Fun in Northern Jordan!

One of my favorite sites (I have definitely been accused of favoring them all!) in northern Jordan is the ruins of the Greco-Roman decapolis city of Gerasa - known today as Jerash. One of the highlights of a visit to Jerash is the daily re-enactment of a Roman-era gladiator fight. The photo above is courtesy of John Montgomery, photographer. John and his wife Diane LeBow, travel writer, visited me in Jordan last May. They will return in February to run a series of travel writing and photography workshops. More information here: http://enter-east.com/home/future-journeys/travel-writing-and-photography-tour---february-2011/general-information

A New Season Begins!

Greetings from Aqaba! After several eventful months on the road with Dragons students, California travel writers and a host of other interesting folk, I have returned to southern Jordan's spectacular desert and teeming Red Sea! It's great to be back and you may anticipate some new and some old stories over the next few months.

Below please find obligatory camel shot!

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

J'man (Meteb Zawideh)

As promised, Meteb's music video is the story of a man who has lost his love. What will come of him? Watch as he relays the story to his best friend. The song is sung in a traditional Bedouin dialect and was filmed on location in Syria and Jordan.

April - a Busy Month!

April is the height of Jordan's high season and I have spent the past month having quite a few wonderful adventures. Over the next few days, I will share stories about mother-daughter adventures, spectacular Petra, a visit to our neighbors and an exciting horse race in Wadi Rum! Meteb's music will also be shared - stay tuned!

On a camel in Petra!

Jumping Dragons!

Last week, I was visited by my friend Cara Lane, who is a fellow Course Director for Where There Be Dragons. Cara has led a fabulous Morocco program for Dragons for the past four summers and I consulted with her on the new Jordan/Syria program for which I am Course Director this summer. Cara is currently studying in Cairo and she and her classmate Jayne spent a couple of nights in the desert with me and the Bedouins. We visited the local women's society, ate maglubeh and hung around in the sand. It rained - to our great surprise! - and the following morning Cara and Jayne took off for Petra. What could sum up our adventure better than the following:

Yalies Roam the World

Every year Reach Out - the Yale College Partnership for International Service sends Yale students all over the globe to spend time doing service work in various countries. For the past two years, a group has come to Jordan to work at Talbieh refugee camp which is located south of Amman. In addition to their service work, students do a bit of touring and I was fortunate enough to be visited by this year's crew in Wadi Rum. we spent a quiet desert evening around the fire and up on the sand dune. In the morning, Hussein fit 11 people in his jeep. The rest of us walked out of the desert on foot enjoying the desert scenery and filling our shoes with sand.