Tonight We Dine in Wadi Rum!

A Lesser-Known Heritage Site of Jordan

A camel we found and petted while grazing decided he was not done with me as I started to walk back to our SUV.

Any westerner who has heard of Wadi Rum probably recognizes its name from the 1961 movie Lawrence of Arabia.  T. E. Lawrence was a British Colonel in World War I who successfully united the constantly waring Arab tribes against their oppressors the Ottoman Empire.  Lawrence wrote an autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom (named after a rock formation in Wadi Rum) which was the inspiration for the subsequent movie.

Roughing It In a Jordanian Bedouin Camp

 When Fake Authentic Becomes Actually Authentic

We stayed in a Bedouin camp for a night as part of our two day tour of Jordan that included Petra and Wadi Rum.  The Bedouins were (and to some degree still are) a group of nomadic Arab tribes who overtook the region from the Nabateans several hundred years ago.  Today many of the Bedouins have given up goat hair tents for permanent houses, but some still live seasonally as they herd their sheep and goats to to the lushest pastures.  Other Bedouins have reached another compromise.  They maintain some camps as hotels for tourists.  

Relaxing by the fire of the Bedouin camp.  Sleeping tents are in the background.

Petra, Jordan

In the Footsteps of Indiana Jones

Few places in the world are truly unique.  Beautiful white sand beaches with crystal clear water are relatively abundant.  Ski slopes with beautiful vistas and thick powder are also not more than a couple hours plane ride from most areas of the world.  While I love visiting these types of destinations, they are not unique.  Petra in Jordan, which I visited two weeks ago is unique.  

The treasury at the entrance to Petra, made famous by Indiana Jones.  Unfortunately visitors can no go inside, which is composed of one large room.