A quick note before getting some sleep. I'm in Cairo for one night and then off on a drive south through the deserts of Egypt and then the ceremony at Abu Simbel, until Feb 25 when I fly to South Africa. I'm guessing there is little or no cell phone or internet access until then - so more pictures and comments once I get to Johannesburg, South Africa. It has been a great trip to Amman Jorden. In short Amman and the trip south to Petra was one of the best trips I've taken. Damascus Syria was interesting and sadly, Jerusalem, Israel was disappointing. More later.
A final note - thanks to Sandy, Adrian, and Nancy for reminding me that it is the St. John's River in Jacksonville that along with the Nile in Egypt, are the only 2 rivers in the world that run south to north. Please keep helping me correct any errors. Salam (peace) from Ramblin me
, we have Petra." Petra is the monument that draws people to Jordan, but Wadi Musa is the small town (16,000 people) that hosts all the visitors to Petra. The town is at the top of a hill and it is a major hike down and up the hill to visit the site.
to see Petra, but after being there, I highly recommend going through Petra on foot. If you must, take a cab to get to the visitor's entrance, but any of the ride choices through Petra takes away from the experience of seeing this extraordinary place for the first time. Part of the impact is the slow reveal and catching that first glimpse of the Treasury through a small crack in the passageway. It's one of those moments.
During the summer the movie is shown throughout the town of Wadi Musa until everyone is sick of it.
ved out of the sandstone cliffs by the Nabateans, a pre-Roman group of Arabs who contolled the frankincense trade. It remained hidden for 100s of years until a Swiss explorer named Burckhardt, disquised as an arab, accidently discovered it in 1812. He was also the explorer who discovered Abu Simbel, the Egyptian temple that I hope to visit on Feb 21.
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