Easter in The Holy Land

Mosaic at St. George's Greek Orthodox Church, Madaba, Jordan

"Since once again, Lord -- though this time not in the forests of the Aisne but in the Steppes of Asia -- I have neither bread, nor wine, nor altar, I will raise myself beyond these symbols, up to the pure majesty of the real itself; I will make the whole earth my altar and on it I will offer you all the labours and sufferings of the world."  ~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

My sister sent that prayer to me after I commented on her blog post that, although we are here in the Holy Land at Easter, it doesn't seem much like Easter.  For one thing, unlike in the United States, here we are not inundated by commercial reminders of the season. There aren't endless aisles of chocolate bunnies and pre-filled, cellophane-wrapped Easter baskets. I haven't seen a single Peep!  I haven't even seen an Easter lily. There are small reminders here and there: small sections of Easter candy in remote corners of the grocery stores and a few linens decorated with bunnies and eggs in some of the linen stores. But Easter is just not "in your face" like it is in the U.S.  In addition, although there are churches here, we don't see them much; they don't stand out with tall steeples like in the U.S. and especially in Europe.

Moreover, instead of waking up on Easter morning to candy-filled Easter baskets and rushing to get ready to go to church to hear the Hallelujah Chorus, we are deep in the desert, at Wadi Rum, waking up after sleeping under the stars at a Bedouin camp.

But, I can't think of a better place to be. That prayer I quoted above seems perfect for this Easter morning. I have my iPod with my Easter playlist, which includes the "Hallelujah Chorus" and "Jesus Christ is Risen Today." I even have Starburst jelly beans (thanks to Paul's sister who is visiting from the U.S.) to get my early morning sugar rush. What more does one need to celebrate Easter in the Holy Land?!?!

I hope you have a peaceful Easter. In honor of the Day, here are few more pictures of Christian holy places:

The spot where John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, Bethany Beyond The Jordan

A baptismal fountain, decorated with a beautiful mosaic,
near the spot where John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River.

Sculpture at the top of Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land

Shawarma Reem

Finally, we had the good sense to dine on the local culinary staple: shawarma. A shawarma sandwich is marinated, grilled meat (usually lamb), roasted on a spit and then shaved off and wrapped in a pita with tomatoes, onions, and tahini sauce.  It's very much like a Greek gyro or a Turkish döner.

We went to Shawarma Reem, a shawarma stand which sits on the Second Circle. It is the oldest--and arguably the most popular--shawarma place in Amman, having served customers since 1976. Many people swear that Shawarma Reem has the very best shawarma in all of the Middle East.

There are no tables at Reem.  People either eat in their cars, stand and eat, or take their sandwiches to go.  We went around the corner, found a nice rock suitable for sitting, and had an urban picnic with our shawarmas.

And, oh!, they were delicious! The owners--the sons of the original founder--say that the secret to their shawarma is in the marinade.  Only one person knows the recipe: the oldest son.  He doesn't cook at the stand anymore, but he mixes the marinade according the secret recipe that is kept only in his head.

To give you an idea of the popularity of Reem, here are a few stats:
Number of shawarma sandwiches served per day: about 5000;
Price per shawarma: less than 1 JD (about $1 US);
Pounds of meat consumed per day: more than 1000.

The New York Times even did an article about Reem.  But, far from being touristy, Sharama Reem is a popular place for locals. Everyone comes here--rich people, poor people, old people and young.  Although it was mostly men at the stand, there were some women there (I was there!) and there were many women waiting in cars. There were few English speakers there and we had to rely on the kindness of the other patrons to help us know when our number was called out in Arabic to signal that our order was ready.

Smoke Gets In Your Eyes

A lot of people smoke here.  It is strange to us Americans who have gotten used to living in a relatively smoke-free environment.  Here, hotel lobbies, restaurants, and even university buildings are smoke-filled.

When I walked through the halls at one of the university buildings recently, I felt like I had been transported back to 1978.  I remember sitting in my first college class ever watching the barefooted teacher smoking a cigarette as he told us about sociology.  What a difference 30 years makes! OK, so it's 32 years--but who's counting!

But, I digress . . .

Here in Jordan, in addition to the ordinary cigarette smoking, there is hookah smoking.  Hookah, also known as "hubbly bubbly" and "shisha" and "argeela" and "nargeela," is basically a water pipe through which flavored tobacco is smoked. Hookah is served in cafes and restaurants, and sometimes in special "hookah bars." This is a highly social activity, and seems to replace alcohol consumption as the thing many people do to socialize. Smokers each get their own new plastic mouthpiece (to avoid passing germs), but one hookah is commonly shared by two or more people at a table.

To give you an idea of how important hookah smoking is to the culture in the Middle East, consider what William Hickey wrote in his Memoirs upon arriving in India in 1775:

"The most highly-dressed and splendid hookah was prepared for me. I tried it, but did not like it. As after several trials I still found it disagreeable, I with much gravity requested to know whether it was indispensably necessary that I should become a smoker, which was answered with equal gravity, 'Undoubtedly it is, for you might as well be out of the world as out of the fashion. Here everybody uses a hookah, and it is impossible to get on without.' . . . [I] have frequently heard men declare they would much rather be deprived of their dinner than their hookah."

Hookahs range in appearance from the very ornate to the very plain. To operate a hookah, one simply fills the glass jar at the bottom with water. The bowl at the top is filled with flavored tobacco and then covered with aluminum foil with small holes poked into it (as if you were covering a jar containing lightening bugs). Then, a red hot charcoal is placed on top of the foil.  The heat from the charcoal begins to warm and evaporate the tobacco, which creates smoke that passes down and settles on top of the water in the water jar. When the smoker inhales through the long hose that attaches to the hookah, the water bubbles and pushes the smoke up into the neck and through the hose into the smoker's mouth and lungs. The smoker's inhalation through the hookah also pulls additional heat from the charcoal through the tobacco, making more smoke and repeating the process.

Unfortunately, despite popular belief to the contrary, the negative health effects from smoking tobacco from a hookah are the same as or worse than those from smoking cigarettes. In fact, the World Health Organization and the American Cancer Society report that hookah smokers consume 100 to 200 times more smoke and 70 times more nicotine in a one-hour hookah session than they do by smoking one cigarette. In addition, studies show that hookah smokers are five times more likely than non-smokers to get gum disease, and five times more likely than non-smokers to get lung cancer. As with cigarettes, health risks become greater with longer hookah sessions and more frequent hookah smoking.

Riding on Trains

"Since the day this train opened, I have never, never set foot on the plane again. Why would anyone fly?"
~Carlos Martinez, a lawyer, on the high speed connection between Madrid and Barcelona (New York Times Quotation of the Day, March 18, 2010)

Today's Forecast

You know you are in the desert when . . .

. . . your weather report includes an appeal to a Higher Power.

[Hat Tip: Paul Scudder]

Petra Part IV: Preserving The Delicate Treasure

At over 2000 years old, Petra is showing signs of age. The photo above shows a small portion of As-Siq that is in need of some structural support and repair.  In March 2009, a crack was discovered in the Siq wall, and one month later, a 150 Kilogram rock fell from the wall.  Luckily, no one was harmed because the incident occurred while the park was closed. In addition, in February 2010, a small burial chamber and facade collapsed, killing a young camel that was resting in the monument's shade.

These incidents have signaled a need to monitor the wear and tear on all of Petra, and reduce the stress put on the site's most fragile areas. In addition, these incidents underscore the difficult balance between preservation of the delicate site and encouraging tourism, the primary economic activity in the area.

Many things can cause the delicate structures of Petra to deteriorate: use by local Bedouins who work in and occupy parts of the site, use and misuse of the site by visitors, and ordinary weather and natural forces.

The Bedouins

The Jordanian government moved the local Bedouins out of the caves of Petra about 25 years ago. Homes were constructed for the Bedouin community on a hillside overlooking Petra. Yet, one man told us that he lives in a cave inside Petra, and there is evidence throughout the park that some Bedouins are still living in the park.

At minimum, many Bedouins spend their days in the park and earn their living by transacting business with tourists. It appears that the Bedouins have complete freedom to conduct economic activities inside the park during the day. They sell and guide the horseback rides, horse carriage rides, camel rides, and donkey rides, they sell jewelry and other souvenirs, and they operate snack bars.

Some of the Bedouins' activities are hard on the park.  For example, to the extent people are living inside Petra--permanently or on an occasional basis--their living activities cause wear and tear on the site. Also, several of the outdoor Bedouin shopping tents have small fires nearby; these fires, built for warmth and to make tea for themselves and tourists, can cause damage.  The horse carriages that go through the Siq at a high speeds cause vibrations in the Siq walls. The donkeys wear down the walkways and steps on which they tread.

The Tourists

As one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Petra is visited by over 700,000 tourists annually, with more than 116,000 people visiting in January and February of this year alone. The number of visitors has been steadily increasing in recent years.

The presence of all these people causes deterioration and erosion in all the areas where visitors are permitted.

For example, the theater has been closed due to deterioration resulting from so many people climbing and walking on the stone ledges and seats.

This photo shows erosion of the steps leading up to the Monastery 

caused by millions of footsteps and donkey hooves. 

Also, the pounding footsteps of visitors traveling through the Siq contribute to the vibration in the Siq walls. Visitors are no longer allowed to go inside the Treasury because the breath of so many visitors damaged the interior walls. Moreover, the misuse of the area by any tourist causes damage.  As we were leaving, I saw a man approach the Siq wall with a chisel and begin trying to help himself to an authentic rock souvenir.

Natural Effects

Natural effects also take a heavy toll on Petra.  Due to development in nearby Wadi Musa, and alteration of the ancient Nabataean water system, Petra is now prone to flooding and consequential water damage.  Rain water also gets into already-existing cracks in the rock surfaces and enlarges the cracks, leading to more damage.  In addition, seismic activity in the Jordan Rift Valley has resulted in some movement and is believed to have contributed to the recent burial chamber collapse.

Jordan has formed an emergency committee to assess the situation in Petra and make recommendations for how to proceed with preservation efforts while attempting to preserve the Bedouin way of life and continue to make the Petra experience accessible for tourists.  Read more about Jordan's efforts to preserve Petra here.

Petra Part III: Up, Up, Up to the Monastery and Then On Up to The End of the World

Ad-Deir (The Monastery)

Our approach to traveling this year has been relaxed. We decide where we are going to go and then we go there, without a lot of advance research and planning. When we get to a destination, we see what presents itself. There are downsides to this approach, of course.  The primary one is that we have probably missed some things that were right in front of our noses. On the other hand, there have been many upsides to this approach.  The most obvious is that we rarely argue about what we are going to do when we reach a destination because we all just go with the flow in exploring what we find. (Don't worry, we have plenty of other things to argue about) The other significant upside is that, since we arrive at most destinations without etched-in-stone expectations, we are never disappointed.  In fact, we usually go away saying "that was even better than I thought it would be."

At no time was this more true than on our visit to Petra. We got to Petra, made it to the Treasury, and then looked around for what we would do next. What presented itself was a donkey ride with Mohammed and his buddies. If I had known what was in store for me on the donkey ride up, up, up the mountain to the Monastery, I probably would not have gone.  If I had not gone, I would have missed out on a fabulous experience.

Mohammed told me that he and his buddies and their donkeys would take us up the 800 steps to the Monastery, which was the "best place in Petra."  Missing from his description of the trip were words like "treacherous," "dangerous," "hazardous," and "perilous," but all of these words accurately describe our journey up the narrow, worn, fragile, slippery, crowded steps on the donkeys' backs to the Monastery.  But, so could words like "awesome," "exciting," "thrilling," "breathtaking," "spectacular," and "magnificent."

So, I climbed onto  Shakira, who, my guide was quick to point out, was a "boy donkey," Obviously, he didn't want me to confuse Shakira The Boy Donkey for Shakira The Girl Singer.

Shakira The Boy Donkey and his owner, my Bedouin guide

I was very nervous at the beginning, but then relaxed and enjoyed the ride until we got to the base of the climb and I realized how far up we had to go and how steep the climb was.  Then, I got nervous again.  My guide just kept saying "relax, relax, relax."

I had two things working against me on the trek up the mountain:  (1) I'm not that crazy about heights. The top of the Empire State Building is not my favorite spot in New York.  My knees feel like jello when I get anywhere near the edge of a high place.  In fact, my knees feel like jello when I even see my kids get close to the edge of a high place. So, the higher we went, the less I was able to relax, relax, relax. (2) Being a lawyer, I had no trouble thinking of all the things that could possibly go wrong.  And, the ride was long enough that I could be very creative in imagining every possible horrifying, tragic scenario.

But, up we went.  Up, up, up.  And up some more.  They say there are about 800 steps.  If so, I would estimate that about 600 of them are "steps" in the ordinary sense.  The rest are rocky inclines that you simply hike up--or that the donkeys hike up while the riders hold on for dear life.

The donkey went fast.  It wasted no time getting up the mountain, which would have been fine except that all the walking people on the steps were practically being trampled by the donkeys.  It did not take me long to figure out that, as terrifying as it was going up the narrow stairs on Shakira with the edge of the steep cliff very close to my right side, it would have been even more terrifying to have been one of the pedestrians on the steps trying to get out of the way to avoid being knocked over or pushed off the cliff by the passing donkeys. The moral of the story: the climb is as treacherous for the people off the donkeys as it is for the people on the donkeys--maybe even more!

Photo by Charlie Scudder

Mohammad and his buddies really earned their money keeping up with the donkeys too.  My guide ran all the way up the steps close to Shakira, telling me to "relax, relax, relax" and trying to keep Shakira going the right direction (once Shakira turned completely around and started heading back down the steps).

The donkeys took us up as far as a plateau about 1/4 mile below the Monastery.  We climbed the rest of the way on foot.  As we came around the corner with the Monastery in view, I immediately knew that the harrowing trip had been completely worth it.

In the large open area in front of the Monastery, all sorts of things could be found.  For example, this photo shows some ancient column pieces.

And, there was a snack bar with cold water (almost frozen, actually), soft drinks, and snacks, and there were comfortable benches to rest on after the long ride and climb up the mountain.











Once we had enjoyed a short rest, we continued our upward journey on foot toward the End of the World.

The climb from the Monastery up to the top was not far and relatively easy compared to the steep climb up to the Monastery.

And, the view was spectacular.  (That person sitting on the edge of the cliff is Charlie.)

From up here, you can see the Rift Valley and all the way to the mountains in Israel.

No matter how high I climbed, Maggie climbed higher.  All day--even before the donkey ride up the mountain--every time I turned around, Maggie would be missing. But, I would just have to look up onto the rocky cliffs to find her. Sure enough, there she would be, up higher than everyone else.

Notice the carved out caves even up here at the very top of the mountain.

We walked most of the way down the mountain instead of riding.  As we made our way down, we passed numerous jewelry stands operated by Bedouin women.  They called out very special offers such as "look for free." On the way up, we were moving too fast on the donkeys to be the targets of the sales pitches, but we were not moving very fast on the way down.  Now we were dodging the donkeys and trying to avoid the gaze of the jewelry sellers.

We got back on our donkeys when were were near the bottom of the mountain, and had a relaxing ride back to the place we started. We were tired and sore, but we were all still alive and glad we made the journey up to the Monastery and the End of the World.

Petra Part II: Getting Around in Petra

There are all sorts of ways to get around inside Petra.  The obvious one is on foot.  The vast majority of visitors to Petra see it on foot. However, if you don't want to walk, there are plenty of animals to make your journey easier.

For starters, you can take a horseback ride from just past the Visitor's Center to the entrance to As-Siq. 

All non-residents of Jordan are required to buy a 33 JD ticket that includes one-day admission plus a horseback ride. So, almost everyone has already paid for this ride.  But, we saw very few people actually take this ride. The distance that the horse can go is not very far at all, and it is an easy downhill walk. Moreover, when you first get there, you are filled with excitement and energy and, therefore, do not feel the need to ride. The time you want the ride is back up the hill at the end of the day when you are tired and hot and hungry and feel like you can't take another step.  But, the horses aren't available then!

Once you get to the entrance of the Siq, you have the option to take a horse drawn carriage. The horse drawn carriages are quite beautiful; they are adorned with brightly colored blankets. 

They go really fast down the Siq, however, so if you take the ride, you miss out on all the beautiful scenery on your way.  And, the key word in that last sentence was "down."  The walk through the Siq into Petra is all downhill.  Therefore, it's a relatively easy walk.  The only obstacles are the uneven cobblestones that cover some parts of the path, and the only dangers are that you will trip while looking up at the amazing overhead views or get runover by a carriage which comes barreling down the narrow Siq at what seems like 150 miles per hour.

We walked and I'm glad we did.  We took our time and enjoyed the amazing natural and carved beauty of the Siq.  It was one of the highlights of our trip to Petra.

However, coming out is another story.  Coming out, the Siq is an uphill walk.  It comes at the end of your day when you are hot, tired, and hungry (as I mentioned above), and a ride would be nice at this point.  We still did not take the ride and I'm glad we walked out. It gave us another chance to enjoy the Siq, take some more pictures, and generally reflect on our awesome day.

Once we got inside Petra after coming through the Siq, we were bombarded with possibilities for camel rides.  There were camels everywhere!

The camels didn't seem to like me much.  Every time I got near one hoping to get my picture taken with it, it turned and indicated by a show of big, ugly teeth that it was about to bite me. One stuck out its tongue at me, which was one of the most disgusting gestures I have ever seen any animal make.  I wish I had had the wherewithall to take a picture, but I was in a slight state of shock at the gross display and could not decide whether to stand still or run.  The tongue looked like a giant internal organ--most likely a bladder, but I'm not sure exactly which organ it looked like.  Then, as the camel was moving the tongue around, a frothy foam covered the camel's tongue, lips, and face.  If it had been a dog, I would have thought for sure it was rabid.

Although the camels seemed to dislike me, they seemed to like Maggie quite a bit.  In fact, it almost seemed as if they swooned in her presence. 

Photo by Paul Scudder

As we made our way around the ancient city's first curve, we were again bombarded by offers for rides--this time on donkeys and mules.  There were donkeys galore, each with its own entreprenurial Bedouin who tried to convince us that his ride and his price is the best in all of Petra.

We ended up deciding on a donkey ride with Mohammed. Why Mohammed's donkeys? For one thing, he was very persistent.  He followed us up a hill with two donkeys. He was nice, and he described, in clearer detail than anyone else, what we would get for our money. I'll have more details about our wild donkey ride up to the Monastery and our journey on to the End of the World in Petra Part III.

Undoubtedly, the horses, camels, and donkeys and their Bedouin owners were part of the ambience of Petra and they are a big part of what makes a visit to Petra such a unique and memorable experience.

Petra Part I: Getting to the Treasury

We woke up to a steady rain on Thursday morning in Amman. We had big plans to go to Petra for "Petra at Night"--a special opportunity to see Petra by candlelight--on Thursday and then a full day of exploring the ancient Nabataean city carved into the giant rock cliffs in Petra. But, it was raining. It was too late to cancel our hotel reservation without paying for it anyway, so we decided we would go ahead and go, hoping that the rain would stop in time for the candlelight tour of Petra to commence as planned on Thursday evening.

As we put our backpacks into the trunk and got into the car to leave at about 3:00 p.m., the weather was still iffy. But, as we drove out of Amman and into the desert, the sky cleared up and the rain stopped. Yes! It looked like we were going to be lucky.

But, we had driven for about 2 1/2 hours and were deep into the desert and only about 50 kilometers from Petra when our car broke down. It was around 5:30 p.m., so it was beginning to get dark and it was very, very cold in the desert. We were stopped on the side of a two-lane highway which had a fair amount of traffic, but . . . hey . . . it's not like we were eager to get into a car with just anyone out in the middle of the desert! Our driver called his company, which said it would send another car from Amman to pick us up and deliver us to Petra. Well, that was all fine and good, except that Amman was 2 1/2 hours away. We would surely miss Petra at Night, and we would likely be freezing cold by the time the car arrived.

However, we lucked out again! Another driver, who was a friend of our driver, happened to be coming by with a large van and only two passengers. The two passengers--very friendly Brazilian tourists--agreed to share their van with us. So, we all climbed in and made it to Wadi Musa (the town just outside of Petra) just in time to grab a quick bite to eat and make it to Petra at Night. We are extremely grateful to the Brazilians and their driver for picking us up.

You remember Petra from the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Petra is one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World" and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Nabateans, who built Petra, were ancient Arab tribes who came to Jordan about 2200 years ago. They controlled the trade routes in southern Jordan, charging tolls and providing protection for caravans carrying valuable cargo, such as Arabian frankincense and myrrh, Indian spices and silks, and African ivory and animal hides.

Petra at Night was awesome! Three nights a week, they light the long As-Siq path and the area in front of the Treasury with hundreds of candles. We waked through the 1200 meter As-Siq gorge to the Treasury where we sat on rugs, sipped warm tea, and listened to Bedouin music and storytelling. The whole experience was well worth the stressful trip and whet our appetites for our daylight visit the next day.

Photo by Paul Scudder

The As-Siq is a long narrow pathway entrance to Petra that winds between tall rock cliffs. (This is the gorge through which Indy and his dad escaped on horseback in the Indiana Jones movie.)  The As-Siq gorge contains some of the most amazing rock formations and colors imaginable. It also contains numerous carved terraces, water channels, and decorative sculptures and votive-niches. It is a spectacular entrance to the amazing ancient city.

This photo shows some of the amazing color and layers in the rock walls of As-Siq.

A camel caravan is carved into the rose-colored stone wall of the Siq.  Only the camels' feet and a portion of the camel driver remain. This photo shows what remains of the camel driver.

The centerpiece of the ancient city (and the facade of the building in which Indy found the Holy Grail) is the Treasury. The top photo in this post and the Petra at Night photo both show the Treasury. The facade of As-Khazneh ("the Treasury" in Arabic) is enormous--it is 30 meters wide and 43 meters high. What makes the Treasury all the more spectacular is how you come upon it after walking through the long, narrow, shadowy As-Siq.

The inside walls of the Treasury have some of the most amazing color in all of Petra.

Getting to the Treasury (twice--once at night and then again during the daylight) felt like a huge accomplishment. The weather cooperated; we had perfect weather on both of our visits: Thursday night was crisp and clear, Friday was sunny--not a cloud in the sky--and cool. But, the Treasury was just the beginning of our great day in Petra. We had the rest of the day to explore this archeological wonderland! And, we made it all the way to the End of the World. Stay tuned; I'll get to that . . . .

Safire's Rules of Writing

Do not put statements in the negative form.

And don't start sentences with a conjunction.

If you reread your work, you will find on rereading that a great deal of repetition can be avoided by rereading and editing.

Never use a long word when a diminutive one will do.

Unqualified superlatives are the worst of all.

De-accession euphemisms.

If any word is improper at the end of a sentence, a linking verb is.

Avoid trendy locutions that sound flaky.

Last, but not least, avoid cliches like the plague.

~William Safire, "Great Rules of Writing"

Nonsense!

"Nonsense like girls walking 10 kilometres every day on empty stomachs to find water for their families; nonsense like girls denied the chance to go to school for a lifetime of cooking, cleaning and childcare; nonsense like girls thrust into marriages they’re too young to understand. . . . For over 600 million girls around the world, this nonsensical reality is their daily reality where the four walls of inequality, injustice, indignity, and ignorance close in around them, limiting their potential at a time when it should be limitless."

This is an excerpt from Her Majesty Queen Rania's speech at the "Women in the World" summit at the Hudson Theatre in New York City.  The Jordan Times reports more about the conference and Queen Rania's speech emphasizing the importance of educating girls in impoverished areas around the world.

Women May Soon Be Eligible for Appointment as Judges in Egypt

On Sunday, Egypt's Constitutional Court issued an opinion opening the door for the appointment of women judges in Egypt by reversing a previous decision by the General Assembly of State Council to exclude women from the judiciary.  The General Assembly had voted by an overwhelming majority in February to prohibit women from being given judicial appointments.  The Constitutional Court's decision came as a result of a "request for clarification" by Egyptian Prime Minister Ahmed Nazif.  The Constitutional Court voted that the general assembly did not have the power to decide the issue and that the decision about whether to appoint women judges is within the administrative committee's jurisdiction.

The administrative committee will take up the question next week.  If the administrative committee decides to approve women judicial candidates, then women would be eligible for judicial appointment by presidential decree following approval of the candidate by the administrative committee.

The Jordan Times reports about the Egyptian Constitutional Court's decision here.

Happy St. Patrick's Day--Brought to you by a Rainy Spring in Jordan

This has been the rainiest spring Jordan has had in about twenty years.  This photo shows green hills and an olive grove.  Usually, these hills are brown, but the spring rain has brought lots of green--just in time for St. Patrick's Day.  In the center of the photo, you will see a lake.  This is one of the main dammed water sources for Jordan.  Even with the heavy rain, it is currently at just over 60% capacity.  But, that is considered a very good water storage level.  Last year at this time, the water level was at about 37% of capacity.  Jordan is the 4th poorest country in the world in terms of water.

Photo by Ayyam Safady.

Desert Castles

On our way to the Azraq Wetlands Nature Preserve, we stopped at three desert castles.  Paul took the above photo at Qasr al-Kharraneh. This might be my favorite photo of all time.  Well, at least it's a contender for that title.

These castles were not like European castles at all (no Neuschwanstein here!!).  They never housed Royalty (as far as archeologists know).  But, they are big, expansive, unique places in the desert, so they are called castles.

Qasr al-Kharraneh was cool because of  all the nooks and crannies and how the tiny windows were perfectly placed and proportioned to let in the light and air but keep out the heat and rain.  This was, by far, the most photogenic of the three castles because of the way the light hit the inside doorways, angles, and windows.  When you look at the picture below, you can see a lot of small slits in the facade; these are all windows that are set at different angles to illuminate the rooms inside and create "air conditioning" so that the inside was amazingly cool despite the high desert temperatures outside.

Qusayr Amra was an 8th century bath house.  It was my favorite because of the ancient Islamic frescos covering the walls and ceiling and because it had a sauna and steam room--right smack in the middle of the one of the hottest, driest areas in the world.

The last one was Qsar al-Azraq, a 300 AD Roman fortress, which was made from the unique black Azraq stone.  The stones were simply piled together to make the structure; there did not appear to be any cement or mud or anything else holding the stones together. (I'm glad there wasn't an earthquake while we were visiting this castle.)  This structure has been used over the years by many different groups of people, including T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).

Read Paul's blog post about the desert castles.
Read Charlie's blog post about the desert castles.
Read Maggie's blog post about the desert castles (and do not--I repeat--DO NOT miss the Water Buffalo Song.  If you do, you will be very, very sorry--I'm not kidding--you will be haunted by this thought: "how could I have missed the Water Buffalo Song?  Why didn't I just click the link?").

See my photos from the Jordan Desert Castles here.

What Beats Finding Bones in the Desert?

. . . Not much, that's for sure!  But a grazing herd of water buffalo gives it a run for its money.  We arrived at the Azraq Wetlands Nature Preserve just in time to see about 12-15 water buffalo grazing near the Visitor's Center.  This one was kind enough to pose (with a mouthful of grass):

The wetlands have become drylands for the most part.  The natural oaisis that existed here for about 250,000 years completely dried up in 1991, at least party due to water being diverted to nearby agricultural activities and to Amman.  As if to add insult to injury, a fire destroyed much of the preserve just a few months ago. You can see part of the charred area in this photo:

Conservationists pump in 10,000,000 cubic meters (that's about 353,146,667 cubic feet) of water each year to preserved the little bit of wetland that remains (you can see the small area above) for the animals that come to this area to drink and munch on the vegetation (much of which was all burned up in the recent fire).  The current wetland area is about 10% of the original wetlands.

Also, nearby is the "mud flat" which is a large muddy area covered with shallow water where animals and birds congregate to cool off and get a drink.

On the dry edge of the mud flat area is where we saw the bones.  These are probably the bones of a sheep or goat.

We stayed over night in the Azraq Eco-Lodge.  The lodge was originally a hospital built by the British during World War II, and it is typical of British outpost buildings with a low ceiling to keep things cool during the hot, hot summer months in the desert.  The building was used as a boys' school following World War II.  The lobby has a fabulous collection of photographs of the building, the people who have used it, and the Azraq area over the past 70 years.

The rooms were very comfortable, clean, and roomy.  The staff was extremely helpful and nice.  Here is the great view from our room:

We enjoyed hanging out on the canopy covered patio.

We were served a traditional Chechen dinner, made by local cooks using local ingredients.  Delicious!  Following dinner, we were treated to a movie about the desert ecosystem and wildlife.  The movie highlighted the plight of the Arabian Oryx, which is this animal:

The Oryx lives primarily in the desert of Saudi Arabia, but had become almost extinct.  Due to an international cooperative effort led by Saudi Arabia, and including Jordan and the United States among others, the Oryx is making a comeback.

We had a wonderful, relaxing time in Azraq and got to see and learn about an amazing and unique ecosystem.

See my other photos from the Azraq Wetlands Nature Preserve and Mud Flat here.