Our destinations were as follows; Madaba, Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum, Petra, and the Dead Sea. Alhum'dulelah for just receiving my residency card before the conference, because as a resident of Jordan the entrance fees to tourist sights drop dramatically. And we all know how thrifty -- cheap, I can be. For example, Petra costs a foreigner ~33 JDs for a one-day entrance pass, but as a proud bearer of الإقامة (residency) I pay a mere 1JD to enter! Muuuuhahahha!
Madaba is known for its Byzantine-era churches and in particular a mosaic map of the Holy Land, dating back to 6th century AD.
Here we are at Madaba attempting to spell "AIESEC" .... I was part of the 'S' holler!
Above is the view from the gates of Mount Nebo (جبل نيبو), incredibly breathtaking if you ask me. Mount Nebo is significant in both Judaism and Christian faiths. According to the final chapter of Deuteronomy, Mount Nebo is where Moses was given a view of the promised land. It is also rumored that God buried Moses on this mountain.
And a bejenin picture of Ali and I, doing my signature dance move from the conference. Priceless.
We spent the night at a large camp in Wadi Rum. The first time I ventured to the red sand desert of Rum, I stayed in a secluded Bedouin camp, about 8KM off the beaten path. Unfortunately, when traveling in such a large AIESEC herd (we were 80+ people) things tend to get a bit more complicated.
Thus we stayed in a more touristy camp, to accommodate our large numbers. It had it's perks though, including relatively clean bathroom facilities, an enormous empty fountain-like thingy -- perfect for large dubkeh circles. And patios for dining, carved into the rock formations.
Although different than my 1st Wadi adventure, still had a great time around the camp fire. And if I remember correctly, there were some ghost stories being told, quite authentic.
After waking up, we made our way to Petra. At the time had been in Jordan now for almost 7 months and still not seen it's most well known destination. Thus, my excitement was through the roof. One busted tire later and we were safely inside the ancient Nabataean city of Petra. Built in 6th century BC it is well known as one of the original 7 wonders of the world.
As I reached the beaten path of the siq, I choose to part ways from the group and venture on my own. Don't get me wrong, I am a social person, but after being with people around the clock for the last 10 days, I needed some time to decompress and Petra provided the clarity I needed.
The first main attraction in Petra is the treasury, known as الخزنة bil Arabi. The treasury is magnificent, towering over you like a metropolitan skyscraper.
After gazing in awe at the unfathomable architecture, for what felt like hours, I continued down the siq towards my next discovery.
Look at the beauty of the rock. I'm sure my friend Nora, an avid-geologist would jizz in her pants at the sight.At the end of the siq you reach an opening into the plains where the amphitheatre is located, cut into mountainsides. Unfortunately, this site is in such bad shape that it has been fenced off to prevent further damage. This large open space was littered with shops, restaurants, vendors, and at least 1,000 tourists. It was quite an eyesore. When there are so many people it really takes away from the historical beauty. Your experience seems less genuine and unique when everyone else is doing it too.
To be honest, I am a snob when it comes to tourists. Although I am one of them, I never like to be associated with them. Especially here in Jordan, because although I was touring Petra, I am not a "tourist" in this country, I am a resident and I work here, and I don't want to be pegged as otherwise.
After navigating the mob, I climbed countless flights of stairs to reach Urn Tomb, the first of the Royal Tombs at Petra. After looking around and snapping a few pics, I sat on secluded ledge to just look out upon the old city and soak it all in. We only had 3 hours at Petra and I think I spent 1/3 of my time up here, just getting lost in my surroundings. It was so peaceful.
Before floating back down to earth, I ran into some AIESECers on cloud 9.
After sorting out some "transportation issue" we were ready to make it to the Dead Sea by sunset....until BAM our bus break down on the side of the road, just about 30KM outside of Petra. Quite the wet blanket to a perfect trip. It took a lot of problem solving, but we made it work and another bus came down from Amman to retrieve us. I thank all the delegates who maintained a positive attitude throughout this mishap.
Alhum'dulelah the bus company offered to take us the next day (Sunday) on a trip to the Dead Sea to make up for it. Sunday, a work day in Jordan, was supposed to be my first day back at work, but I ended up wiggling out of that to accompany 40 international delegates to the Dead Sea.
It was a lovely, relaxing last day to finish my chapter on MENAXLDS.
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