Cruising the Nile! Aswan to Luxor, Egypt

Stats:

Destination: Nile River - stops in Kom Umbo & Edfu

Number of Days Spent: 3 days, 2 nights

Where we stayed: Oberoi Nephtis - $90 per person including all meals (we booked this cruise the day before it left through a contact our hotel recommend). His name was Waleed Ali - waleedtravel@hotmail.com - 002 0102509588. I would definitely recommend Waleed's services to other travelers. He gave us the options that worked with our dates and took us on a tour of the ship. He was very professional during the entire process. Oh and he gave us a great recommendation for a local restaurant in Aswan (see that blog, the restaurant was Maka). Thanks Waleed! The ship itself was good. While it certainly shows some signs of age, it was immaculately clean and well taken care of with a very friendly staff. It also had a pool and its own workout machine...check out the pic!

Best restaurant: All meals were included. The food was pretty good too, like most cruises we certainly didn't go hungry!

Best of: More outstanding temples, the beautiful contrast of green river banks and dry deserts side by side, realizing that this scene has changed very little for over 4000 years

Worst of: Booking this cruise last minute gave us no opportunity to choose our shipmates which happened to be one large group of French speaking Algerians on what apparently was a honeymoon getaway of some sorts. We felt a bit out of place, but had fun all the same.

Most Memorable: Love it or hate it, the sun is an awesome presence lending a hand in a couple of favorite memories: sipping our beers as we watched it disappear over the horizon and basking in its rays as they illuminated the ancient past.

Useful Tip: The cabins on the ship come with refrigerators. Bring your own water (and beer) on board to save some serious money. A bottle of water on the ship was 10 EP ($2) which was 4X the asking price in a local stores.

While the Nile stretches for thousands of miles through several countries making it the longest river in the world, this small stretch of a little over 150 miles between Aswan and Luxor receives the lion's share of attention. It is here that the river reaches its widest part, nearly two miles wide and is arguably the most beautiful stretch. The Nile is also thought to be the oldest river in the world and one of only two that flows north (The other being the ironically named New River in North Carolina and Virginia). While the origins of man is a debate for the ages, no one can deny the importance of this river to early civilization. Without its life giving waters, Egypt would not have ever existed and along with it the pyramids, temples and tombs would have never been erected. The world as a whole has changed so much since those monuments were erected and yet little has seemed to change here. Farming is still a major way of life for most of the inhabitants here. Beasts of burden and manual labor still remain the predominant way of cultivating the land. Fish are still caught with hand thrown nets. Children pass the time splashing in the water. Given the limiting options for travel in this area, hopping on some sort of boat is really the only way to see life on the Nile. There are several options in vessels ranging from the feluccas (sans bathrooms, showers, etc.) for about $20-30 per day all the way up to 5-star luxury liners setting you back over $1000 per day. We opted for a middle option since the thought of not having a bathroom for three days combined with the "hidden" charges that a felucca captain entails (not to mention the constant mention of baksheesh) made it worth the few extra bucks.

Our boat didn't leave until the afternoon, so we had some time in the morning to stock up on a few provisions while docked in Aswan. Feeling in the mood for a couple of beers or wine to celebrate the night, we went in search of the elusive elixir. Alcohol is hard to come by in Muslim countries, but there are a couple of "Egypt Free" Stores that sell a small selection of beverages. You have to have a foreign issued passport and expect variations of Heineken to be just about your only choice as far as beer is concerned. We picked up some Luxor Beer (total crap) and Amstel Light (Heineken brand) and wine, well, better visit another country for that. While they certainly were not the best beers ever, they sure taste good on hot days!

Once all were on board, we set sail for our first stop, Kom Ombo. Resting on the banks of a crook in the river, Kom Ombo is a unique temple in that it was dedicated to two different gods - the crocodile god Sobek and the ever present Falcon god Horus. While the temple was built in the New Kingdom style (from 1550 to 1000 B.C.E. - Ramses II time) it was actually built during the post Alexander Ptolemy times (from 331 till around 50 B.C.E. - just before Cleopatra). Much of Alexander's success in conquering kingdoms was his willingness to not only allow local customs to continue, but to encourage it. Most of the temples that stand today in this area were built during the immediate years after Alexander and dedicated to the Egyptian gods. As a result, he, and the rulers following him were welcomed with very little hostility. The temple contains many inscriptions depicting the crowning of kings by the gods, religious stories of the gods and a few "how too's" on daily rituals.

After a peaceful night on our boat, we awoke to explore Edfu the following morning. Unlike Kom Ombo, the temple of Horus at Edfu lies right in the heart of the town. The moment you step foot off the boat, the touts come out in full force trying to get you to take a horse and carriage down to the ruins and are quite persistent. While it is a good 30 minute walk from the river, the walk itself can be quite rewarding. While everyone else from our ship visited the temples as part of a tour, we were allowed to do things on our own enabling us to wander the streets just a bit. Buses can't capture the sights and sounds of ordinary people carrying out everyday life. Speak the universal language of money and haggle for a piece of fruit or a fresh squeezed sugar cane juice. Watch the black robed women barter for a couple of tomatoes. Nearly get run over by young teenage boys riding on makeshift carts lead by donkeys. This is real life, the real Egypt.

The temple of Horus, much like the temple at Kom Ombo, was built during the Ptolemaic (Cleopatra's dad finished it to be exact) times. Dedicated once again to the falcon god Horus, the temple was built on a slight hill away from the Nile river to avoid the yearly floods. As a result, the temple today has withstood the test of time far better than most of it's contemporaries. Once again, the walls are lined with stories of the Gods, mainly centered around Horus and all of his accolades. A couple of complete 2300 year old statues of the falcon god stand impressively as you enter the inner chambers. An oculus giving the sun a chance to illuminate the chambers complete the scene.

The rest of the time was spent relaxing on the ship. We caught up on some reading, swam in the pool for a bit, and watched the banks of the Nile. The last highlight of the trip was passing through the lock at Esna. Not exactly the Panama Canal, but a lock all the same.

Having successfully navigated the locks, the ship arrived in Luxor without incident and we were off to explore all that Luxor has to offer!

To see more photos of our Nile cruise click here.

Chill Out! Hangin' With Captain "Chill" in Aswan, Egypt

Stats:

Destination: Aswan, Egypt

Number of Days Spent: 4

Where we stayed: Hathor Hotel ($16) One of our better value hotels on the trip. A/C, refrigerator, roof top pool (a little dirty but acceptable), and this great view overlooking the Nile. They also organized the trip to Abu Simbel for 80 EP with a stop at Philae, High Dam and unfinished Obelisk on the way back, 70 EP without; it's a shared trip with about half of the other budget hotels sharing one van and good value considering the difficulties of getting to Abu Simbel and lack of cheap accommodation once there.

Best restaurant: El-Tahrer Pizza, right across the street from the train station, had decent pizza and a good value compared to it's competitor across the street - Biti Pizza. For a little more upscale (but still reasonable - this is Egypt after all) one block west and two blocks south on the left side of the street from the train station was an excellent restaurant serving local food (including a truly amazing vegetarian platter). We think it was called Maka but we can't remember for sure.

Best of: The ruins at Abu Simbel in our opinion are the best in Egypt! While in Aswan you simply must take a felucca (small sailboat) at least once on the Nile!

Worst of: The shop keepers in the souq are relentless and rude. One even tried to touch Tracy; his hand was met with my fist - jerk. Even after that he tried to still sell us the shirt as we walked away.

Most Memorable: "Come! I want to make you a good deal on the water!" - uttered by an anxious shopkeeper selling staples. After refuting his offer of 3 EP (55 cents) for a liter of water once and walking away, he came down to 2.5 EP (45 cents) for Dasani Water (name brand). Had we have found the off brand water (Siwa is a common one) the going rate should be 2 EP (35 cents). When in Egypt it pays big time to know how much stuff should cost. If you just hand over the cash you usually get the "local" price.

Useful Tip: There are two different trains that run from Cairo to Aswan via Luxor overnight. The sleeper train will set you back $60 one way, but another car, oftentimes on the same train, offers a seat for around $20. You have to go to the station or pay a little extra to the hotel to get them in advance, but at a third of the price it's not a bad ride and gets you there all the same.

Sitting just north of Lake Nasser (world's largest artificial lake) and the High Dam sits the unassuming town of Aswan population around 1 million. Where Cairo and the cities of the north thump and pound 24/7, Aswan and the south quietly pass the time. Much like the slow and meandering river that is it's life blood, the people of Aswan are a more relaxed bunch as a whole and live a simpler life. Aswan was an important military and trade outpost on ancient Egypt's southern borders and it's quarries of granite were important for monument building. It also makes for an excellent jumping off place for the temples of Philae and Abu Simbel, two important and still to this day impressive feats.

Upon arriving on the overnight train from Cairo around noon, we checked into our hotel and did what most Egyptians do in the afternoons - take it easy. In the summer, with temps reaching close to 50 C (over 120 F), everything slows down to a standstill between 1-5. Shops close, workers take a long siesta and many Muslims head to afternoon prayer. Taking advantage of our hotel's tiny rooftop pool, we cooled off in the afternoon waiting till closer to sunset to find a felucca for a sunset cruise.

"Where to find a felucca captain? Ha, they are like flies - they find you! Just walk across the street." ~ man behind the counter of our hotel when asked where to go to arrange a felucca ride. With hundreds of feluccas and a handful of tourists visiting in the summer months, be prepared to be swarmed by every captain available the moment you set foot on the Corniche. One captain went by Captain Chill and offered us a "Chill" ride...a nice time to relax. After a bit of negotiating, we ended up paying 20 EP (15 EP + 5 EP for baksheesh - total about $3.50) each (there were four of us) for a couple of hours sailing around the tiny islands and rocks dotting the Nile culminating with an excellent sunset view. Aside from the occasional mentions of "baksheesh" (if you go a day in Egypt without hearing it at least once, you must not be in Egypt) and finding out that "chill" means "Want some weed?" it was a relaxing couple of hours out on the water. The sunset views were well worth it.

The next day we were off to see Abu Simbel. There are a couple of ways to get here. One is on an expensive plane. Yet another is to hop on one of the cruise ships that ply the waters of Lake Nasser...also quite expensive. The most interesting and far less expensive way is to take a day tour from Aswan via the Government mandated convoy. When terrorists started targeting tourists in the late 90's and early 00's the government instigated the convoy policy to help protect one of it's most valuable industries (tourism in Egypt accounts for 1/5 of the nation's GDP). Now that the troubles are over (for the most part) they still have this asinine way of handling the issue. Every tour bus, van, taxi & tourist carrying private car meets up at 5am in Aswan. The police part of the convoy consists of a couple of Barney Fife's with pistols (probably one bullet each...they're expensive) in a squad car barreling down the deserted desert highway well beyond reasonable limits. This forces all the drivers into NASCAR mentality. Taxi's overtaking three at a time, tour buses overtaking tour buses...all in an effort to be the first ones in the parking lot. Not sure how this is supposed to keep us all safe and it's a major farce if you ask me but we managed to make it there terrorist and caution flag free.

Once there, you are greeted by a man made hill overlooking Lake Nasser. Abu Simbel was one of several temples that would have been lost to the rising waters of the Lake had it not been for UNESCO. The temple was painstakingly cut into over 2000 pieces each weighing 10-45 tons and moved up and out of harms way over a period of about 4 years. It's only fitting that it took a modern feat to save this ancient one from destruction. After rounding the hill, you are greeted by the iconic statues of Ramses II. Like guardian centurions, this temple was built for a couple of purposes. One was to celebrate the conquests of Ramses II and honor the gods that made all things possible. The other was to serve as a warning to other African tribes that the nation of Egypt was strong and powerful.

Standing alongside the great ruler, almost lost in the scene, are his wife, mother and some of his favorite children, albeit about 1/3 the size of himself.

The inside of the monument continues his ode to himself and his greatness. Ramses II ruled for 67 years making him one of the longest reigning pharaohs. During that time, he oversaw several important building projects. Aside from this temple, he had another one built in his honor in the valley of Kings at Luxor and expanded on Karnak, also at Luxor, the largest temple ever built and arguably the most important temple in Egyptian history (more on that in a couple of postings). On the walls are depictions of some of his battles, the most famous of which is the pharaoh riding a chariot into battle against the Hittites (present day Syria), seemingly single handedly willing his army to victory. In another feat of Egyptian engineering the entire temple was built at just the right angle to where the sun rises and peers into the temple all the way to the inner chamber on the 22nd days of February and October every year.

Nearly overwhelmed by it's famous neighbor, the temple of Hathor sits just opposite Ramses II. Hathor was the goddess of fertility, one of the more important gods in Egypt and was represented mainly as a cow. One interesting note that makes this temple a little different than others is the depiction of the pharaoh and his wife at the same height. Inside are shrines to Hathor along with statues of Ramses and his wife.

Just outside of Aswan between the new and old dams lies the stunningly beautiful Temple of Isis on Philae Island, a temple only befitting of the mother of kings, Isis. In the middle of the Nile, the buildings standing today date starting from the last of the Egyptian kings, 300 B.C.E., all the way up until around 300 C.E. where Isis had become one of the most worshiped gods in all of the Roman empire. After the embrace of Christianity spread, the temple was defaced and transformed to a chapel and then later again defaced by Muslims. With it's importance to society lasting into the common era the remains are well intact. The columns and wall are carved with inscriptions depicting stories of the gods.

The day tour also stops at the Aswan High Dam and the Unfinished Obelisk, both really not worth the price of admission unless you are really into modern dams and rock quarries. Only half the van bothered to see the dam (and only half of this duo for that matter) and the Obelisk will remain a mystery as no one bothered to get out to see that.

Back in town, we organized our boat trip down the Nile which wasn't leaving for a couple of days so we had a little extra time to kill in Aswan.

After an action packed day the prior day, we opted to take it easy and head over to Elephantine Island. The island has a unique blend of past, present and future all packed into an easily walkable space. At one end of the island lies the oldest settlement at Aswan, Abu, which was established for trading ivory and as a fortress protecting the southern border of Egypt. At the far other end of the island lies possibly the future of the island, the Movenpick Hotel and resort. As more tourists find this a pleasant stop and the threat of terrorism becomes more of a distant memory, resorts such as this will sadly begin to outgrow their allotted space. And somewhere in between the two extremes lies a couple of Nubian Villages representing the present. The majority of the inhabitants here live a much simpler life than that of the city proper. Women bake bread and weave mats for pennies a day, children find pleasure from a plastic bag for a toy kite and the men sit around and smoke sheesha in between taking the boat out fishing. On our little trip, we found all the above along with at least two "mayors" attempting to aid us on our journey to his "approved" shop and a couple of "baksheesh" kids. While it's not much, and the proximity to major tourist attractions make it more "Disneyland" Nubian village, it's an interesting enough place to wander around for a couple of hours and it gives a glimpse into the more rural life of Egypt.

Outside of Cairo, Aswan has one of the largest souqs in Egypt. If there ever was a sign that the local economy hangs on every last tourist dollar, euro or pound this place would take top honors. Stretching for over eight city blocks, the souq is filled, and I mean filled with every tourist souvenir imaginable. Anything from African handicrafts to stuffed zebras can be had and bargaining here is an absolute must. With so many shops and so few tourists it's a wonder how this many stores exist. Even if you are not shopping, it's an experience to just walk up and down and hear the often times feeble attempts to get you to turn around and look at their junk. Anything from walking right in front of you to yells of "You are so lucky (to me) my friend! How many camels you want for her (referring to Tracy)?" At times it can be a bit overbearing, but if you take it in stride and just realize they are trying anything they can to make a few bucks it can be fun.

After getting our feel of the markets, we boarded the little cruise ship for a couple of days on the oldest river in the world, the Nile river from Aswan down to Luxor.

The End.

To see more photos of Aswan click here.

To see more photos of Abu Simbel click here.

Hisssss! Dodging traffic on our way to the Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt

Stats:

Destination: Cairo, Egypt

Number of Days Spent: 3 days

Where we stayed: Juliana Hotel (130EP or $22) Nice, clean place in the Garden District. Free WIFI. Hard to find, especially at night since it's on the third floor of a bank building with a small sign. If you are looking for peace and quiet in the middle of Cairo this is about as good as it gets. That does mean, however, a short walk to restaurants, shops, etc.

Best restaurant: Egyptian food is widely regarded as the worlds worst cuisine but there can still be a few diamonds in the rough. Koshary El Tahrir had excellent koshary ( 5EP/$1 I like to call it leftover surprise - think spaghetti with rice and lentils topped with fried onions & a garlicky vinegar with optional hot sauce - weird but tasty), Falfela is a bit touristy and a tad overpriced, but the hummus and roasted chicken are both excellent. Lastly, the roasted eggplant sandwiches (about $.25-.50) at At Tabei ad-Dumyati was great for an on the go meal before jumping on the train to Aswan!

Best of: 4000 year old burial chambers in the shape of pyramids, rich treasures of the Pharaohs, get "lost" in Islamic Cairo - never a dull moment

Worst of: 20 million people + little to no rainfall + very little government regulation = one of the most polluted locations on the face of the earth. After just one day in the city your snot turns black and coughing is about as common as breathing. The museum could stand some AC.

Most Memorable: Watching the circus like show between touts and package tourists that goes on at the base of the world's best known monuments...The Impressive Pyramids of Giza.

Useful Tip: Always negotiate everywhere in Egypt, for everything unless a price is clearly stated in writing (and even then sometimes). This includes taxis, tours, water, the use of toilets, etc. In the Egyptian Museum there are two mummy rooms included for the price of one ticket - two people can split one ticket as both rooms are similar. Generally speaking, the more aggressive the tout, the more they will attempt to rip you off. Look for the guy who doesn't seem to care - they will usually be your best bet in getting the "local" price.

Bumper to bumper traffic. Streets lines with thousands of black taxis. Pedestrians intermingled in the fray doing a real life version of Frogger. Cars driving without lights on at night. Welcome to Cairo, home to over 20 million people making it the largest city in Africa. It's noisy, polluted, dirty and yet somehow manages to exude a little charm in between the layers of grime. One side of town boasts the famous pyramids of Giza, nearly engulfed by the ever growing city. On the other side lies the heart and soul of Cairo, the chaotic charm of Islamic Cairo. Sandwiched in-between the two the old collides with the new. The oldest river in the world and sustainer of Egyptian life, the Nile, meanders past an ever growing center of business and modernization. Many come and go right to the Pyramids and leave, but giving the city even a moments glance will reveal a side you don't expect.

Upon stepping off the bus at around 11:30pm, we were immediately surrounded by taxi touts. There are an estimated 80,000 taxis in the city and finding one is hardly a question. Finding one with a working meter, however, is virtually impossible. To compound problems, anyone can be a taxi driver, all you need is a car that runs...sorta. Our cabbie didn't have any clue where our hotel was but yet still had the calls for "Baksheesh!" (the word for tip in Arabic) in full gear. A hour later, a tour of Cairo included in the price, and we still hadn't arrived. Not until we got out of the car and walked around deserted streets looking for a small sign that was on the third floor of a bank building did we finally find the place. Once again the cries for Baksheesh came but we didn't have small change to begin with so the pissed off, inept driver sped off. Welcome to Cairo.

Regarded as one of the most important museums in the world, the Egyptian Museum sits square in the heart of Cairo and contains some of the greatest archeological finds of all time. King Tut's treasure (what is not out on loan that is), two rooms of mummies, and loads and loads of statues, bowls and just about everything under the Egyptian sun found along the banks of the Nile over the past 200 years all sit in this aging building. Entrance fees are steep (about $28 per person for museum and mummy rooms), but that's mainly a fundraising effort to build a much needed state of the art museum out near the pyramids. One could spend days here exploring and researching, and some do. For the casual travelers such as ourselves, a half day covers the highlights without too much rushing around. King Tut's treasure trove is simply stunning and overwhelming. Like Russian Stacking Dolls, the boy king was laid to rest under three sarcophagi which were then placed in four shrines. His mask and inner sarcophagi weigh a combined 121 kilos (266 pounds) of solid gold! At the other end of the museum lies the other major highlight...the mummy rooms. Although they cost extra to get into, it's worth it to see them so well preserved after 3000 years, albeit a little bizarre. Sandwiched in between are literally thousands of exhibits that would in most museums be the focal points, but in this one, more of a footnote. The only downside to the museum at the moment is the building itself. Little money has went into it since all the money is being saved for the new place. Many of the display labels are from the 50's or earlier, the building lacks AC - a major drawback in the summer heat, and the whole place has a fine layer of dust. Perhaps sometime in the year 2020 these treasures will finally get a climate controlled home they deserve.

After getting our feel of ancient history, it was time to step outside and into the 21st Century. A short cab ride away from the modern hotels and buildings cropping up around the Nile, lies the heart of Islamic Cairo. Here, the modern business suits give way to the traditional robes. Aish (Bread) is freshly baked for pennies. No matter the time of day, the streets are alive. This part of town is also a good place to practice, or at least, experience the unique "language" of Cairo. While Arabic is the official language, Cairenes have a couple of unique ways to "say" common phrases. To ask for the check at a restaurant, simply make a slashing motion with one hand across the palm of the other. A nod with the head in conjunction with a "tsk" sound is the way to say no. Our favorite, however, is when they need to come through and you're in the way, they make a "hiss" sound. While in our culture that may be a little rude, here it's normal.

A trip to Egypt would not be complete without seeing the famous pyramids. Upon seeing these massive monuments it is easy to see how some people may believe them to not be man made, but rather, by aliens or gods. Research has shown however that during the months when the Nile became flooded, thousands of farmers could have been routed away from their lands to build these mausoleums of the pharaohs. With the waters being high, it would also aid in transporting the stones from quarries up stream. While the pyramids at Giza grab all the attention and hoards of tourists, there are over 90 pyramids scattered across the desert plains and a few of them are well worth the effort. We dedicated a full day to visiting a few of the lesser known pyramids as well as the must see ones at Giza.

We started the day at the oldest pyramid known as the Step Pyramid of Saqqara. Built by Zoser in 2650 B.C.E., the Step pyramid consists of six levels rising to a height of 60 meters (about 200 feet) and is made entirely of stone making it the oldest stone monument in the world. The pyramid is the centerpiece of a vast funerary complex that includes courtyards, temples and halls connecting them all together. The structure represents the earliest attempt to move away from perishable building materials like mud and wood and gave birth to later Egyptian achievements. As an interesting footnote, the complex is also home to the oldest known graffiti. A visitor to the tomb during the reign of Ramses II (1500 years later, 3000 years ago) scribbled on one of the walls his admiration for Zoser. With Saqqara being the burial place of the ancient city of Memphis (capital of Lower Egypt) the entire area is covered in not only other pyramids, but also more common burial tombs. The social elite would also have elaborate burial tombs built. While they don't match the pyramids in size and height, these other tombs surpass the pyramids in paintings and giving detailed accounts of more day to day life. Most of the walls are adorned with hieroglyphs and scenes of just about everything from battles to birthing.

Just a little farther South from Saqqara lies a couple of other significant pyramids: The Bent and the Red Pyramids. After successfully mastering the step pyramid concept, the Egyptians would try and build them taller and completely smooth sided. Their first attempt came about 50 years later in the form of what is known today as the Bent Pyramid. Starting at a 54 degree angle, the architects realized halfway up that the building was becoming unstable and could not continue at this angle. The rest of the building was then completed at the more gentle slope of 43 degrees giving the structure a "bent" appearance. Undeterred, the architects began building another pyramid next door, this time starting at a 43 degree angle. The results are known today as the Red Pyramid and represent the first true pyramid ever built. Both pyramids are the same height at 105 meters (about 345 feet) making them the third largest pyramids, only the ones at Giza are larger. As an added bonus, the entrance fee and fee to climb inside are both about half as much as they charge in Giza plus there are no touts and you are likely to have the place to yourself. We played tomb raider and climbed the steep 125 steps down into the inner chambers. Word of warning - stretch before you climb - we didn't and the awkward angle you are forced to climb will leave you a little sore for a couple of days...no kidding. While it was a neat experience to be wandering around inside a 4500 year old building, there was not much to look at. While the architects finally got the right angle, the interior decorators must have had more important things to do. The walls are completely void of any adornment.

The only remaining "Seven Wonders of the World". Evidence of aliens? Arguably the most recognized man made structure on earth. Whatever you know or have heard of the Pyramids of Giza cannot prepare you for the sight. Here they stand, the largest of which contains 2.3 million blocks each weighing in at around 2.5 tons reaching a height of 146 meters (around 480 feet), as they have for 46 centuries. Standing guard is the iconic Sphinx. With the body of a lion and the face of...well, the Pharaoh himself, the Sphinx is overshadowed by the pyramids but still quite large. Probably the best and worst part of visiting the pyramids today are all the tourists...followed by all the touts. We like to refer to it as somewhat of a circus. Don't get me wrong, the pyramids are impressive and well worth the visit, but watching the touts go to work on the bus loads of overpaying tourists was equally as entertaining. When 1/5 of your economy comes from tourism, and your number one tourist attraction (volume wise) is within easy reach of 20 million people, most of which are at the poverty level or borderline poverty, you have a recipe for hoards of trinket peddlers and camel jockeys all trying to get your attention and separate you from your cash. "Want camel ride?" "Why not?" "I have nice Camel." "It's too hot to walk" "Long walk, take Camel?" "I give you Egyptian price!" "Ok, you don't want to ride, how about lady?" "Come on, nice experience!" I think you get the picture. After finding a shady spot, which are few and far between by the way, we sat down and watched the spectacle ourselves. We recommend doing the same. Sit, have some water, and watch the interactions that occurs. The pyramids themselves are a must see, but the circus that goes on at the bottom will give you a story to tell if nothing else.

Having our feel of Pyramids and highly congested Cairo, we packed our bags and hit the night train all the way down (or up depending on your perspective) to Aswan.

To see more photos of Cairo click here!

Does it look like we are trying to swim 8 miles underwater to the border? Diving the Red Sea - Aqaba, Jordan!

Stats:

Destination: Aqaba, Jordan

Number of Days Spent: 4 days

Where we stayed: Bedouin Garden Village - 25 JD - $33/night with breakfast, a pool (a godsend in the heat), AC & wifi

Who we dove with: Arab Divers - 22 JD/dive ($30/dive - you must book direct, negotiate and complete at least 6 dives to get this rate - we highly recommend this company, the dive master was terrific and the equipment in excellent condition)

Best restaurant: Arabic Moon - cold & creamy hummous (with meat & without), falafel, salad & Arabic bread...a feast for 2 with drinks (beers are sold elsewhere) was 6 JD ($9). This was hands down our favorite restaurant in the Middle East. The hordes of locals streaming in for lunch & dinner seem to agree! While we were in Israel (see future post) we seriously thought about crossing back across the border for another meal at this great local joint. It would have been worth it aside from the visa costs and border formalities...I wonder if they would have delivered to the border? Do you have anything to declare? I digress.

Best of: Warm water, crystal clear visibility & very few tourists make diving here a pleasure (Aqaba is supposedly what Sharm & Dahab were like 10-15 years ago).

Worst of: The "cool" ocean breeze felt like it was coming from a hot hair dryer. The local perverts like to hang out at the beach to catch a glimpse of the western women in bathing suits (the local women swim covered head to toe so we were quite the sensation in our "shocking" swimsuits).

Most Memorable: While we were preparing to dive near the Saudi Arabian border a jeep with a gun mounted on the top pulled up to us and soldiers (holding guns as well) jumped out to see what we were up to. Meanwhile we're standing there in our swimsuits, wetsuits half on and oxygen tanks in the trunk...hmmm.....it sure sounds like a mystery. No worries though, they just wanted to confirm that we had no plans to swim the 11 kilometers to the border to cross illegally. No thank you.

Useful tips: If you are heading to the beaches (ie Bedouin Garden Village) take the shared van for .50 JD instead of the taxi for 5JD. They leave from just next to the fort. Don't forget to negotiate to get that rate!

Day 1: Eat breakfast, dive in the Red Sea, spend the afternoon sitting in the pool reading & chatting with friends (this was the only place we could stand to be in the heat), late afternoon dive again, eat dinner, have a beer & go to bed.

Day 2: Repeat day 1.

Day 3: Repeat day 1.

A fantastic time was had by all :-) Here are the pictures to prove it!

Seriously, aside from diving/snorkeling Aqaba does not offer much else to the independent traveler. There are a few places offering water sports mainly to package tourists from Amman; but there are far better beaches in the world...and you don't have to worry about the perverts. Good thing the diving is pretty good.

After recharging our batteries a bit it was time to hit the trail. Next stop, off to the largest city in Africa: Cairo, Egypt.

To see more photos of Aqaba click here!

Where's my Donkey? Hiking in the "Lost" City of Petra, Jordan

Stats:

Destination: Wadi Musa (Petra), Jordan

Number of Days Spent: 3 days

Where we stayed: Valentine Hotel - 15 JD ($24) The rooms were among the cheapest in Wadi Musa but the real appeal is the great group of travelers this place attracts. Every night they offer a dinner buffet and almost everyone attends. Stories are swapped and recommendations are traded for future travel. They also offer free transport to and from Petra, a blessing at the end of a hard day. As if that were not enough perks, they also show Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade every single night (the last scenes were filmed here in Petra).

Best restaurant: The hotel offered a 4JD ($6) dinner buffet each night with more than 20 different mezzes. It was excellent and we took advantage of it each night.

Best of: Emerging from the Siq to reveal the stunning Treasury, multi-colored layers of Sandstone, excellent hikes around Petra

Worst of: Most of the Bedouin treat animals with respect but we did notice that some animals were tied up in the hot sun and left for hours (without any water to make matters worse). We also saw way too many young boys whipping donkeys with plastic rods & coat hangers. If you do decide to take a camel, donkey or horse during your stay there make sure it's with someone that treats the animals with the respect they deserve. Trash - some of the less often visited tombs are littered with plastic bottles & many smell like urinals. Traditionally the Bedouin live in them but now that that the government charges 20 JD - $30 per day for a 1 day ticket I think they can certainly hire someone to pick up the trash that has been collecting there for years.

Most Memorable: Nearly exhausted after walking and climbing all over the ancient city we succumbed and took a donkey to the top of the monastery (4 JD & we tipped 1 JD extra). As we rested at the top and had a picnic lunch we both agreed it was money well spent!

All it takes is one look to see why so many people have fallen in love with the "lost" city of Petra. The Nabataeans were expert traders and took over the city in the 6th century BCE. For the next 600 years they would turn this stunningly beautiful natural collection of canyons and valleys into a sprawling metropolis of over 30,000 people. Carving directly into the multi-hued cliff faces, they would build their homes, carve out places of worship and even bury their dead. After some additions thanks to those ever present Romans the city began its slow decline. Shifting trade routes and a couple of earthquakes over the next 500 years signaled the end and the city was abandoned. The famous Swiss explorer, Burckhardt (who also found Luxor in Egypt), pretending to be Muslim and on his way to worship at Aaron's tomb (also located here), talked the local Bedouin into taking him here and the secret was out. Recently named as one of the "New Seven Wonders of the World", Petra is once again on a bustling trade route...the tourist route. Petra has become one of the must sees in the Middle East and today's trade is in the form of hoards of former Bedouin hawking souvenirs to the ever increasing number of visitors.

We had a little time left with our rental car so we took a quick detour out to see Little Petra. The site was somewhat of a refueling station as caravans would stop one last time as they departed Petra before embarking across the desert. While the ruins are more impressive at Petra, the site is never crowded and there are some rare Nabataean frescoes on the ceilings making it worth a quick stop for those with their own transport.

After checking into our hotel and dropping off our rental car, we bought tickets to the Petra by Night Tour (12JD about $18 each), and here, I emphasize the word tour. We had read it was crowded, don't expect too much, it's kitsch. Figuring we had done far more kitsch things (the gladiators in Jerash come to mind) along with the prospect of seeing the ancient Treasury lit up at night was enough for us to plunk down the cash. After gathering as a group at the entrance we set off down the rock road to the Siq with 300 of our closest friends. Upon arriving at the beginning of the Siq, we are once again gathered and bunched so that we can all be herded down the canyon single file eliminating any shred of hope at a quiet stroll. Hundreds of paper bag covered tea candles light the way until you reach the Treasury. Our dreams were dashed when we realized there were no lights shining on the monument. Only the random flash from a futile attempt at getting a good shot would light the wall up enough to see it. After a small cup of tea and two songs, you are marched right back out and the experience is over. Hardly worth the hour walk and $18 in our opinion.

In the daylight however, the site is truly amazing. Winding through the Siq is an experience of its own, turning each corner in anticipation until the "Holy Grail" is revealed. Getting here before 8am (arrive at the park at 7 or earlier) will assure you of a relatively quiet experience. The Treasury stands over 120 feet high and dominates the small space it sits in. Actually a tomb for a Nabataean King, the Treasury derives it's name from a legend that the Urn sitting on top contains Egyptian treasures. Despite the fact that the Urn is a solid piece of carved sandstone, the sides are riddled with bullet marks; vain attempts to "break" open the treasure.

A hour or so hike up the valley wall leads to the High Place of Sacrifice. While it does not look like much, the site is actually one of the best preserved sacrificial site of ancient times. To build the site, the Nabataeans chopped off the top of the mountain leveling it out. Two 18ft high obelisks, carved directly from the mountain, stand as a testament to the amount of mountain that was removed. Wash basins, altars, and channels to catch the blood are still highly visible and one can easily imagine the activities that went on here over 2000 years ago. If that's not enough to get your blood going, the panoramic views from here are stunning. After making a few pretend sacrifices, we sat down and enjoyed our breakfast with a view.

Returning to the valley floor, we went down a different path passing though Butterfly Valley (Wadi Farasa). Listed as one of the best hikes in a park with lots of great hikes, the path passes though well veined rock formations and overhangs. Along the way you pass several lesser known tombs, one of which was being excavated still when we passed by.

After hiking all day long, as well as the night before, we made our way to the start of the climb to the Monastery. Already feeling a bit tired and staring down over 800 steps to the top along with about a 1 1/2 hike out of the park from the top of the Monastery we took the lazy man's approach and hired a donkey. While it does feel a bit like cheating, we get to tick another form of transportation off our list and were in much better shape at the end of the day than others who tackled the whole park in one day. No matter how you choose to get here, do make the effort as we found the Monastery to be just as impressive as the Treasury...if not slightly more. Towering to over 150 feet, the Monastery derives its name from the crosses carved inside, but it too was also built to be a tomb.

The next day we took a slightly different entrance to Petra. Instead of walking straight to the Treasury through the Siq, we took a right just at the entrance to the Siq and followed Wadi Muthlim which dumps you in the park at the end of the Royal Tombs. The path is rather straightforward and not too difficult, aside from a couple of huge boulders you have to lower yourself down from. Towards the end is where the trail is most exciting. The path narrows to about three feet wide and you can really get the feeling of water gushing though here carving a winding path in its wake. The added bonus of being the only ones around added a sense of adventure to the detour.

Emerging from the canyon, we made our way to the top of the hill, this time on the other side of the valley to get a good look at the Theater & Treasury from above.

Surrounded by all the natural beauty and the ancient ruins, one other aspect of Petra worth mentioning are its people. The Bedouin have lived here for hundreds of years eking out existences mainly as substance farmers until recent times. With tensions easing up between Israel and Jordan, tourism has changed the landscape. While most of the people who used to live in the caves and tombs of Petra have been relocated, there are still a dozen or so families still living in the park. Their entire lives are based on selling trinkets and animal rides to the ever increasing hoards of tourists. While they can get a little overbearing, just keep in mind they are just trying to make a living, keep a smile on your face and they will return the favor.

While all tourists have to hike in, the locals get around by other means.

The Royal Tombs were our last major stop. Opening to the main valley in Petra the Royal Tombs are an impressive collection of facades that are striking in the evening sun.

After wearing ourselves out hiking all over Petra for two days it was time for a little R&R down by the sea. Next stop: Diving in the Red Sea at Aqaba, Jordan.

To see more photos of Petra click here!

Camel crossing & a night in the desert - Wadi Rum, Jordan

Stats:

Destination: Wadi Rum, Jordan

Number of Days Spent: 2 days

Where we stayed: Wadi Rum Tours (www.wadirumtours.net) - 30 JD/person including lunch, dinner, tea & water ($45*2=$90). We really liked this camp which was recommended to us by other travelers. It's located within Wadi Rum at an excellent sunset spot and is one of the few that offers running water (it's even hot from the sun for that sunset shower) and flushing toilets. As a bonus it's the same price as the others booked at the Wadi Rum entrance. Note that it must be booked in advance, the owner Obeid will fetch you from the entrance and take you to the camp.

Best restaurant: The dinner at the camp was pretty tasty, it included chicken baked in a zerb (an oven in the sand), a vegetarian dish, rice, salad & coke.

Best of: Sleeping under the stars in Wadi Rum & waking up to the sun rising over the rock formations! Beautiful!

Worst of: Our camel ride was an overpriced joke. We should have taken one from the visitor's center as they are about half the price of the camps. If you want to take one make sure you state where you want to go otherwise you may end up just wandering through the desert without a destination. They should run 7 JD per hour and our camp was charging 15 JD per hour. But at least we only booked an hour, the 3 other people at our camp booked 2 hours at 30 JD which was of course an even bigger rip off. Unless you really love riding a camel an hour is probably enough time. I guess we can still say we rode a camel where Lawrence of Arabia rode one which makes up for some of the extra cost.

Most Memorable: Climbing up our first sand dune in the mid-day sun (not so good)...then flying down it (great)!

Useful tip: Make sure your lodge is located within the confines of Wadi Rum. There are many camps operating on the outskirts. Beware of people that approach you on the bus on the way in claiming to be from this and that camp. They usually want to sell you a tour, camel ride or lodging at a place outside the reserve. The prices are strictly regulated by the park so if they tell you a deal that's too good to be true it probably is.

After all the Biblical history of Mt. Nebo and the Jordan river, it was time to fast forward into the 20th century and head out into the desert Lawrence of Arabia style. In his book, Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Lawrence writes fondly of this stretch of desert along the southern reaches of present day Jordan. It is here before and during WWI that Lawrence recruits and gathers Arabs to fight for independence from the Turks. Aside from a makeshift house and a few inscriptions, little remains from Lawrence's day. The real star of the show here is the landscape.

After settling into our camp, we took off for a quick one hour jaunt through the desert thanks to our new four legged friends, a couple of camels. It was in the desert and in the same area where Lawrence would have rode, but that is where the comparisons end. Our short jaunt consisted of an overly bored kid leading a couple of tourists on a walk in circles near the camp. To make matters worse, he forgot his watch so every couple of minutes he would ask what time it was to make sure we didn't go over our hour. I finally gave up and handed him the watch.

We have seen a lot of sunsets in quite a few places, but this one ranks up there as one of the best. Perhaps it's the solitude and peace that comes with witnessing such events without all the noise of traffic or an overcrowded beach full of people. Or maybe it's the way the sun sends it's final rays over the rocks only to have the remaining hills illuminated in a magnificent glow. But I think the best part of watching a sunset in a desert such as this is how clear the sky becomes at night. That night, after dinner, we pulled our mattress and blankets from the tent and slept out under the heavenly skies. The air temperature perfect, the eery sound of silence, and a canopy of thousands of twinkling lights sets the stage for the best night of sleep you will find anywhere.

With our batteries fully recharged, we arose early and set out with Obeid, our host and guide, on a four wheel excursion through the desert. The area has been home to traveling nomads for thousands of years as evidence from carvings on the walls. The carvings would help early Bedouin find their way back to the handful of springs and help lead the way to the next outposts along the trade routes.

Part of the natural beauty, several of these rock "bridges" were formed through erosion. We took a quick climb to the top of this one and peered over the edge. Not a good place if you are afraid of heights...or perhaps a good place to conquer that fear.

Sand, sand and more sand. While it's all fun and games at the beach or in a box in the backyard, the real deal is a different story. From a distance, climbing a sand dune seems rather straight forward and easy. After taking a couple of steps however you quickly realize it's a difficult task. Not only do you sink and slide almost as much as you gain, but the hot sand adds more misery as it falls in around your legs when you sink. The only relief is to dig in and find the cooler sand several layers below. At least you are rewarded after reaching the top by getting to some down...fast!

After having our fun in the rather unorthodox version of sun and sand, sans surf, we packed up the car and made our way to the lost civilization of Petra, or aka, the home of the Holy Grail according to Steven Spielberg.

To see more photos of Wadi Rum click here!

Floating in the Dead - Madaba and the Dead Sea, Jordan

Stats:

Destination: Madaba, Jordan

Number of Days Spent: 3 days

Where we stayed: Mariam's Hotel (30 JD - $42 with breakfast, a pool, 24 hour hot water, wifi & clean rooms)! A godsend after the place in Azraq and much better value for your money than Jerash.

Best restaurant: There was another great, no name (only in Arabic) falafel place in Madaba about 50 meters from St. Georges Church next to Arab Bank and across from Al-Baraka Sweets. Sandwiches were about $.50 each.

Best of: Bobbing up and down in the Dead Sea, staring out over the expanse just as Moses did to see the promise land from the top of Mt. Nebo, scenic drives and pausing to let the sheep to cross the road.

Worst of: The overly protected holy spot of Jesus' baptism along the river Jordan. Since the site is No-man's-land, the only way to see it is on a guided tour.

Most Memorable: Hot, hot, hot - temperatures soar at the lowest point on Earth - at over 1200 feet below sea level temperatures rose above 50 Celsius (113 Farenheit). Trying to wipe salty sweat away with our even saltier hands was quite a challenge.

We based ourselves in Madaba to explore the surrounding areas of the Dead Sea, Bethany-on-the-Jordan, Mt. Nebo, Karak and Madaba itself. Madaba turned out to be an excellent base with several choices of hotels (Yeah! Competition means better prices and more for your money!) and restaurants. The town was an important Roman town and flourished during the Byzantine period where many churches were built and adorned with colorful mosaics. The city was abandoned after an earthquake in the 8th century for 1100 years until the Christians once again settled the town. With the discovery of the mosaics, the town became an important archaeological site as excavation continues till this day. The town is still 1/3 Christian (2/3 Muslim) today which is one of the largest Christian communities in Jordan.

Arriving from the desert castles we set off to explore the major sites of Madaba, namely the Church of St. Georges. The church is the star attraction in Madaba due to an impressive mosaic map. Built in 560BC, the mosaic is the oldest existing map of Palestine. The mosaic includes historically and religiously important sites such as the RIver Jordan (complete with tiny mosaic fish swimming upstream away from the too salty to live in Dead Sea), Jerusalem, Jericho, Mt. Nebo & the Nile Delta.

Madaba also has an impressive archaeological park. Many of the mosaics dug up from people's basements wind up here and are on display along side parts of the old Roman streets. Known for its mosaics throughout the region, Madaba and the park are also home to a workshop where the ancient art form is taught to future generations.

"Go up unto Mt. Nebo in Moab, across from Jerico, and view Canaan, the land I am giving the Israelites as their own. Their on that mountain, you will die." ~ Deuteronomy 32:49-50

After saving the Israelites from the bondage of Egyptian slavery, Moses led the people to this spot where he looked out on the promise land during his final days. While the actual site of his burial is of much debate, there is no denying that on a clear day you can see all the way to the walls of Jerusalem 45 kilometers away from the top. This day was not such a clear day, but we could still make out the outline of a city on the other side of the Dead Sea. The church on top was closed when we were there but is said to have some nice mosaics from around the 4th and 5th centuries.

The site of Jesus's baptism is said to be at Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan (yes, that is the actual name). In biblical times, "beyond" referred to the other side of the river, or in this case, the east side. Remains of churches dating back to the 5th and 6th centuries and early accounts of pilgrimages further solidify this place as the site. It is also believed to be the area where Elijah ascended into heaven upon his chariot of fire in a whirlwind. While you can still get the sense of spiritual significance, the site today is marred by politics. Armed Jews (Israel) on one side of the bank along with armed Muslims (Jordan) on the other keep a watchful eye on tourists and people of pilgrimage alike assuring no one crosses the boarder. While relations have improved in recent years, and the site is opening up more and more (there were in construction 9 churches of differing sects), the guards still serve as a reminder that little has changed.

Our last stop of the day was at the Dead Sea itself. The appropriately named body of water gets it's name from two sources: the prized mud was used in the mummification process in Egypt and the salinity is so high that nothing can live in its waters. Whether taking a dip on the Israeli side or the Jordan side, a trip to this area is not complete without "Bobbing in the Dead." At 508M (1339 feet) below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest and one of the hottest places on Earth. The drive down also provided some stunning scenery as you pass multi-hued rock and sand formations. The Sea itself is actually a basin where the Jordan River terminates and the heat evaporates off the water resulting in a body of water that is 9 times saltier than the ocean (around 31% salinity).

Given its healing properties and rich nutrients in the mud, the area has largely been turned into resorts and spas. The Jordanian government, thankfully, decided to make a public beach and charge about half what the spas charge - still pricey at around $15 per person, but oh so worth the experience. Where else can you read the newspaper while taking a swim? With the water temperature around 100F and the air temperature soaring well above 110F during the midday heat, it doesn't take long before the sweat begins to bead on the forehead. Then you are left with a problem - the salty sweat runs into your eyes and you can't wipe away the sweat with your even saltier wet hands from the water! We lasted about 30 minutes before it became too much to bare. We didn't plan our exit out too well either as we left our shoes at the top of the scorched sand bank. Don't worry though, we got the feeling back in our feet after an hour or so.

After leaving the Madaba area, we made one last Crusader Castle stop at Karak. The castle was one of many that were built by the Crusaders to not only protect Jerusalem from attacks, but just as important, collect taxes from the trade routes and help fill Jerusalem's coffers. Karak became the stuff of legends when the sadistic French Renauld de Chatillon came to take part in the crusades and stationed himself here. Chatillion delighted in torturing prisoners and then throwing them from the castle walls to their demise. This behavior brought the ire of the famous Islamic leader, Saladin. When the castle was taken, the Muslim leader executed Chatillion, the only crusader leader to receive such a fate. Wandering though the castle is a delight as many of the rooms remain intact. Highlights include an impressive covered marketplace lined with shops and stalls, a massive kitchen including a walk in oven, and a post-crusader Sultan's palace.

After leaving the crusader castle, we headed further into the desert and made our way to our next stop: The beautiful desert park of Wadi Rum.

To see more photos click on the links below:

Madaba

Mt. Nebo

Bethany

Dead Sea

Karak

Welcome to 8th Century Pleasure Palaces: The Desert Castles of Jordan

Stats:

Destination: Desert Castles of Jordan (near Azraq)

Number of Days Spent: 2 days

Where we stayed: Azraq Resthouse - 40 JD ($56 - overpriced, we suspect not very honest, not very clean and the rooms are way past their prime but it did have a great pool which was very welcome after a day in the desert. There were only 3 choices in this dusty little town...it was this one or the one with the dirty looking bathroom, complete with squat toilet...the most desirable lodging was booked up, we suspect by a single tour group because our hotel had only one other room occupied and the squat toilet one was empty)

Best restaurant: No name chicken house (name is only in Arabic) in Azraq -8 JD for a barbecued chicken, a huge plate of fatoush, Arabic bread & a plate of fries - it was enough for both of us with room to spare...luckily we had a fridge and our leftovers made for tasty chicken sandwiches for breakfast! Look for the restaurant off the main drag with the barbecued chickens out front but don't confuse it with the mutton roasters.

Best of: Islam's first pleasure (aka pervert) palace, complete with naked ladies, clapping monkeys & bears playing banjos!

Worst of: I wouldn't suggest this town as a stopover, its claim to fame seems to be grilled mutton. Not only did we see the poor things being slaughtered, skinned & hung up in front of the restaurants on the street but the air was heavy with the distinct smell of old, smelly mutton and the sounds of their demise. We also ran across two restaurants serving beef, complete with the whole cow head posted outside the restaurant. No thanks..we'll stick to the barbecued chicken...

Most Memorable: We'll never forget the smell of diesel fuel & grilled mutton wafting through the air.

Just to the east of Amman lies what is collectively known as the Desert Castles. Built by the Umayyads, the first Islamic leaders, or caliphs, based in Damascus, the castles are really a collection of castles, palaces and inns. The elite Islamic leaders built these "oases of pleasure" in the middle of the harsh desert as an escape from the strict religious practices they preached. In these private getaways, the wine flowed, the women danced and the men hunted and held horse races. While most of the buildings are modest affairs from the outside, the walls contain some great stories of days gone.

Leaving Jarash, it didn't take long before we left the farmland and were into the rocky and unforgiving desert. It is out here that Bedouins seek out an existence herding animals from one spot to another as they have for centuries.

Our first stop was at Qasr Hallabat. Hallabat began life as a Roman outpost, later converted to a monastery, until the Umayyads added elaborate baths, a mosque, and colorful frescoes and mosaics. The fort today has a few great mosaics, and scattered amongst the Islamic ruins you can see the evidence of the earlier Romans with Latin inscriptions carved into a few of the building blocks.

Just on the outskirts of the forgettable town of Azraq lies Qasr Azraq. While the fort is the least impressive on the circuit and was nearly completely destroyed by an earthquake in the 1920's it does boast one claim to fame. In the winter of 1917 TE Lawrence, aka Lawrence of Arabia, set up camp in this fort with his troups getting ready for battle against the Turks during WWI and the Arab revolt.

After spending the night in Azraq (rather forgettable town - see above) we headed out for the last two of the major desert castles. Qasr Kharana is one of the most intact and photographed of all the castles. This imposing structure boasts what looks like towers and narrow arrow slots in the walls at first glance. Once inside you realize that the towers are solid rock and the slits are to awkward to be used for shooting arrows. It is now believed that this structure served as an inn on trade routes and pilgrimages to Mecca.

Our final stop on the desert castle tour led us to Qusayr (little castle) Amra. Amra was the highlight of our trip out to the desert. The current structure is believed to be built by the same caliph that built the famed Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem as well as the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Unlike those two buildings however, this UNESCO heritage site has the best preserved frescoes that give a glimpse into what the caliphs might have been up to in the far reaches of the desert away from the watchful eyes of the faithful. The frescoes range from rather innocent scenes of hunting to more risque scenes of naked women bathing and even a bear playing a banjo with a money dancing in tune?!? While the official line of Islamic scholars blame the paintings on other groups of Arabs or rogue rulers, the evidence strongly points to the caliphs being the culprits.

After getting our feel of 8th century "sin" city, we drove off to the Mosaic capital of Jordan, Madaba.

Battling Gladiators in Jerash, Jordan

Stats:

Destination: Jerash, Jordan

Number of Days Spent: 1 day

Where we stayed: Hadrian's Gate Hotel - 35 JD ($49)

Best restaurant: Lebanese House - excellent hummous (1.60 JD) & grilled chicken (4.50 JD) a bit spendy, but worth it.

Best of: Does seeing Harry Potter count? After picking up our rental car in Amman we headed to the movies for a break of A/C, a fun flick & move theater popcorn (the one thing Jason misses the most)! Seeing the well preserved Roman city of Jerash was also pretty cool too but sometimes you just crave a little taste of home.

Worst of: A few road signs in Jordan would really help tourists navigate the roads.

Most Memorable: We will never forget the Romans fighting the Barbarians (complete with fake blood) in the restored Hippodrome in Jerash all set to "The Gladiator" soundtrack playing on a loop...it's one of the cheesiest things we have done yet (definitely overpriced at 12 JD - it might be worth 3-4 JD for a laugh).

Useful Tip: If you plan on renting a car to get around Jordan, renting a car from www.hertzjordan.com as opposed to www.hertz.com will save you quite a bit. We booked the day before and still got the car for $30 US a day including tax, unlimited mileage & drop-off in Wadi Musa.

We ended up taking a service taxi to Amman instead of the bus since the price was about the same and because it was Friday, the Sabbath, they ran less frequently. After getting our car rental, we headed to our first stop - the cinema?!? While heading to the grocery store was foremost in our mind, we ended up at one of the largest malls in Amman, complete with a movie theater! We couldn't let the opportunity slip by us so we ended up watching Harry Potter (with popcorn!) as well as picking up vital supplies for our road trip. After coming out of the movie after dark, we regretted the decision a bit as it took us a while to actually find the one hotel in Jerash but we eventually made it.

The ruins themselves are rather impressive and rival others we have seen in the area in size and scale. The city never became overly important to the Roman Empire as it was mainly used as an agricultural hub. Despite its lack of importance (or perhaps because of), the ruins are still impressive and largely intact. By this point we were filling a bit of Roman ruin overload (if you are keeping count, we are well into the double digits now), but Jerash did offer one interesting difference.

This was the first place to offer an actual show. The Hippodrome has been rebuilt and the Jordanian Army puts on a half hour spectacle complete with chariot "racing", marching legionnaires, and of course your gladiators. It was just as kitsch as you might imagine, but still gave us a good laugh...particularly at the peck-flexing barbarian trying to show off for the ladies. There was even fake blood involved...does it get any better? The tape played on a loop with a noticeable break in the music (from the "Gladiator" movie of course) as the chariots "raced" around was quite funny in a sad way as well.

After getting a good laugh, we loaded up the car and headed for the Desert castles of Jordan!

To see more photos of Jerash click here!

Shimmering Mosques and Winding Alleys: Damascus, Syria

Stats:

Destination: Damascus, Syria

Number of Days Spent: 3 days

Where we stayed: Sultan Hotel - $55 - Hotels in Damascus are very expensive and there are only a few budget hotels that book up fast. We suggest booking this city in advance in order to secure reasonably priced accommodation. A lot of travelers that we met recommended Al Ghazal. The guy at reception was really friendly and the reception area was nice.

Best restaurant: The ice cream shop, Bekdach, must be world famous because people literally flocked to it. Located in the souq you couldn't go more than a few minutes without seeing someone licking a cone. The ice cream is made with shellab, a semolina batter (sounds strange, we know, but it's good), and were topped with crushed pistachios. We enjoyed one cone each day as we walked into the old city through the souq (1 cone - 50 pounds - $1) though on our last visit we were a little dismayed to see this fellow smoking his cigarette on one hand and dishing up ice cream in the other (see the gloved hand).

We also liked the schwarma from Anas Chicken (located way south of the city center on Al-Midan Jazmati). They were small but cheap & tasty ($1.25), probably among the best schwarma we tried. Skip the chicken though, there are far better roasted chickens to be had in the Middle East. The fries are delicious especially when dipped in the garlicky sauce they come with.

Best of: Getting lost in the winding, narrow streets of the Old City...on purpose; The glimmering mosaics of the Umayyad Mosque, one of the most important Mosques in Islam

Worst of: The hideous cloak that foreign women have to adorn to go into the Mosque, despite being already covered head to toe.

Most Memorable: Watching the seemingly modest Muslim women shopping for lingerie in the souq...one skimpy number little more than string holding a couple of hearts in select places hung in a shop window our first pass through the souq, later on it was sold!

Simply saying the name Damascus conjures up a mystical and mysterious air. Steeped in history and significance far reaching, Damascus shares the disputed title of longest inhabited city in the world with a few of its neighbors, but few of those cities can match Damascus in importance. Since recorded times, the city has been fought over and conquered by the Egyptians, then came King David and the Israelites, followed by the Assyrians, Persians, Alexander the Great, Nabataeans (of Petra fame), and then finally the Romans. After the Roman empire fell apart, the city came under Islamic rule and the Umayyad Caliphate chose Damascus as the new seat of Islam, built a magnificent mosque, and solidified the city's importance to the Muslim world. Today, Damascus is a thriving metropolis still oozing with history, but also embracing the future with reluctant arms. Syria is still a conservative Muslim country and the capital reflects that in many ways.

The National Museum houses some rather interesting and impressive finds from around the country. A small tablet, not much bigger than a pack of playing cards, has inscribed on it the earliest alphabet in the world found so far. The other two highlights of the Museum seem a bit out of place. The well preserved Hypogeum of Yarhai was deconstructed from Palmyra and brought here in whole so that early visitors to Syria didn't have to make the once dangerous trek across the desert to see it. While it really belongs in Palmyra with the rest of the burial chambers, it's still an impressive array of carvings and tombs. The last highlight is a Synagogue dating from the 2nd century. As strange as it is that the synagogue survived in the first place (thanks to the shifting sands of the desert) it also contains some interesting frescoes depicting scenes from the Old Testament; also another oddity given the Jewish law against depictions of the human form.

A trip to Damascus is not complete without taking a step inside the beautiful Umayyad Mosque. Despite Tracy being covered, including a scarf over her head and a long sleeved shirt, the nazi like modesty police made her wear the grey cloak anyways...a fact she was none to happy about. After we were sufficiently covered for Allah, we checked out the very modest Mausoleum of Saladin. The famed enemy of the crusaders, Saladin died here and his tomb is a simple affair, much like how he preferred to live his life just outside the Mosque. The mosque itself has three distinctive minarets, the old one (Bride), the pretty on (Al-Gharbiyya), and the tallest one (Jesus - named this as local tradition holds that Christ will appear here in Judgement Day as opposed to Jerusalem). Entering through the threshold of the Mosque gives way to the courtyard with it's impressive golden mosaics. The scenes depict beautiful domes, towers and forests, supposedly the vision Mohammed had when he gazed upon Damascus and refused to enter stating he "only wants to enter paradise once." Like most Mosques, the inside prayer hall is a simple affair, carpeted flooring scattered with worshipers. One interesting addition, and a bit out of place is the glowing green shrine of John the Baptist. The mosque was built over the basilica of John the Baptist and during the building of the mosque a casket was found in the floor with a head of what must be John himself. Unless John had multiple heads, the subject is still up for debate as several places make the same claim.

Shedding our temporary overly modest attire, we exited the mosque and rounded the corner heading into the heart of the Old Quarter. Our personal highlight of Damascus was just wandering around, no real destination in mind, taking in the sights and sounds. With a city so old, the streets are more created around the buildings than the other way around in modern city planning. As a result, the streets snake and wind though the 2-3 story high buildings ever eluding to what lies around the corner. Occasionally a door will open giving way to the inner courtyards that are hidden by the unassuming walls. After wandering around, getting a little lost, and then finding our way again thanks to a little help from an American studying Arabic here, we found the chapel of Ananias. On the road to Damascus, Saul of Tarsus, a Jew sent to arrest Christians living in Damascus, was blinded by God. It was in this house, the house of Judas, that Ananias cured Saul of his temporary blindness and Saul became Paul the Apostle converting to Christianity.

The Damascus Souq is a wide covered lane resembling more of an airplane hangar than shopping mall. Underneath its high ceilings sits just about any item imaginable for sale. From the staples of silver, gold and clothing to the piles of spices, prayer beads and halal cookbooks it can all be had here.

Damascus is filled with old homes that are built in a common style: Basic and simple hallways gives way to a open and breezy inner courtyard surrounded by rooms. We took a peak into Azem Palace, built in the mid-18th century by the then governor of Damascus. While it follows the same layout as most homes, the interior is far more grand and opulent. The palace houses several courtyards, fountains, and even boasts its own hamam (Turkish style bath). There are also a few rooms with kitsch mannequins depicting life in Damascus from weddings to glass blowing.

After getting our feel of Damascus, it was time to wave goodbye to Syria. From the 10 hours at the border till now, we found all the people of Syria we encountered to be warm, friendly, and inviting. While we felt we covered the sights well enough, one could spend days and days just getting to know the culture and people that make up a unique country.

Next stop - across the border to Jordan and the Roman ruins of Jerash.

To see more photos of Damascus click here!