The two of us who climbed made it almost to the top before running out of puff and electing to return by the light of a cell phone – both our guide and the Bedouin guide talked all the way down on their cell phones – detracting somewhat from the hallowed atmosphere of the ancient site.!!!
Meanwhile back at the farm the rest of us were chatted up by a couple of young Indian boys on a pilgrimage from their town in Mumbai. They were intrigued at such old girls lounging and enjoying themselves in bathing suits around the pool while their old mothers were upstairs sleeping the afternoon away. (probably not as old as us they inferred!) Most locals seem astonished when we venture to tell them our ages – they get very old before their time in this harsh environment. (they also seem to think it is paradise though!)
On through the desert to board the ferry where we encountered strict bag search – their machine had broken down – why they wanted to search us when we were leaving the country is a mystery. Our guide was not allowed to accompany us into the terminal and phoned us anxiously twice while we were in transit and paid Security Police to make sure we were okay and eventually we got on the wrong boat – should have been on the fast ferry which passed us as we chugged along – however we were upgraded to distinguished !!!class which compensated somewhat!
While on board the purser appeared to take a shine to Lorraine (blonde-) and when Annie took the toilet key back to the lounge she insisted that Lorraine return it to her admirer who spent the next half hour trying to take the whole episode to a higher level! However she had already decided that since she has five children and he has eight it would be tooooooo much to cope with!!
At one point on the sea we could see Israel, Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia which brought home the whole middle eastern conflict situation – Our new guide said although Jordan and Israel have a peace pact the people of each country hate each other. Tolerance is not in abundance.
Aqaba is a lovely city – easy to get around and with orderly traffic – clean and well laid out – no rubbish and although their economy is poor – everyone has a fair standard of living in the cities. Of course once we got into the country desert camp the impression of desolation and poverty was overwhelming but we were assured they weren’t really starving and in parts were quite well to do. All children attend school and learn English and the choice of living in a Bedouin tent or in government provided housing is theirs. The camp was interesting but a bit touristy – we had western style beds so no having to stagger up off the floor. There was a flush toilet, a shower of sorts and a small kitchen which served meals along with food from the Bedouin village to supplement the hangi style food cooked in a hole in the sand. The camel ride was hilarious – Lorraine got smooched by a very amorous camel with a muzzle on (thank God). Found a spring high on the cliff a la Moses! Complete with plastic drink bottle- they haven’t learnt what to do with rubbish and the ubiquitous black plastic bags fly high all over the desert! We were invited to a pre wedding celebration where we were invited to sit in the MALES tent and served tea before being banished to the women’s tent where we frightened a baby with our white faces and (mostly) spectacles. All the women were in black hijabs and burkas and smoked and breastfed a baby casually but made us very welcome although we noticed that the women’s carpets were plastic mats while the men’s carpets were the real thing!! Sheep were arriving for the feast - we understand that they were to slaughter 17 to feed about 500 tribesmen. Much excitement by all the children who played around in the sand waiting for the festivities to begin.
On to Petra to a lovely hotel –we opted, with little information to “do” Petra by night – thought in our ignorance it was a sort of sound and light show but which entailed a bloody long walk in the dark with candles only lighting our way. All that way to listen to a guy with a teatowel on his head blowing a tin whistle (flute). Petra by day is something else – most of us took the carriage down but walked through the city (extreme heat!) marvelling at the colours of the rock buildings. After lunch at the end of the walk some of us opted to ride donkeys back to the top. Lorraine made a purchase without even getting off the donkey!! Later – a wonderful Hammam – bliss - finally feeling clean again.
Further north along the Kings Highway – the original route used by Moses and co. (he got around didn’t he) we arrived in Madaba –Greek Orthodox Church of St George – (he also go around!) then on to Amman.
Next day we visited Jerash World Heritage Site– a wonderful surprise along the lines of Ephesus – but probably with a little work and money would be even more spectacular. Heaps of excavations still going on – German and Danish Archaeologists working together on the huge site of Roman city remains.
And then on to the Dead Sea – much fun – plastered ourselves in mud to be rinsed off floating in the bitter waters. Now looking spectacularly youthful (our guide suggested we shouldn’t use the heaps of products we bought , each promising to make us younger – all on the same day as we would end up looking 2 years old with no teeth).
We have almost done our bit for the Jordan economy – two of our friends have left already and we five remaining leave in the morning at 4.30 for a much looked forward to holiday in Cyprus.
No comments:
Post a Comment