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Thread: My Travels...

  1. #11
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    Re: My Travels...

    Please be safe on your journey.<3

  2. #12
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    Re: My Travels...

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by NayaSurya View Post
    Please be safe on your journey.<3
    Thanks NS, I had carefully planned the trip only to safe places.

    Today was the day to visit the crown jewel of Jordan - Petra, which predates the Romans. It was a fantastic experience. There are so many Western tourists around, mostly from Germany, the UK, Australia and some French. I have been running into some expat Indians also working in Jordan or in the Gulf states, on a holiday. I am glad I did the Petra trip today, because I swore off going for any more strenuous trips and punishing my limbs.

    Jordanians are a very friendly and hospitable lot. Since they don't have any oil, it is a poor country and many Jordanians work in other richer areas of the middle East. Even with poverty, there is hardly any crime, people appear to be at peace with themselves and are very unstressed. King is liked by most people and there is very little religious extremism.

    It was a long walk just to the entrance to Petra from the box office and then a good 2 Km hike, followed by 900 steps to get to the highest point in the complex. The breathtaking vistas, the passage through the canyon, Nabatean civilization's carvings into the gigantic rocks, all made the trip worthwhile. The movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was shot here and put the place on the world map. At US$ 85/per person for entrance fee, it has to be the most I have paid to visit a monument. Oh well, you can't take it with you. The kids just lost some more of their inheritance!

    Pranam.

  3. #13
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    Re: My Travels...

    Hari Om!

    So glad to hear that you are having a fantastic time and meeting good people in your travels. Your desciptions of the people and places make the writings come alive - makes me want to be there with you!

    I know that $85USD is steep, but memories are priceless. Just remember that you are worth it!

    Please continue to share with us. Awaiting your next adventure.

    Om Namah Sivaya!
    Jai Hanuman!

  4. #14
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    Re: My Travels...

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    Namaste,


    Today was the day to visit the crown jewel of Jordan - Petra, which predates the Romans.
    Vannakkam Believer: Good to hear all is well. I took the liberty of posting a link to a gallery for you. $85 isn't much to a millionaire.

    http://www.pbase.com/mansour_mouasher/petra&page=all

    Aum Namasivaya

  5. #15
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    Re: My Travels...

    Namaste,

    Thanks EM for the link. I provided the entrance fee info as a data point. It is nothing as compared to the cost of hotel stays and transportation.

    Next came Wadi Rum (Rum Valley), which is a vast expanse of desert (towards the Southern end of the country) with mountains jutting out. Exposure to the elements has created some interesting patterns on the rocks. The movie Lawrence of Arabia was shot here many years ago. The rocks and sand change colors with direction and amount of sun-light falling on them.

    Today was the day for dead sea. On the way from Amman to the Dead Sea are a couple of places included in the Xitian holy trail - Nebo mountain and Bethany, the baptism site. In this area, Jordan river separating Israel from Jordon is a 15-20 feet wide stream of muddy water. Standing on the East Bank in Jordan, Israel was just a stone's throw away but we could not step on its soil. There were many pilgrims on the other side doing the ceremonial baptism by putting the river water on their heads and chanting some hymns, and filling bottles to take the sacred water home. My dip in the Dead sea was eventful, in that the beach was very rocky and my foot slipped close to the water's edge making me go down head first. God! that super salty water stung my eyes and burnt my throat. That was the end of that adventure for me. I had to come out and stand under the shower for 15 minutes to try to wash that salt out of my eyes and mouth and nostrils, yikes. It left a bad taste in my mouth in more ways than one. I will probably never forget what happens if you take a dip in this salt/minerals saturated water.

    Tomorrow is another day, and I have miles to travel and places to see!

    Pranam.

  6. #16
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    Re: My Travels...

    Hari Om!

    Your experiences are wonderful and we are so fortunate to be able to read about them.

    The mud from the Dead Sea? Not the nicest way to encounter it, but Dead Sea salt and mud is SOLD in spas as a treatment for rejuvenation and for the skin. You're so lucky - you got a free treatment - ha ha!

    All the best on your continuing adventures.

    Om Namah Sivaya
    Jai Hanuman!

  7. #17
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    Re: My Travels...

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by c.smith View Post
    The mud from the Dead Sea? Not the nicest way to encounter it, but Dead Sea salt and mud is SOLD in spas as a treatment for rejuvenation and for the skin. You're so lucky - you got a free treatment - ha ha!
    I found out the hard way about this mud and salt Biz, when the Mrs. spent a ton of money on such products here. I guess that is better than spending 5 times as much in the US though .

    Last evening presented some unique views. The lights from the Israeli city of Jericho across the dead sea were a joy to watch. From behind the mountains, the city lights of Jerusalem were very inviting, as were the lights of Ramallah in the Palestinian part of the hills. I am told that the nearest Israeli crossing point from Amman is only about 35 miles away, but the visa restrictions on both sides would make it hard to go there and come back to Jordan. So, a visit to Israel will remain on the wish-list for a future outing. It is kind of sad to see how close all these neighbors are located geographically, but harbor deep seated ill will towards each other. Maybe some day sanity will prevail, maybe not.

    Walking around in Amman, and indeed traveling through the whole country of Jordan was very educational in terms of my perspective about the Muslim world. We Indians, tend to see them all through the narrow prism of our encounters with the pakis or the way news media portrays the muslim world. But things seem to be lot saner, at least in Jordan. One more thing, the Bedouins of the middle East are like the gypsies of Europe - living in tents, away from the population centers and reviled by the people as being fast talkers and thieves out to get your money. As they live in their own world, the successive generations do not have access to education and miss out on any chances of upward mobility. But that is the life they have chosen, and that is how things will continue to be.

    At the hotel lounge, we ran into a female student from MIT who is here to interview some current and ex Jordanian officials for her doctorate thesis. Oh those college days; they seem to be in such distant past!

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 10 November 2011 at 01:00 PM.

  8. #18
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    Re: My Travels...

    Namaste,

    After a hectic two weeks of jumping all over and living out of suitcases, I have reached my final destination and visited my beloved park.

    http://hindudharmaforums.com/showthr...highlight=park

    I can finally fill my lungs with the air that exudes spirituality, visit the temples where the faithful immerse themselves in bhakti, and have some joyful moments with the extended family.

    Pranam.
    Last edited by Believer; 14 November 2011 at 03:13 AM.

  9. #19
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    Re: My Travels...

    Great! Enjoy Swadesh!

  10. #20
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    Re: My Travels...

    Hari Om,
    Believer, thanks very much for sharing your experiences. It has been such an enjoyable trip to follow. Be safe and enjoy.
    As dear friend has taught me, Dhanyavaad.

    Om Shanti.

    FFTW

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