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Sunday, May 2, 2010

Another New Camp!

Last week, a group of Japanese artists visited me and Husam Mohammed in Wadi Rum. We stayed in Husam's new desert camp - a rustic place tucked in between a sand dune and two sandstone mountains. We learned a number of Bedouin traditions surrounding meal times and greetings. In traditional Bedouin society, families sit together around a plate on the ground and and eat with their hands. At the commencement of a meal, one says 'Bismillah' - in the name of God - as a blessing on the meal. The statement, 'Al hamdullilah' which means 'praise be to God' is an indication that one has had enough to eat and can eat no more. Our Japanese guests noted that maglubeh or 'upside down', chicken and vegetables cooked at the bottom of a pot of rice, was their favorite meal so far in Jordan - as they really feel comfortable and at home eating rice. We slept under a nearly full moon and then rose for sunrise. Before the guests toured the desert by jeep, we were able to take a photograph of the first group to visit Husam's camp!



Kuririn, a techie, an actor, Husam, a singer, Mejdi, Lina