Basil's Farm

The travel agent who arranged our trip to Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Red Sea invited us to his farm near Madaba. Basil has olive trees and produces extra virgin olive oil. His wife Viola, a former science teacher, showed us the farm, their home, and the guest house. We enjoyed fresh figs, cactus, desserts, Arabic coffee,and mint tea.

The Red Sea

From the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, the contrast is amazing. The shallow depth and lack of sea currents allow algae and coral to thrive in the Gulf of Aqaba. We snorkeled for a few hours. The water temperature was perfect for viewing all sorts of fish, some that I had never seen before. The guide book says there are over 1,100 species of fish and 10% are unique to the Red Sea. Lucky me.

Wadi Rum

This wadi (from the Arabic word "valley") is located in the southwestern part of Jordan. We rode through the desert in the back of a jeep and marveled at the vertical cliffs, valleys, and sandy dunes. From there we went to Jabal Rum where we enjoyed music and dinner with Egyptian and Lebanonese tourists. I wish you were here.

Petra

Amazing! Two days at Petra gave a tiny taste of the Nabataens, some of the most gifted people in history. They were clever and practical people who never believed in national exclusiveness, were open to outside cultural influences, absorbed them, and added to them so the final outcome was a treasure of the ancient world. Are you a historian? Are you an anthropologist? Are you a geologist? Are you an architect? Are you a naturalist? Join me...

Arabic Coffee Break

After visiting museums, we stopped for coffee.

The Children's Museum

As I experience all the sights and sounds of Jordan, I am thinking ahead to the beginning of school. This entry is for my third grade students.

Traces of the Arabic influence can been seen in Spanish words such as "arroz"(rice) from the Arabic "aruz" and "camisa" (shirt) from the Arabic "qamis." Can you think of words that have come from other languages?

Omar Maani, Mayor of Amman

We had the opportunity to meet with Oman Maani, the mayor of Amman.
This forward-thinking individual presented a summary of the growth plan for the city. This city has been growing over the past years and has felt a impact on transportation and other services. The vision is to blend the natural and cultural heritage with modern urban development. We each were presented with a book that shows Amman with photos through the eyes of Jordan's youth. A favorite photo is of a man with the caption: People are more the spirit of a place than the buildings built in it. This is true for Amman and for Jordan.
Tomorrow awaits.