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...
The Monastery from below
Petra, Jordan
even the front door is huge!
Petra, Jordan
The cafe at the Monastery
Petra, Jordan
feral cats were everywhere we went on this entire trip
Petra, Jordan
The donkeys that go up and down the stairs are amazing. They all know the best path by heart.
Petra, Jordan
"You buy from me. Not pastique. See" and then she bit the beads. She claimed her grandmother made all the jewelry in her stand, even the engraved silver, yet it was the same as the jewelry at all the other stands.... Her grandma was busy...
Petra, Jordan
Petra, Jordan
The trees seem to grow right out of the rock... and they don't seem too happy about it.
Petra, Jordan
tree of wares to be sold
Petra, Jordan
strange arches and rock formations everywhere
Petra, Jordan
taking a break for tea and some music in the shade.
Petra, Jordan
Jordanian flag
Petra, Jordan
Bedouin girl
Petra, Jordan
One man's garbage is another man's treasure...
Petra, Jordan
The youngest of five children of a Bedouin woman who we had tea with and went up to the Monastery with.
Petra, Jordan
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, Jordan
the Lion Triclinium
Petra, Jordan
Camel!
Petra, Jordan
Looking back across the Cardo (the Roman road) to the tombs of Petra, Jordan
Sisters
Petra, Jordan
waiting for the tourists along the Roman road.
Petra, Jordan
goat on the wall
Petra, Jordan
Camels and the Urn Tomb
Petra, Jordan
The Urn Tomb
Petra, Jordan
The Roman theater
Petra, Jordan
The Roman theater
Petra, Jordan
Petra, Jordan
resting in what little shade there was.
Petra, Jordan
Our horse, carriage, and driver...
Petra, Jordan
This 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, Jordan
We cheated... after making it all the way back down the 860 steps from the Monastery, across the plain in the relentless sun, all the way back to the Treasury, we decided that for the ascent back to town we would treat ourselves to a ride. This was our horse and driver.
Petra, Jordan
The 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, Israel
We 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, Israel
My Mom at our amazing dinner on the beach of the Red Sea. Our wine - Tulip!
It was the perfect day to a long day of traveling and a hot border crossing from Jordan to Israel.
Eliat, Israel
flying 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
Looking Good! I loved that we saw this every time we looked at ourselves in the mirror!
In the ArtHotel
Tel Aviv, Israel
My Mom! Happy to be relaxing at the rooftop terrace of our hotel in Tel Aviv.
