Wandering Again - Maine, Israel, Jordan
My Mom had the opportunity to go to Israel and she asked me to go along with her. I of course was all about it!! My one condition was that we had to go to Petra, Jordan because it's been on my list of places I want to photograph forever, but I never thought I would ever go there. Well, we did!!!
These pics were taken with my Nikon, my point and shoot, and my cell phone... all mixed in together...
This is Fatimah, the woman we had tea with on our way up the mountain to the Monastery. She told us that she lives in a cave in a different canyon that is three hours away from where we met her in Petra. She and her 5 children and 3 donkeys make the trip every day in hopes that they will sell jewelry and trinkets to tourists.
She wore braces which was surprising to see.
Between Fatimah and a German tourist who was hiking up by herself we were convinced to take donkeys the rest of the way up the 860 stairs. So Fatimah left her booth in the hands of a friend, gathered her children and another friend and their 3 donkeys and got us on board and up the bulk of the steps. Fatimah stayed with me walking beside the donkey (I'd never ridden anything with 4 legs so I was a bit freaked), she kept touching my leg and asking why I was shaking. She laughed when I told her I had never ridden a donkey, horse or camel.
This image is from on the way down (we hiked). We stopped at the Fatimah's booth and bought some jewelry.
Petra, JordanThis kid tried to sell us jewelry, but when he realized that we wouldn't buy from him he sat down with us and told us he was happy because how work day was almost over. He had only one hour left in a 13 hour day of trying to sell jewelry and postcards to tourists. His English was very good and he was very eager to talk with us, even if he wasn't going to make a sale.
Petra, JordanThe border crossing from Jordan to Israel, We had to get a taxi to it on the Jordanian side, then walk in the 100+ degree heat on about a 1/4 mile stretch of unshaded pavement to get to the passport control on the Israeli side of the crossing carrying our luggage the whole way. It was hot and miserable... but we were so happy to get to Eliat and relax!
border of Jordan and Israel at Eliat, IsraelWe took a night time stroll along the promenade of Eliat. This city is like a mini-Las Vegas on the beach or like an overgrown Old Orchard Beach with casinos, choose which one you can relate to... his was probably about 9pm as we were trying to find a place to eat dinner and have some wine.
Eliat, Israelflying over the Dead Sea. That looks like the end of the Dead Sea I really wanted to see with the salt formations out in the water, and none of the crazy tourist crowds.
in a plane over the Dead Sea, IsraelBig Trip 2012flight from Eliatflying over the Dead SeaIsraelDeadSea3111Snapseed