We said goodbye to Andi, Marvie, Frenchy, Hans and Kathryn last night as they departed home. This morning there were only eight of us left. Our day took us north of the city to within 20 km on Syria (yikes) and included a visit to Jedash to view the largest Roman ruins in Jordan. They were spectacular with the amphitheater and Temple of Artemis. Afterwards we had a really nice local lunch before returning to our hotel to pack our bags and rest.
Tonight we have our second farewell dinner and then say goodbye to Denise, Marilyn and Rick. The remaining five head for the airport tomorrow and that 27 hours of flying home.
The continuing adventures of Tom and Bobbie Lucido and the World Travel Club...this year we descend upon the Mediterranean starting in Madrid. We will travel through Andalusia to Portugal. Flying to Casablanca we travel to Marrakech before departing for Munich where we will spend a day exploring before catching our continuing flight to Turkey. Next we will board a Greek Isle cruise. We’ll visit ancient Greece before ending our nine week journey in Egypt and Jordan.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Dead Sea
Today is our last day as a big group. Five depart for home after dinner.
We left the hotel and descended into the Jordan valley beige. We went from 3500 feet above to 1500 below!
Once at the shoreline we donned our swimming gear and floated on the water. It was a challenge to get underwater with the 35% saline content.
We enjoyed the sun and the views and spent the day at the resort.
We left the hotel and descended into the Jordan valley beige. We went from 3500 feet above to 1500 below!
Once at the shoreline we donned our swimming gear and floated on the water. It was a challenge to get underwater with the 35% saline content.
We enjoyed the sun and the views and spent the day at the resort.
Following Moses's footsteps
This morning we said good bye to Petra and headed north to Amman. We stopped at the Spring of Moses and Mt. Nemo where it us believed he is buried. At the summit of the Jordan Valley rift we could see the skyline of Jerusalem just 30 KM away. We then visited St. George church in Madaba where we viewed the oldest mosaic map of the holy land. Interesting. We arrived in Amman late afternoon at an absolutely beautiful boutique hotel-Canyon Hotel Amman-very modern and first class.
Note: Pictues are not loading for some reason so check back for updates. We're home in two days.
Note: Pictues are not loading for some reason so check back for updates. We're home in two days.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Petra Kitchen
After a huge day in the monument it was only fitting that we end with a cooking class in Jordanian cuisine.
We were joined by Meg and Bob from DC. We were introduced to the staff of the restaurant. What followed was an absolutely delightful time chopping and stirring and eating!
Look at the pics and decide if we had a grand time.
We were joined by Meg and Bob from DC. We were introduced to the staff of the restaurant. What followed was an absolutely delightful time chopping and stirring and eating!
Look at the pics and decide if we had a grand time.
Petra
The highlight of our visit to Jordan and arguably of the entire trip was to the ancient ruins of Petra. Made globally famous by many movies, most notably "Indiana Jones,"
The term "shock and awe" effectively fit our experience today. We rode horses to the opening of the Sig (canyon) and then walked the narrow sandstone and water-erosion carved passage until reaching the famous "treasury." The last few feet were with eyes closed as Ahmed led us to that moment. The look on everyone's face was great.
Fron there Ahmed led us past one carved marvel after another. The colors of the sandstone layers were mesmerizing. Lunch was at the bottom of the canyon with three hours of free time to pursue personal interests.
Bobbie, Rick and I climbed to the High Place of Sacrifice-687 steps carved into the cliffs. We toured the royal tombs and stuck our noses into ad many holes in the walks as possible!
It was a grand day and you'll have to attend our after-tour party to see all the pics.
The term "shock and awe" effectively fit our experience today. We rode horses to the opening of the Sig (canyon) and then walked the narrow sandstone and water-erosion carved passage until reaching the famous "treasury." The last few feet were with eyes closed as Ahmed led us to that moment. The look on everyone's face was great.
Fron there Ahmed led us past one carved marvel after another. The colors of the sandstone layers were mesmerizing. Lunch was at the bottom of the canyon with three hours of free time to pursue personal interests.
Bobbie, Rick and I climbed to the High Place of Sacrifice-687 steps carved into the cliffs. We toured the royal tombs and stuck our noses into ad many holes in the walks as possible!
It was a grand day and you'll have to attend our after-tour party to see all the pics.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Our grand hotel in Wadi Musa
The Beit Zaman in Petra is a complex of Ottoman period stone houses that was converted to a hotel twenty years ago. The heated pool, unique rooms, a Bedouin family's former home,all made our stay memorable.
The heated swimming pool, fully stocked bar, and awesome surroundings were great.
The heated swimming pool, fully stocked bar, and awesome surroundings were great.
Wadi Rum
Our day started by leaving Aqaba and driving north through the Great Rift Valley and then up and over the mountains to the Wadi Rum plateau. Once there we transferred to desert rovers for our safari through the Valley of the Moon.
The landscape changed quickly to wind sculpted sandstone mountains striped with black layers of magmacite. The mountain with columns pictured is called the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and was the site for the filming of Lawrence of Arabia, the Red Planet, Mission to Mars, and others.
The desert area is also the site of one of the largest aquifers in the world-in fact it may be the largest since its total volume is unknown. This area geologically dates back 65 million years.
Question: What do you call a camel without a hump? Answer: Humphrey
We drove further into the park to see petroglyphs dating back to 700 B.C. made by ancient Bedouin caravans advertising protection services and directions. Here several of our group opted for a camel ride while the rest went on ahead to the camp of Lawrence where we enjoyed tea and some trinket shopping.
Another dune ride and then through some winding canyons brought us to a Bedouin camp for lunch.
After lunch we headed further north through desert canyons and high plateaus to Petra where we will enjoy two nights in an absolutely spectacular desert mountain hotel.
Look it up: Hotel Beit Zaman in Petra.
The landscape changed quickly to wind sculpted sandstone mountains striped with black layers of magmacite. The mountain with columns pictured is called the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and was the site for the filming of Lawrence of Arabia, the Red Planet, Mission to Mars, and others.
The desert area is also the site of one of the largest aquifers in the world-in fact it may be the largest since its total volume is unknown. This area geologically dates back 65 million years.
Question: What do you call a camel without a hump? Answer: Humphrey
We drove further into the park to see petroglyphs dating back to 700 B.C. made by ancient Bedouin caravans advertising protection services and directions. Here several of our group opted for a camel ride while the rest went on ahead to the camp of Lawrence where we enjoyed tea and some trinket shopping.
Another dune ride and then through some winding canyons brought us to a Bedouin camp for lunch.
After lunch we headed further north through desert canyons and high plateaus to Petra where we will enjoy two nights in an absolutely spectacular desert mountain hotel.
Look it up: Hotel Beit Zaman in Petra.
Salaam Jordan
Our ferry ride was everything we had come to expect from Egypt. There were also Palestinians, Saudis, Jordanians (of course), and an assortment of tourists from the UK, Belgium, and Germany.
The truck drivers sat on deck smoking and playing cards while we wandered around the boat taking illegal photos of the boat and passing naval ships.
We landed in Aqaba after dark, met our guide, adjusted our watches to the new time zone, and headed to the hotel. A lovely and delicious buffet supper was followed by free time to wander freely around the pretty, very clean and well kept downtown.
The truck drivers sat on deck smoking and playing cards while we wandered around the boat taking illegal photos of the boat and passing naval ships.
We landed in Aqaba after dark, met our guide, adjusted our watches to the new time zone, and headed to the hotel. A lovely and delicious buffet supper was followed by free time to wander freely around the pretty, very clean and well kept downtown.
Traveling to Jordan
A quiet night in "camel shake" and up early with a bit of time to wander around the resort, we had breakfast and were in the bus and headed north through the mountains to our embarkation town of Nuweiba. There we will board our ferry to Jordan.
The drive was spectacular with the early morning sun shining on the red, gold, and mauve colored rocky mountains. The road followed the bed of a dry wash, called a "wadi" in Arabic. This "canyon" ran on for 30+ miles ending at a summit of 3,500 feet. We renamed this the "painted canyon."
At the top it was a very fast (yikes) downhill run through yet another canyon. Thankfully the four lane divided highway was in excellent condition. Halfway down at Dahab (the gold town) we stopped at possibly the cleanest and well-stocked gasoline station in the entire country. For a moment we thought we were at a 7-11 in the states...smile!
From there to Nuweiba we traveled through the St. Katherine Protectorate (national park). The rock formations were even more stunning than before. Along the way were passed by an UN convoy on their way south from Israel.
We reached the port where we waited for processing. Maged warned us to NOT talk to anyone except uniformed officers and to stay together. In he warning he mentioned "mafia," criminals, and thugs. We all were very alert and the process was painless. Sometimes I wonder if the situation they claim to be is often more hyperbola than reality; choosing to err on the side of caution. Once we were cleared through customs and immigration, we got back on our comfortable and air-conditioned bus and waited some more. In total it took three hours before saying goodbye to Maged and Emad and boarded our ferry. We wandered around the upper decks and watched as the trucks and other passengers were loaded. Our boat sailed mid afternoon up the Gulf of Aqaba with Egypt to the west and Saudi Arabia to the east.
We had a grand time and always felt safe and cared for. Egypt was by far the most unique place we have yet visited. You have to look past the poverty and debris, the congested streets and noise, the politics, in order to see the welcoming smiles and the genuine sincerity of these good people. This experience was certainly more than the pyramids and the amazing antiquity. It was a journey of spirit and hope for a new nation and for a short time, we were part of it.
The drive was spectacular with the early morning sun shining on the red, gold, and mauve colored rocky mountains. The road followed the bed of a dry wash, called a "wadi" in Arabic. This "canyon" ran on for 30+ miles ending at a summit of 3,500 feet. We renamed this the "painted canyon."
At the top it was a very fast (yikes) downhill run through yet another canyon. Thankfully the four lane divided highway was in excellent condition. Halfway down at Dahab (the gold town) we stopped at possibly the cleanest and well-stocked gasoline station in the entire country. For a moment we thought we were at a 7-11 in the states...smile!
From there to Nuweiba we traveled through the St. Katherine Protectorate (national park). The rock formations were even more stunning than before. Along the way were passed by an UN convoy on their way south from Israel.
We reached the port where we waited for processing. Maged warned us to NOT talk to anyone except uniformed officers and to stay together. In he warning he mentioned "mafia," criminals, and thugs. We all were very alert and the process was painless. Sometimes I wonder if the situation they claim to be is often more hyperbola than reality; choosing to err on the side of caution. Once we were cleared through customs and immigration, we got back on our comfortable and air-conditioned bus and waited some more. In total it took three hours before saying goodbye to Maged and Emad and boarded our ferry. We wandered around the upper decks and watched as the trucks and other passengers were loaded. Our boat sailed mid afternoon up the Gulf of Aqaba with Egypt to the west and Saudi Arabia to the east.
We had a grand time and always felt safe and cared for. Egypt was by far the most unique place we have yet visited. You have to look past the poverty and debris, the congested streets and noise, the politics, in order to see the welcoming smiles and the genuine sincerity of these good people. This experience was certainly more than the pyramids and the amazing antiquity. It was a journey of spirit and hope for a new nation and for a short time, we were part of it.
Sunday, November 25, 2012
AA Beach Resort and Spa
Fully inclusive with lovely rooms, gorgeous view of the Red Sea, spectacular dinner buffet and all the booze you can drink. And the name is "AA,". Gotta love these Egyptians!
PS: The place is swarming with Russian tourists.
PS: The place is swarming with Russian tourists.
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