Category: MIDDLE EAST

This is our rest day. If we do nothing but eat sleep and jump in the pool that would be OK. No brief swim in the Dead Sea. No quick run to the Israeli border. No fast trip to Jerash. Petra was enough. Our US dollar does not go very far since the Jordan Dinar is tied to the Euro. We went on an early morning walk around the neighborhood of East Amman. the sun rises early and brightly like a desert sunrise of Arizona or Nevada or Palm Springs. The morning sunrise even has the same smell. Not many people were walking. Everyone drives. Men were hanging out in front of some markets talking, greeting. The Jordanian men greet is interesting to watch. We purchased 25 cent slushies on the streets. I did not picture slushies on the street of Amman. We passed a fresh wood-fired bread making place – looked and smelled wonderful, but we had just eaten breakfast so on we must go. Downtown was too far to walk and I did not feel like taking a taxi to downtown, so we turned and headed back home via the big Mosque and catholic church combination block. The street were so much more uncrowded than any other place we have been. At our hotel – Abjar Hotel – we jumped in the pool and played the afternoon away. I chose the Abjar hotel because of the price, the pool, and the close location to the JETT bus terminal – walking distance if you know the area – 5 minutes. I found a wonderful tasty restaurant Gaithe – up the street. Yummy hummus. Tabouli. Falafels. Oils. Good to be eating food that is not so spicy and has more oils. Time to pack for the morning.

Another exciting day in the ruins of Petra. A night entry into Amman on the Jett Bus. Viena is an amazing little traveler. Ezra is a good sleeper.

How would you like to spend September 11 if you were in the middle East. We visited Petra for one more day and then took the JETT bus back to Amman Jordan. We started the morning with breakfast at the hotel – only us. Then we went on a walk to the playground – only us. Some workers came to clean the park. We had beautiful desert views of Petra. Ezra and Viena loved the tall spiral slides of the playground. After checking out, we attempted Petra one more time. We hiked all the way to the Treasury and just hung out like the ancient Nabataeans surround by local Bendoin and their working children, their working donkeys, camels and horses. Some little girls about 8 years old were playing with Ezra but then were told to go back to work selling postcards or jewelry. Just part of the whole Petra experience. The heat of the day was upon us. We stayed in the shade of the tall rock canyon walls – the same shade that the ancient Nabataeans sat under so many years ago. Sun Rocks Shade Earth. A timeless equation that does not change. The same shade. The same shade. Chariots moving fast through the SIQ. We had only to eat and wait for the JETT bus to bring us back to AMMAN. The JETT bus experience was nice. Spoke to a young 18-year-old Jordanian who shared some secrets of Arabic life. We noticed on the streets that Jordanians like to tell stories in a soft tone like everything is a secret. We were stopped twice on the bus by Jordanian officials to check passports.

Our day to explore Petra. Our room included breakfast. In the huge dining area with 20 tables, one was prepared just for us. Only us. The breakfast was wonderful coming from the scanty and spicy foods of Sri Lanka. Nice breads. Yummy Hummus. We packed the extra for a lunch picnic. 5JD for the Taxi to the Petra Gate. Petra cost 110 JD for all of us for 2 days. Kids are free! We were one of the first people in the Petra Park. We followed another couple who mentioned they were walking straight to the Monastery because the walk is long and you must start early or pay later by walking in the afternoon heat. We were offered horse rides, mule rides, and donkey rides, but said NO to all. Well, on the way out I paid 3JD for both Ezra and Viena to ride donkeys, just for the photo. We also paid 5JD for the 3 of us to ride camels in front of the Treasury. Being up on the camel was pretty scary, especially since Ezra seemed like he had a difficult time holding onto the donkey and now he was up at least 8 feet on a camel back alone. But I love he camel photo Dwana took of us in front of the Treasury. So many sights to see. Such a nice morning, before the heat, and before most of the hawkers were up to try and sell you things. Much like the walk through the Narrows of Zion National Park without all the water and with big rock carvings of tombs and facades from long ago. We had a picnic of bread and cheese outside the Monastery before walking back down. Nice to start early since none of the market people were selling their stuff. This was not the case on our return trip. We had to practice saying “No thank you”. We did have tea (1JD) with a Bedouin woman who had a place with a great view of a canyon. We were not prepared for all the little children employed in this practice of selling items to the tourists. We saw a boy about Ezra’s age sitting in the hot sun trying to sell rocks. The day was very warm by the time we finished in the early afternoon and the swimming pool felt great and was mandatory and we were the only ones in the pool.