Kids and Camels - King's Academy Comes to Disi!

This past weekend, I was visited by a group of students and teachers from King's Academy, the co-ed boarding school located in northern Jordan and based on Deerfield Academy. HMK Abdullah II's high school alma mater.  The King's Academy visit was a busy one - activities included a camel ride with Abu Motloq, a jeep tour of the desert and lunch with local students to plan a joint community service project to be carried out in Disi Village in April!  Photos courtesy of Ms. Joan Fox, King's Academy Faculty Member.

Evening at Um Al Bdoun Eco Camp

Ms. Joan and Stephen enjoy a camel trek!

Planning a service project for Disi Village

Abu Motloq prepares tea

Stephen gets up close and personal with the desert!

Another (albeit slower) Season Begins!

The current unrest facing many of Jordan's neighbors, unfortunately, has negative implications for tourism in the region as many people cancel their vacations due to concerns over possible instability.  Fortunately for us, Jordan remains the calm in the storm and the government is quick to address the requests of its people.

My first guests of the new season, Kato and Norihito, from Tokyo, spent the night in Wadi Rum and then enjoyed one of the special activities in the desert - a ride in the microlight!  A microlight is a small propeller run two-seated glider.  Soaring over the desert in the early morning allows for some amazing views - but don't forget to dress warmly!

Norihito, Kato, Jord - the pilot

Photographic Interlude

Last week, I was visited by Ms. Echo Tong, a former photographer with Xinhua News Agency in China, who was passing through Jordan on her three year world tour.  Echo captured the essence of the desert in a way that I have not seen until now.

See for yourself!

Um Al Bdoun

En route to Siq Um Al Tawaqi

In the canyon

Tea time!

The Henna Cat

4WD

Echo's first encounter with a be-hatta-ed gentleman!

How to Ride a Camel - A Photo Tutorial in Five Easy Steps

A beautiful morning in Wadi Rum is best enjoyed from atop one of the local Diseh camels. No previous experience riding camels? Not to worry! This simple tutorial, courtesy of Ms. Becky Neil, San Francisco, CA and Mr. Hussein Abdullah, Diseh, Jordan, should allay the fears of even the most reluctant of camel passengers, while inspiring the excitement of every camel enthusiast!

Step 1: Meet Hussein Abdullah and your camel steeds. Hussein will assist you as you mount.

Step 2: Grip the knob at the front of the camel saddle (see Becky's left hand) and swing your leg over the saddle as though you were mounting a horse.

Step 3: Hold on tight as the camel stands up - raising her back legs first.  You are halfway there!

Step 4:  Whoops!  There go the front legs - don't let go of that knob just yet!

Step 5:  Smile for the camera as your stomach settles back into place...

... and you head off on your desert adventure!  

Extra special camel riders will receive a special camel kiss upon completion of their journeys!

Welcoming Yoshiko Chuma and the School of Hard Knocks!

I've started to look forward to visits from Yoshiko Chuma, New York City-based performance artist and her School of Hard Knocks, who were in the midst of GATHERING SPACE in Jordan and Palestine.  At the end of November, they visited me in Wadi Rum and spent a night under the stars and a day exploring the desert.  Our time together is always too short, but we look forward to their return to southern Jordan in 2011!

L to R:  Ryuji Yamaguchi - performance artist, Hugh Burckhardt - photographer, Samer - local guide, Yoshiko Chuma - director, Alena Bartoli & Bob Smith - hosts, Koutarou Inoue - actor, Yuko Mitsuishi - performance artist, Obeid Zawaedeh - host.


Photo by Hugh Burckhardt, 2010.

Alena, this is just the most amazing thing I have ever seen!

Last April, I had the pleasure of accompanying Bob and Stephanie Sherman during their brief visit to Jordan.  Above find Stephanie's reaction to Petra's Monastery - hidden high in the hills at the back of the site.  The Monastery, not actually a monastery but more likely to have been a temple to the Nabatean king Obodas I, is my favorite place in Petra and a wonderful view to contemplate with a cup of tea in hand.

Wild Wadi Rum!

This past weekend, I completed a project with Matt Epler, a local photographer, shooting a variety of images in the Wadi Rum/Diseh area.  Together with Awwad Radi, we scouted a variety of locations inside the protected area in order to recreate several stills from famous American Western films, with a Bedouin cast replacing the likes of John Wayne and Robert Mitchum.

For more information, or to see the photos on display, please contact me at: alena@enter-east.com.