After a crossing the no man's land border crossing, we started our trip in Jordan with a long drive in a crowded van to Jerash. Along the way, the landscape seemed to me much like what Iraq would be. My suspicions were confirmed when near Amman we saw a sign directing us to the border crossing to Iraq; we were less than 100 kilometers away.
At Jerash, they recreate the typical traditions of Roman times, from which the ruins date. This includes chariot racing, troop marching, and gladiator fighting, all narrated tongue-in-cheek by an obviously underpaid narrator who enjoys messing with tourists.
We were also lucky enough to see this performance of Irish music played on Scottish bagpipes by Arabs in a Roman amphitheater. The music is a holdover from the Crusades. This is the Middle East in a nutshell. They've had so many things foisted upon them through colonialism and evangelism that it's no wonder they're a little sensitive to outside interference.
After touring Jerash, we spent the night in Amman, which is a bustling city in the middle of a wasteland. If people weren't speaking in Arabic and women were walking on the street, it would be like any big city in the States. But the absence of Western images (besides pirated DVDs) and females was palpable.
We spent the next two days in the desert, Wadi Ram, being bounced around in Toyota trucks by our Bedouin guides. It was like an adult playground, with all the rock formations to climb up and sand dunes to roll down.
A hookah was in order after a long day of dust and sun. But we weren't too tired for dancing, even without beer. Because of the Muslim holiday, the only available alcohol was Ramadan beer, the Arabic form of O'Douls.
To end our trip on a high point, we saved Petra for last. To build up strength to tour this "Wonder of the World," we ate dinner at the house our guide Mohammed. But we ended up burning most of the meal's energy off by dancing with his seven children. If you think that is crazy, Mohammed has 17 siblings. The extended family is so big that their homes take up an entire hillside in Petra.
After relaxing by the pool and gorging at the buffet, we were ready to take on the miles of hikes in old Petra. The teaser is the obligatory shot of the Treasury, the site used in the "Indiana Jones" movie.
But more impressive is The Monastery, including its nearby lookout, where this Bedouin shopkeeper was biding his time by text messaging. The old and new truly collide in the middle of nowhere.
The highlight for me was hiking up to the sacrificial point, where Emily sacrificed some of her lungs to a cigarette. We dared to take the "shortcut" back to Petra's entrance. It was neither short nor a cut, but it was one of the best hikes I've ever done, well worth the burning thighs and calves at the end.
We made it back in time for sunset at the hotel, which was fitting because its colors so closely matched those found in the stones within Petra. Next time you come to my house, try to figure out the artwork created from pictures of the fascinating sand designs, a constant reminder to me of the beauty to be discovered throughout the world.
After a crossing the no man's land border crossing, we started our trip in Jordan with a long drive in a crowded van to Jerash. Along the way, the landscape seemed to me much like what Iraq would be. My suspicions were confirmed when near Amman we saw a sign directing us to the border crossing to Iraq; we were less than 100 kilometers away.
At Jerash, they recreate the typical traditions of Roman times, from which the ruins date. This includes chariot racing, troop marching, and gladiator fighting, all narrated tongue-in-cheek by an obviously underpaid narrator who enjoys messing with tourists.
We were also lucky enough to see this performance of Irish music played on Scottish bagpipes by Arabs in a Roman amphitheater. The music is a holdover from the Crusades. This is the Middle East in a nutshell. They've had so many things foisted upon them through colonialism and evangelism that it's no wonder they're a little sensitive to outside interference.
After touring Jerash, we spent the night in Amman, which is a bustling city in the middle of a wasteland. If people weren't speaking in Arabic and women were walking on the street, it would be like any big city in the States. But the absence of Western images (besides pirated DVDs) and females was palpable.
We spent the next two days in the desert, Wadi Ram, being bounced around in Toyota trucks by our Bedouin guides. It was like an adult playground, with all the rock formations to climb up and sand dunes to roll down. 
A hookah was in order after a long day of dust and sun. But we weren't too tired for dancing, even without beer. Because of the Muslim holiday, the only available alcohol was Ramadan beer, the Arabic form of O'Douls.
To end our trip on a high point, we saved Petra for last. To build up strength to tour this "Wonder of the World," we ate dinner at the house our guide Mohammed. But we ended up burning most of the meal's energy off by dancing with his seven children. If you think that is crazy, Mohammed has 17 siblings. The extended family is so big that their homes take up an entire hillside in Petra.
After relaxing by the pool and gorging at the buffet, we were ready to take on the miles of hikes in old Petra. The teaser is the obligatory shot of the Treasury, the site used in the "Indiana Jones" movie.
But more impressive is The Monastery, including its nearby lookout, where this Bedouin shopkeeper was biding his time by text messaging. The old and new truly collide in the middle of nowhere.
The highlight for me was hiking up to the sacrificial point, where Emily sacrificed some of her lungs to a cigarette. We dared to take the "shortcut" back to Petra's entrance. It was neither short nor a cut, but it was one of the best hikes I've ever done, well worth the burning thighs and calves at the end.
We made it back in time for sunset at the hotel, which was fitting because its colors so closely matched those found in the stones within Petra. Next time you come to my house, try to figure out the artwork created from pictures of the fascinating sand designs, a constant reminder to me of the beauty to be discovered throughout the world.
4 comments:
Kim,
The trip looks like it was amazing... even with the obligatory "Indiana Jones" shot.
Hey Kim!!!
Great shots of your trip - I am so jealous it isn't even funny!!!
So very cool....
Grandy
I appreciate the Middle East version of the reinasance fair. I appreicate the inclusion fo the bagpiper as well. In regard to Middle Eastern influences of outside forces, while I agree with your overall positon, I don't recall the Irish colonization of the Middle East. Perhaps all of these traditions actauly started there and jsut keep getting stolen by the West.
Keep those pictures coming.
The bagpipes are in Scotland as well as Ireland, and during the Crusades, there were Scottish regiments. The Crusades, which extended heavily into the Middle East, recruited local regiments to enforce their dictates. When the regiments hung out, they shared their music. Thus, bagpipes in Jordan, as a result of an inroad by an outside force into its culture.
Post a Comment