Philadelphia, Jordan

Arriving in Jordan's capital, Amman, in the middle of a summer afternoon, the city struck me as a sprawling, dusty, uninspiring place. But at night Amman magically transforms into a feast for the senses -- noisy, bustling, colorful, and full of the wonderful scents of the Middle East.
Amman, or Philadelphia as it used to be called, has a history that goes back 5500 years and one can get better understanding of the city's past by visiting the Roman theater in the downtown area and the citadel (and archaeological museum) on top of Jebel al Qala, Amman's highest hill.

Those Crazy Nabataeans

If there's one place people will visit while in Jordan it's definitely Petra, that "rose-red" city carved out of rock by the ancient Nabataeans in the 3rd century BC. At first I was a bit put-off by the 43 Jordanian dinar (about $60) price for a 3-day pass to explore Petra, but I quickly found it was well worth the money. Aside from the sights along the main road leading into central Petra, there are countless climbs, side trails, tombs, etc. that could take weeks to explore.

The Very Best of Traveling

Of course when traveling it's good to see the region's famous landmarks, great museums, beautiful mountains, rivers, deserts, etc., yet a favorite travel activity of mine is to simply wander around and observe the everyday routines of the locals, especially around sunset. Throughout much of the Middle East evening entertainment for people includes strolling along the corniche (boardwalk), eating out at streetside restaurants, drinking tea, smoking shisha.

Hotel Art

I could easily do an entire blog on the art displayed in cheap Middle Eastern hotels. Above is a painting I particularly liked, which was hanging in the hallway outside my room at the Moon Beach Hotel in Aqaba, Jordan.

Aqaba, Jordan

Aqaba, Jordan, is across the gulf from Dahab, Egypt, and both are well-known diving destinations. One major difference, however, is that in Dahab it's possible to get a seaside hotel room and walk across the street (pedestrians only -- no cars allowed) to swim, snorkel, and or dive, while in Aqaba you must take a microbus or taxi about 7 miles south of town to access the reefs for snorkeling and diving.

Crossing the Gulf of Aqaba

The ferry ride from south Sinai, Egypt, across the Gulf of Aqaba to Jordan takes only about 90 minutes. What with time spent buying the ticket, ferry delays, passport checks, etc. , the trip takes much longer. Yesterday I started the journey at about 1 pm (Nuweiba, Egypt, side) and arrived in Aqaba, Jordan, approximately 8 hours later.

Egyptian Cruiser

The past 3 weeks busing around Egypt generally worked out pretty well for me. The buses are not expensive, fairly timely, and some even have videos and restrooms. One thing about the Egypt bus system that can be a bit stressful, however, is that normally you can't buy your bus ticket until the bus arrives at the station. This wouldn't be bad except that often the bus just stops for a very short time -- and often doesn't have a sign on it indicating its destination. Thus while waiting for your bus you have to be on constant alert, asking people the destination of each one as it pulls into the station. And when your bus does finally arrive, you have to move quickly, rushing to the ticket counter to try to purchase a ticket, then grabbing a seat on the bus before it pulls out of the station.

The Diving Cult

Diving is so popular in Dahab that it almost seems like some some sort of cult here, the members dressed in black skintight body suits and lugging metal canisters on their backs. Personally I prefer snorkeling as it requires a lot less training, preparation, and gear. Some people even simplify further by doing away with the flippers and breathing tube, diving with only a mask.

The South Sinai

Dahab, Egypt, is located on the southern Sinai Peninsula off the Gulf of Aqaba. According to Lonely Planet Egypt it used to be a "hippie haven" in the 80's, which seems a bit odd since normally when you think of old hippie hangouts you think of the 60s, not the 80s. Though there are plenty of laid-back long-hairs around town, there's many camera-wielding, sun-burnt, pot-bellied mainstream tourists as well (which of course means many shops selling cheaply made overpriced "Egyptian" souvenirs). In any case, there are a number of cheap hotels and Egyptian restaurants, and best of all there is excellent snorkeling at the large reef just off the beach so there's no need to go through the hassle of chartering a boat. I've about 2 weeks left on my Egypt tourist visa and I think I'll use up that time here in Dahab before taking the ferry across the Gulf of Aqaba to Jordan ...

Burgers & Boutiques

There's not a whole lot to do in Port Said and the town of Suez, though it is interesting to see how the Suez Canal has affected these two towns. Port Said, at the mouth of the canal on the Mediterranean, is especially westernized with it's countless boutiques, high-end hotels, and fast-food restaurants. In fact, in that town it wasn't easy finding a simple Egyptian meal of felafel and ful (cooked beans with sesame paste). Mostly on offer was hamburgers, pizzas, and other western foods.

Run for Your Life!

I used to think the traffic in Abu Dhabi was bad, until I spent time here in Cairo. What with people from over 200 different countries living (and driving) in Abu Dhabi, you can imagine the chaos on the streets. Yet being a pedestrian in that city is a walk in the park compared to trying to walk around downtown Cairo. Basically, when crossing a street you take a deep breath before darting out, and you have to just assume that the oncoming cars will yield. I often find myself stuck out in the middle of a large street, trying to avoid getting whacked by the sideview mirrors of the cars speeding by on both sides of me. The best tactic is to cross when the Egyptians do, following their well-honed street-crossing tactics. Perhaps it's meant as a joke, but even the lighted men on the pedestrian-crossing signs are depicted as running.

Along the Suez ...

I've just returned to Cairo from a very pleasant 3-day stay in Alexandria, a beautiful (and somewhat decrepit in a not unpleasant way) old city known as the Pearl of the Mediterranean. The photo above was taken in the Khan al-Khalili Souq, an old market in Cairo. After a couple more days in the capital, I'll head north to Port Said, where the Suez Canal enters the Mediterranean. From there it's about a 3-hour bus ride south, along the length of the canal, to the town of Suez, located on the Gulf of Suez. Supposedly there's not a lot to do in that town, save for watching the "behemoth" ships glide through the canal.

Parting Shots: Cairo

Here are 3 parting shots of Cairo. Tomorrow morning I depart on the 8 am "Torbini" train for Alexandria, a smaller city on the Meditteranean coast where many Cairenes go in the summer to escape Cairo's intense heat.

Akram Hotel, Downtown Cairo

I made it to Cairo yesterday and lucked into a pretty good hotel room for about $15. In the upper photo on the left, my room with balcony is on the corner, 5th floor, so I have a good view of Tahreer Square in downtown Cairo. The other two shots are taken from my room.

Ready @ Snorkel ...

I've made it safely to Cairo. From here I'll be heading south to the Red Sea and I have my snorkel gear ready ... Supposedly the water is fine for diving and snorkeling at Dahab, Egypt, a name which means "gold" in Arabic, supposedly the color of the sand there.