Salam,
It has been quite busy lately with three tours (pretty strenuous) in a row followed by Athens and Rome. We are now on the Queen Mary "floating" on back to the States...unwillingly, I may add. My goal is to update you on our last five excursions, a bit more fun from Queen Victoria and closing with our transatlantic crossing which we are on now.
So, we left you off at Dubai and Salalah...the desert. We then moved on to Jordon, but what was very interesting about this part of the cruise was the security. As we were entering the Somalia area we were under quite tight security, with the fear of pirates!! Can you believe that? The ship had installed barbed wire around the stern with high frequency sound machines to detract anyone climbing aboard???? We had to close our blinds everynight at dark and we even had a "pirate drill"...that's not what they called it, but it sounds good!!! When the commander came over the loudspeaker with his robust voice chanting " ATTENTION...ATTENTION....Take your positions for a security watch", we had to go out into the hallway and stand or sit until it was cleared. It really reminded me of elementary school with tornado drill although we did not have to kneel down with books over our heads. Well, we made it through the pirate territory, but I really had no fear as I had taken fencing and was prepared to take on any pirate...I was ready!!!! ON GUARD!!!
With that excitement over we visited Aqaba, Jordan which is Jordan's only seaport, located in the southernmost tip of Jordan in the Red Sea. Aqaba provides the gateway to the rose-red City of Petra and is one of the most spectacular attractions in the Middle East, abandoned and forgotten for centuries. For this tour we had to be on the bus at 5 am so it turned out to be a very long day with lots of walking and sightseeing, yet well worth it.
This was one of the most incredible pieces of handiwork I have ever seen. To see how they actually carved buildings out of rocks was awesome. The walk along the Siq was a wonderment every step of the way and then to see the "light" at the end of the tunnel was a God thing...it had to be a miracle how it was accomplished!!!
The mysteriously city of the Nabateans, Petra , is so securely concealed by the craggy encircling mountains that it was once "lost" for 1,000 years and is one of the seven wonders of the world. From this natural fortress, the Nabateans commanded the trade routes from Arabian and the East, until the Romans conquered them in 106 A.D. On arrival we walked to the entrance of the Siq- a very narrow, twisting pathway between towering sandstone and rainbow-colored cliffs. The narrow passage is an adventure in itself, for the towering walls create an artificial gloom until we suddenly emerged into the blinding light, and there before us is the Treasury, our first glimpse of the "Rose-Red City".
The Treasury is the most famous and outstanding of all the monuments; its pediment, rotunda and Corinthian pillars are all carved from the solid rock, and it is in the marvelous state of preservation. The site is surrounded by stunning mountains and as we approached Colonnade Street, we passed a series of fascinating tombs. It was said that Queen Noor made all the "homes" pink as the color of the rock was exquisite. I could go on and on about this place but words can not begin to describe it's uniqueness...hopefully, by the photos I send you will understand a little of this amazing wonder of the world but until experienced by the trek to and fro it will not seem real. The trip was way too short...it was a place one could have spent days exploring. In fact one of the Indiana Jones movie was filmed here...I can't wait to see the movie again so I can recognize the place.
Ken's take on the trip....
Aqaba Jordan. This is a small port in the country of Jordan. We boarded (900 of us) tour bus for the 2 hour ride to Petra Jordan This is a cliff city (over 5,000 years old). Build by the Romans as a major desert trading area. The walk into this mountain trading city was about 6 miles (one way) form the hotel (starting point) Desert temps. in the mid 90’s and dusty. There must have been 500 people plus our 900 walking into this city. With the walk-in, all down hill, (right, you have to walk back uphill the same 6 miles out) was an increasable walk into ancient history. The “walk-out” was and exercise in increased heart rate and hyperventilation !!! I did make it back to the hotel “starting point” for lunch and something cold. Saw many elderly having major breathing problems and saw even more using the horse driven carriages, camels and donkeys as transportation back to the starting point. (No motorized vehicles allowed) The 2 hours bus ride back to the ship through mostly desert was very quiet and peaceful we where all in awe at what we had just seen.
Just between you and me....it wasn't six miles, but seemed that long...it's the "Ken factor"!!! I thought I was going to have to call 911 for him but he was a trooper and made it all the way...I was even telling him let's stop and rest but he was on a mission....what a guy!!
Enjoy the pics...
janet and Ken
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