We have always known how to tame this land Though few can handle its brutality. We share its beauty with a gracious hand, But understand of its fragility. On our camels, We’ll guide you through its sand To marvel at its protruding mountains, And at night, what you witness is so grand, The canvas of sky, the light of star stains. There are those who would like to see us banned For they have found value with where we live. For our old lifestyle, we must take a stand, And we can save what they want us to give. History tells us that we will not win, Marking the passing of the Bedouin.
As the sun tilts over the sandy dunes Making its final exit for the night, I listen to how the blowing wind croons It lamentation of the fading light. Two camels carry a family home, Guided by their Bedouin caretaker. The sunlight silhouettes the way they roam, Giving the dying light to their maker. It’s a simple picture of black and white Only seen in the world on a corner, And though we can connect with their respite, We like to claim that they are foreigners. Can we not find ourselves in this landscape, Thinking it too Oriental to escape?
Petra is the reason that people come out to Jordan in the first place. It is easily the biggest draw of the country, and during the months of April and May, when the weather is not too warm, tourists can be seen packing the paths of the narrow canyon that leads to the great sights that can be seen along the way. Except lately, the tourists are not making their way to Jordan, and the places that used to be packed are now empty.
Though Jordan resides in the Middle East and is situated in a place surrounded by conflict, it is not greatly affected by these conflicts. In fact, it is getting a little bit of a bad rap at the moment because of its location. Many people do not wish to travel out to this location and see the impressive sights. This is bad for the tourism industry in Jordan, but it is a great time to come out here as a tourist. Locations like Petra are almost empty, and it makes you feel like you have the place to yourself.
Petra is not only a must-do location if you make your way out to if you are in Jordan, it is also a place that should be placed on everybody’s bucket list. There is not another place like Petra in the world. It is a city carved into the cliffs and wadis found in the mountains outside of Wadi Musa. The first time that I visited this sight, I took a guide book with me to help me discover the mysteries of the place. It was a fine way of doing it, but I did not feel like I got everything I could out of the experience. This is why the second time we went with a guide to tell us a little bit more about the place.
No matter what time you visit Jordan, with or without crowds, I highly recommend going with the guide option. Some of the locations that did not impress me much the first time around came to life when it was explained to me by someone who had more knowledge about it rather than your typical guide book. I could start to distinguish between a tomb, and home, and what purpose some of the rooms held in some of these buildings. It helped me gain an even greater appreciation for Petra than I had in the past.
Many might associate Petra with the Indiana Jones franchise, and it is part of the reason that many know about this location today, but there is a lot more to it than a movie set that was used for a few minutes in a movies from the 90s. It is a great location to visit, and with the crowds at an all time low, now is the time to take advantage of what this place has to offer. I have been twice, and enjoyed it both time, but I know there is a lot more to it than I have seen. I will be back again to see what else it has to show me. I hope to see you there.
We will take the defensive position By building our fortress on the cliff face. From up here, we’ll see any invasion Long before they can get close to this place. It will give us time to boil our grease, And get each soldier to notch an arrow That they can aim through the castle wall’s crease. Our goal is to land the decisive blow In this holy war we’re destined to win. It has been foretold within the pages Of our sacred text, to kill each pagan Who won’t surrender to this fight’s wages. It is the way the divinity planned, Defending out spot on their stolen land.
Wadi Rum has always been one of the greatest draws for people coming out the Jordan. It has also held a special place in the movie industry. If a script calls for a distant sandy planet, or an Arabic landscape, this is the perfect place to come. Movies such as the recent version of Aladdin, and The Martian have both been filmed here. The recent blockbusters of both Dune movies have also been filmed here, and it is for these reasons that Wadi Rum is becoming even more of a draw for those looking for a unique travel experience.
Wadi Rum is easily the most unique desert landscape that I have ever visited. Its red dunes situate themselves among the towering craggy rocks that protrude from the sand. Every turn that is taken out in the area is met with a new visual treat. This presents the reason that Hollywood is so enamored with the place, but it also makes the perfect place for photographers as well. Every corner offers another photo opportunity, and it does not take much effort to take those pictures that tell amazing stories as well.
It is not just the landscape that offers those perfect pictures either. Wadi Rum is operated by the Bedouins who have navigated its stark landscape for centuries. Though you can find some hints of modern conveniences, the Bedouins still live by the traditional methods when they make their way out in the desert. It is almost impossible to get a signal on a cell phone out here, so travelers have to leave those things behind and live off of what the land offers. This contributes for moments of huddling around a campfire at night, or traveling from place to place on camel.
There are camps out in the desert that can be booked. They usually have the traditional tents that the Bedouins have lived in, made out of goat hair. Even though most of them lend themselves to a roughing it lifestyle, there are a few that come with patios, and private bathrooms. Recent years have also seen the emergence of the bubble tent. It is basically a yurt made out of a see-through wall, offering the residents the perfect night view of the starry skies while they sleep. I have heard mixed reviews about these places from the people who have stayed in them, and I can’t say either way due to the fact that I have not stayed in one. These are not the only places where people stay either. They go the complete other direction as well, taking their gear out to a secluded spot to set up camp where they can leave all of society behind. The whole place offers many different ways to experience the environment while still feeling like you are out on your own away from the crowds.
Wadi Rum is a must go to place for those taking the Jordan Loop. If you do come, make sure that you bring you camera because you will always be wanting to take it out to snap another quick picture. The moments will come fast, and you will never know when the next perfect shot will come from. It makes every trip out to the place not only familiar, but unique at the same time. It is easily my favorite place in Jordan, and I hope you can come out to Wadi Rum and enjoy it as well.
If you find yourself doing the Jordan Loop, and you have just left the Dead Sea to make your way over to Petra, there is a nice stop along the way that makes a nice break, and a beautiful place to enjoy a little piece of the areas history that does not have to do with either the Bible or Roman times. It is the Karak Castle, a large medieval castle situated on a hill in the city of Karak. The castle was built during the Crusades in 1142, and was used as a defensive position by many factions during that tumultuous time period in history.
The castle is a windy series of tunnels and rooms that sits on the hilltop that overlooks a large expanse of the valley below. For the most part, it is well preserved, and even though its dark passages might look foreboding at first glance, they light up as you walk along them so you can explore all the nooks and crannies that are there.
For how big and interesting it is, it is surprising how few visitors come to this location. I went during a down period of tourism for the country of Jordan, and I felt like I had the place to myself, but I am told that even when tourism was at its height, it was still not very packed. This makes it an essential place to visit, especially if you are traveling between the two bigger sights in Jordan.
The photo opportunities that it offers are limitless. I loved looking through the many embrasures, or arrow slits, in the castle and seeing how they could frame the valley below. Though the castle does not offer many explanations about what you are looking at, there is a museum on its grounds that will give you more insight about the area. I would tell you more about it, but I visited it on Jordan’s Labor Day, and it was closed on that day.
Even with missing out on the museum, there was still plenty to see on the grounds of this medieval castle. It is a great place to stop, and should be included as a quick adventure for all people making their way around the Jordan Loop. I would do it sooner rather than later because this place cannot remain a secret for too long.
Many people are surprised when I tell them that Jordan is a great tourist destination. They do not always think about this small country in the Middle East as offering much more than a desert landscape, and Arabic cuisine, but this is not the case. It boasts of history dating all the way back to Biblical times, landscape so starkly beautiful and distinct that movie companies come out all the time to shoot their movies out here, and a culture so rich that you can’t but help to want to learn more about it. For these reason, many people that find themselves working out in Jordan can often convince their families to come out and take in the beauty that is Jordan. There are three locations that become must sees for those that travel out here that we like to call the Jordan Loop.
Just to be clear, it is not really a loop. It is more an out and back, but that does not have the same kind of appeal. Still, they are the three must sees when coming out to Jordan.
The first is a short forty-five minute drive from Amman, the Dead Sea. The lowest place on Earth has many resorts dotting the salty shore. From here, you can take quick drives down to see the Salt Flats, or up to see the Panorama to learn more about the area and take in the incredible views.
The second stop is a quick three and half hour drive from the Dead Sea to the town of Wadi Musa. This town holds Jordan’s biggest attraction, and the one that brings people from all over the world to this part of the world, Petra. It has been highlighted in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, and ever since then, it has held the imagination of many. There are many more amazing buildings carved into the walls of the cliff, and it is a great place to come back to again and again.
The last stop comes on the heels of the most recent blockbuster filmed there, Dune Part Two. It is Wadi Rum, the expansive desert landscape with spectacular hikes, beautiful sunsets, and the closest you can come to the Bedouin experience without becoming a Bedouin.
The trip gets made by some of my colleagues on numerous occasions, every time one of their relatives come out to visit. For me, it is the first time that I get to make this trip as a tour guide, and show people around. I have been to a lot of these places already, and though I am excited to go back to them, I also can’t wait to see what other new experiences I can find while out in Jordan. I will get to learn more about the Jordan Loop, and I hope to share what I learn with the rest of you. So over the next few days, join me as I explore more of this country that is worth coming out and seeing.
Let us join all our voices together, So they can hear it all over old town. It does not make our singing much better, But I would like to see them shoot us down, For this is the place, and the right moment For us to declare, “This is our kingdom!” After our youthful energy in spent, We will worry about the rest to come:
The night sky brightly burning with rockets, Making explosions with their collisions, Deadly shrapnel that their union begets, Marking the hated countries’ derision.
But why should I bother way over here, Singing karaoke without a care.
On Sunday, April 14th, I was supposed to get up early to take a flight back to my home in Amman, Jordan. We were going to catch an early bus in Bratislava to take the short trip to Vienna’s airport for a four hour flight. It was supposed to be a pretty routine way to end a vacation, but we got a little surprise that morning. Our flight home had been cancelled. In fact, it had been cancelled the next day as well, so rebooking became even more complicated. It all came down to the fact that Jordan’s neighbors decided to extend their bickering over the country’s airspace, and the night sky was covered with rockets exploding into each other. No one was hurt, but pilots did not want to fly into that mess. Jordan was kind enough to close their airspace, so there would be no excuse for a corporate executive to think otherwise. I tended to agree with the decisions, but it meant that I needed to figure out what to do to get back home, and find a place to stay in Vienna until I could find that route back.
First off, I would like to say that Austrian Airlines was spectacular. They found a few connecting flights, and I was only delayed by twenty-four hours to get back home. The company also hooked us up with an Ibis hotel room and vouchers for bus fare there, dinner, and breakfast. It set me up for a nice afternoon in a city I was not expecting to visit on this trip.
I also have to point out that my job was very understanding as well. Of course, they couldn’t be any other way. It was during one of the school’s breaks, and there were a lot of teachers that were stuck in various places all over the world. This also extended to students and their families, so they could not do anything but be understanding.
I really did enjoy my afternoon in Vienna. We were able to spend the day with other teachers that were also stranded there as well. At the same time, it was a little bittersweet. Friends who decided to stay behind sent footage of the war happening overhead that they could see from their balconies. I had a hard time, not thinking about the innocent people that lived below the two bickering countries. It blew my mind that they could think of nothing other than the retribution that they wanted to deliver to one another, and not how it affected the people whose involvement in was either non-existent or minimal at best. Though I was not physically in the country at the time, it was the closest I had ever been to actual war. It demonstrated that ideological differences aren’t always contained within imaginary lines, that sometimes they have to make a show of brute force to demonstrate how important that ideology is for them. In the end, it proved nothing except who could throw a bigger temper tantrum.
Needless to say, living in Jordan over the past year has been interesting, and this is just another story to add to the many I have already encountered. It makes me hope that someday soon we can come to a peaceful solution that allows all parties to feel comfortable so we can avoid these sophomoric displays of power. Granted, I earned another day of vacation out it, and in one of the world’s most beautiful cities, but I would rather find that other solution instead.
Thanks for listening to my rant, and maybe next time, we can find that solution that we are all looking for.
I know the Winter winds still like to blow, Keeping folks from walking the city streets, Yet the time has arrived for it to go, So we can emerge from our safe retreats. I stand looking out the frosted window At the empty chairs at the restaurants, As the servers patiently wait below For the locals to return to their haunts. Only the icy chill goes to and fro, Giving the advertisements their own dance. Nobody’s there to watch their tempting show, Giving the day’s market a fighting chance. Tomorrow the sun will peak through the clouds Building up the rise of summertime crowds.
John Collings 