated on rows of straw mats, the twenty-first century audience listened to the alternating mesmerizing sounds of a shepherd's pipe, and later, the haunting tone of a singer and his one-stringed Bedu violin called a rabab.
Our little band of five tourists and our outstanding, knowledgeable guide, Najeh, had this day walked our sandals off in and around Petra's ancient site a total of 9 miles, viewing mountain carvings of temples, caves, theaters, shrines, tombs, gorges, river beds, an incredible blend of colors in striated forms on the canyon walls and edifices. We learned about Nabateans, Romans and subsequent Arab conquers, and of the Bedouins who throughout lived amongst these canyon walls. This is indeed a brilliant site, a UNESCO World Heritage place of deserved honor.
Saturday, May 9: Logistics: Up early for a two-hour drive to Aqaba. Free time to wander around Jordan's only port, located at the head of the Red Sea, bordering Eilat, Israel. Departed at 3PMfor the desert region of Wadi Rum. 3 hour jeep ride and dinner there, back to Aqaba for an overnight at Aqaba Gulf Hotel.
Observations and Comments: Aqaba is also in a boom phase. The last time I was here, it was a small town of about 50,000 people. Today, it is another sprawling city of nearly 1 million. It is mind-boggling to me how this development moved at such a pace, but due to Jordan's new economy and its need for every known conceivable consumer good, of which 90% flows first through the port of Aqaba, it has. The other 10% of goods comes through Turkey and Syria. It was important for us to see the Red Sea, but otherwise there is little to do here. The weather was overcast and windy and unsuitable for either swimming or snorkeling.
Wadi Rum is one of the most beautiful natural environments in the Middle East. As we sat on seats in the back of a 4-wheeled drive truck (chilled in the desert night air!) we saw huge granite, basalt and sandstone rocks rising straight out of the red sand floor. These monoliths create mysterious corridors and towering bulbous formations. Petroglyphs of hunters, camels and oryx tell stories of past millennia, deep sand dunes beckoned us to hike up and slide down, while at the same time admiring the gorgeous changes of light in both the sky and surrounding sand formations. We felt far from tourists and loved the silence of the desert. Each time I am in this beautiful, peaceful place, I remember Queen Noor's description in her autobiography, Leap of Faith, of how she and her husband, King Hussein, used to take off on the King's huge BMW motorcycle, having that great feeling of freedom in a bit of Jordan's beautiful wilderness
Speaking of tourists - we have seen mostly Italians, French and Germans, and hardly any Americans. It is a shame that perception and the constant barrage of anti-Islamic news in our American media keeps US citizens away from this region, and on constant alert for the next crisis. Yes, there are those political and socio-economic strifes, such as in Gaza, which is far from tourist areas, but in general, the Arab is the most gentle, peace-loving, charming, gracious, kind, polite, and hospitable person you will meet. As a woman, I feel completely safe walking alone on nearly any street in Amman, and certainly anywhere in the countryside. One is of course vigilant at night, but isn't that true of any city in the world? I am probably more likely to be accosted in New York City, than in any city in the Arab world.
It is a grand mistake to believe that one should not visit Jordan. Tourists are completely safe here, especially as, in Jordan's case, 15% of gross GNP comes from tourism, and there is no way in Allah's heaven that the Government will allow anything to interrupt this flow of money. But back to the Arab character - hospitality is ingrained here. If you cross the desert and come upon a Bedouin tent, you would expect to be welcomed with food, water, and a commitment to offer their home as yours. This hospitality continues today.
May 10 - 12: Logistics: Drove three hours from Aqaba, up the Dead Sea Highway to the Moevenpick Dead Sea Hotel, situated in the northeast of the corner of the Dead Sea. We tried to enter the Biblical site of Bethany-Beyond-the-Jordan Then Jesus came from the Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John, Matthew 3:13), but Pope Benedict had beaten us to it. Jordan's Royal Guards said we would enter the site as Pilgrims and remain there for hours during the Pope's visit. We declined this hospitable offer and instead went to our hotel bar, just up the road.
Observations and Comments: The drive north from Aqaba to the top of the Dead Sea took us directly along the Israeli border, through extremely harsh and barren desert topography. Between desert dunes, bits of scrubby and rocky terrain, and the occasional irrigated oasis of crops, stood Jordan's soldiers sitting high in observatory towers. We imagined Israeli men in the same sort of towers just on the inside of their own borders. A peace treaty exists between the two nations, but border guards are omnipresent.
The Dead Sea is actually a lake, 38 miles long, 8 miles wide, and, at its deepest point, 378 meters deep. Located 408 meters below sea level, the temperature is much hotter than that experienced in the high plateau of Petra and Wadi Rum. But after our cold, snowy New England winter, this is a sunny heaven.
Our own oasis, this beautiful hotel and spa complex, built in the style of a pseudo-Arab village, but with exotic plantings, several swimming pools, cafes and restaurants tucked into the landscape, and the azure blue of the Dead Sea, is all fabulous. Two nights here, with a full day to lounge around, swim, dine leisurely and be pampered in a most special spa (Zara's of London), offers a much needed rest while on a lengthy journey (6 weeks for me, 3-4 for the others).
We bobbed in the aquamarine, salty waters of the Dead Sea, and covered ourselves in therapeutic mud. Have a look at our silly selves in the Dead Sea photo album on this site.
Tomorrow our pace will pick up and the character of this tour will change dramatically - we will cross the Jordan River into Israel at about 9AM in the morning.
I am indebted to Gillian for her late night edits of this report, to my wonderful group for being one of the best ever, and to our incredible guide, Najeh, who has added so much humor and intellectual content to our Jordan visit.
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