The Middle East: A Tour Through Wadi Rum, Jordan

Part adventure, part safari, and all sublime, a tour of Wadi Rum is akin to a journey through another time and place and undoubtedly one of the most stunning desert landscapes in the world. Although there are many spectacular 'wadis' (valleys in Arabic) in Jordan, none other can claim the fame of having been stomping grounds for the real Lawrence of Arabia or the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. I hitched a ride to Wadi Rum from the owner of my hotel in Aqaba and easily found a tour guide once there. If you have the choice, stay overnight at Captain's Desert Camp, a truly spectacular place to take in the beauty of the desert, the stars, and the Bedouin culture. The camp off the same comforts of a regular hotel and also makes a great stop for tea and music after watching the sun set behind the dunes.

The Bedouins of Petra

Besides the unbelievable sites and history, what makes Petra so exotic are the Bedouins of the ancient city. I will never forget looking to my left as I approached The Siq and seeing Aladdin ride by on a white horse and look over with electrifying eyes rimmed with liner. I thought, "Goodness who are YOU?!" LoL.. I kept going though and soon met a Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow look-alike, then came to know a few other Bedouins that were born and still live in caves, including a man who claimed to be somewhere around 110 years old. 

I ended the trip to Petra with a cave-cooked dinner after sunset prepared by Ibrahim (smoking cigarette) and Promise (red shirt) which was unexpectedly delicious, and very traditional, no plates or utensils so thank God for Purell. Then off to Wadi Rum in the south of Jordan.. next post!

View Part I  /  View Part II

New Wonder of the World

Petra was named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007 and hopefully you can get a feel for why through these photos and from my previous post. I'm exhausted so I'll let the pics do the talking... Stay tuned for the last part of the Petra series in a few days! 

View Part I   /  View Part III

The Siq : Petra, Jordan

If there is any ONE place that I recommend you MUST travel to in your lifetime, it is PETRA.

A while back I saw a picture of The Siq in Petra, Jordan opening into this ancient carved cliffside known as The Treasury, and I instantaneously said to myself I had to go. A year later I was staring up at a scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade... Did you think I was kidding when I said I was basically becoming the new Indiana? (Petra was in the film which I didn't know at the time.) 

To get to The Treasury, you must first pass the Siq, an event in itself and one that I recommend walking on foot. The Siq, a dim and narrow gorge (approx. 600 ft high and only 10 ft wide at some points) winds its way through a mile of carved niches and ruins left by the Nabateans. This was the grand entrance to the old city of Petra and even today, horse chariots whiz by over the same cobblestone streets that are believed to have been in use over 2500 years ago.. Amazing!

Then all of a sudden, there's a crack in the gorge that reveals a sliver of the Treasury. The feeling you get once finally there is beyond description but I will compare it to being a lot like the very dramatic music used for the Romeo & Juliet soundtrack. No one knows for sure what the Treasury was ever used for – a tomb? a palace? a temple? The mystery remains as do the bullet holes (see pic below) as proof that throughout history it was thought to house real treasure though none was ever found. I still find it astonishing how entire buildings were carved so ornately BY HAND, into mountain sides. It's just unreal, you must see it for yourselves. 

Travel Tip: Get up at dawn and head over to the The Siq and The Treasury before the crowds and tour groups arrive. It's so worth it having the place all to yourself.

View Part II   /  View Part III