Sand, Sand, Everywhere Sand…
Monday, May 29th, 2006Imagine you are a Roman soldier in A.D. 106 venturing into what looks to be some unassuming desert mountains and all of a sudden you find yourself winding your way through a naturally formed crevass of sheer sandstone cliffs. Still in awe from the rock formations that nature itself created you are awe-struck as you round the last tall corner and run smack dab into the Ancient Nabatean kingdom of Petra.
Well, without having to lug around all the soldier garb (well, we did lug our picnic falafel lunch) this is exactly what we felt like as we took our initial voyage into the lost city of Petra. Awestruck! Lost is a very appropriate moniker for this city, not only due to it being the filming spot for Indiana Jones but also simply due to its ceased existence for over 1200 years after the Romans left. As we rounded the final corner of towering cliffs in front of us stood the amazing Treasury in all it’s glory. What an introduction to this magical city!! Surprisingly, the massive amounts of tourists we expected to see were non-existent and while a few others were there it was very quiet except for the random bellowing of the local camels.
Just a quick side note on sounds of the world as we hit our sixth or seventh Muslim country. While infrequent camel bellowing might be quite funny, something that isn’t as funny is consistently being awakened at 4-5AM by the lovely ‘Call to Prayer’. Ok…lovely is quite a stretch! In fact, picture arising from a dead REM sleep to what sounds like a pre-pubescent teenage boy singing (We use that loosely) in Arabic in order to remind the Muslim world within earshot that it is time to get out of bed and pray. Man, what a dedication! In order to make light of the situation we have begun to rate ‘Call to Prayer’ nominees and many of the most talented would give Taylor (on American Idol) a run for his money.
Ok back to Petra…..after spending quite a chunk of time in awe of the Treasury and discussing how such an ancient accomplishment could still be standing we were off to explore the rest of the ruins. As we wandered down the inner sanctum we felt like our necks would break with the voracious turns at the amazing sights around every corner. What you don’t realize when you just read about Petra is the overall enormity and architecture undertaking that the ancient Nabateans proceeded in creating out of the side of a mountain. The painstaking detail, otherworldly colors and sheer number of relics are something that can only be experienced in person. Over the next few hours we ducked into many an ancient tombs, climbed the stairs of the theatre and polished off our falafel lunch (must bring lunch….tourist food prices are outrageous) in anticipation of our next big adventure…..the Monastery. After a 30 minute hike (ride a donkey up if over 60 years of age or consult your local physician) we arrived at our favorite sight in Petra. The famous, high-perched Monastery sits all by itself atop 800 stairs and is thought to have been used as an ancient temple as well as sacred tomb. As you hit the 800th step and glance right you have trouble comprehending it’s giant size. Instead the best views are from far aback as you walk up to another lookout that gives you sweeping views of the Monastery in front and mountains and valleys to the rear.
As we ended our day in Petra we took one last walk by the Treasury. Everyone visiting Petra should take the time to experience the monuments at different points of the day. This is especially true of the Treasury which sits opposite a towering red cliff which when hit by the late day sun changes everything. Wandering up the narrow mountain entryway the intense day of sightseeing hit us as we were taking the long walk back and we ran into what the locals would term an ‘Oasis’…..we call it Amstel on Tap. Ahhhh!! That really hits the spot after a long day walking and over two hundred intense photographic moments. In an effort to wind down even further we met up with Joe and Heather (previously mentioned NW travelmates) for a local cooking class at the famous Petra Kitchen. We are so glad that they invited us along as this (our first class since Vietnam) class introduced us to an entirely new cuisine which we have now almost become addicted. The class consisted of just us four as well as Head Chef Hussein and some other prep cook helpers. These experts taught us the finer points of creating a six course Jordanian meal which we subsequently sat down and devoured Jordanian-style…..with your hands. Of course, it’s tastier that way!
Our second day at Petra was done in the interest of relaxing as we planned to head south to an extend our fascinating Jordan experience with a day and night in the desert. But before we left Petra we packed a shwarma lunch and did a few hikes to see the city from above. Don’t miss these types of treks if you go to Petra, they give you a completely different perspective of the ancient city. After our few days in Petra we were off to the southern desert community of Wadi Rum as we make our way to the southern tip of Petra and then into Egypt.
Wadi Rum is definitely a different experience from anything we’ve had thus far. This is the middle of the desert…yes, the same one you think of when you think of Saudi Arabia. Local Bedouin (nomadic Arabs) people are the only ones allowed to inhabit these lands as their people have for thousands of years in the past. Most of these Bedouins are thought to have nomadically migrated from those parts of the Arabian desert before settling down in what is now Jordan on the banks of a long ago dried up river. As we began our adventure we got to experience the famous Bedouin hospitality. This includes being welcomed into their home, playing with their children, sharing their tea, and swatting at their flies (wow, there are a lot of them in the desert)!!! The Bedouin are famous for their hospitality to strangers because they believe in true reciprocity as nomads….so if you see this guy walking down YOUR street invite him in for a Coke or Steak or McDonalds or whatever American tradition you wish to share. Our tour through the Wadi Rum desert included a fascinating drive through and around the red sandstone cliffs; a few walks on some rock bridges and up some dunes; meeting some fantastic travelling partners (Roberta, Sean, and Jocelyn); and a picnic in the brief shade. After a full day exploring rocks, sands, and camels we settled into our camp just before sundown in order to catch the desert sunset extravaganza as well as fill our bellies with Bedouin home cooked meal. WOW on both fronts!! Watching the sun set over the hot desert and red rock mountains while perched atop one of those rocks yourself is one for the memory banks. The colors and vistas aren’t easily replicated with photos but we tried our best. After sunset we headed back for an amazing meal cooked entirely through the resources of Mother Nature (well, except for the oil drum!). The meal consisted of roasted chicken, potatoes, vegetables, and onions all buried for hours underneath the hot sands in an unused, oil drum (of course it was unused, Mom!) and then stoked with local wood to give it the most unusual yet tasty flavor. After filling our bellies we dragged our mats out into the open desert and laid down to experience the brightest galatical light show you could ever imagine while our Bedouin hosts treated us to their local music. What an adventure and something we never thought we would do in a million years!
After a fun-filled, ten-day jaunt through the wonderful country of Jordan we made our way to the southern port city of Aqaba as our exit point to a few days of rest and relaxation on the Red Sea. As we left the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan we looked back and realized that Jordan being where it’s located (in the middle of constant conflict) gets a bad rap with tourists. These people are some of the friendliest, well-intended, genuine people we have met along our world adventure. If you get the chance give them a chance and experience their amazing hospitality and beautiful history….Off to Egypt and the world of ancient (really, ancient) civilization!
Jeff and Becca