I recently returned from one of my most exciting trips and decided to share my impressions of Jordan. The first Arab country I set foot in, perhaps the most different from the ones I have been to so far.

Arrival in Aqaba

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The emotions started at the airport. A chance meeting at the gate and our modest company was doubled with three girls who had arranged with the same driver to welcome them. Extremely suspicious because of the double arrangement, we pour out in front of Mohammed, whom I found quite by chance in forums and had contacted in WhatsApp. With about 50 English words in the dictionary, a lot of Google Translate and his colorful temperament and vision in the following days, he turned out to be the main spice in our spicy adventure. So we pour at the gate with the girls and fortunately it turns out that there is another car planned for them. They loaded us two by three in the car and with dirty gas and some driving in the opposite direction they poured us into a stopped taxi by the road and transferred us to it at the speed of a persecuted refugee. We directled to the hotel, supposedly … We drove around Aqaba and the car stopped. The doors opened for us and there was no way that we can explain that our hotel is at least another 3 kilometers ahead, I had it starred in my Google maps. A tall, blue-eyed Arab in traditional clothes came out with a rosary in his hand and invited us to enter a house. He seemed to be politely inviting us, but you can’t refuse. We found ourselves in Scheherazade’s living room, large mattresses, gilded chandeliers, crystal tea sets, and three or four Arabs and little boys. It turned out that we were there to be instructed by the only person who speaks good English and to discuss the route. Meanwhile, a little boy brought us tea, coffee, sweets, water etc. The girls were with us and we were all completely unaware of how to behave adequately and whether they will put us in a sack. Stupid, Western mistrust on our part, people are just hospitable. We discussed the route, carefully wrote it down to Mohammed in Arabic so as not to confuse anything, we negotiated the terms once again and we were done. Before that, the girls and I were sent for an inspection in the harem and met the host’s wife and daughters, who were probably dealing with our 5-step treat behind the scenes.

We caught the taxi again, in which everything was held with duct tape and foil and it felt as it will fall apart at any moment, and we arrived safely at the hotel. A walk around Aqaba followed. The city was not as interesting as the attitude towards us. Two foreign white boys and four unveiled girls are sure to attract attention. We sat down to dinner, everything was very tasty (I recommend Rakwet Kanaan for eating). For the fourth time, the same cars were passing down the street so that they can look at us carefully, people were secretly taking pictures of us with their phones. Even Hollywood stars would hardly enjoy such attention as an ordinary female tourist out of season in Jordan.

Wadi Rum Red Desert

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The next day was destined for the desert, the land of the Bedouins. Mohammed provided us with tea and delivered us to the starting point inside. For him, Hristo and Georgi and I were under the common name “George” and so he called each of us individually and the whole group. I was George too, but I didn’t pay much attention, the girls are not respected here. We moved in jeeps and abruptly landed on Mars. Sand, dust, here and there a plant and once a few kilometers away a tree, this is Wadi Rum. And huge majestic rocks everywhere. They took us to a variety of canyons with ancient writings, sand dunes, where you can roll or board, high cliffs, which reveal a panoramic view of the wasteland. We were told that the “Martian” was filmed here, I could not imagine a more suitable place. For lunch, our Bedouin guides organized a desert picnic and gathered by the fire to sing to us. We were all amazed by these people and snap videos with the phones. VIDEO

Along the way we met another group of Bulgarians who became our faithful companions until the end of the journey. One boy had already changed into their traditional white clothes and red handkerchiefs and won their hearts and well-being. My favorite story about him is how the locals stop him on the way to tie his handkerchief properly, polite people.

In the evening we got on camels and greeted the sunset from above. Very stupid and smelly animals, but I highly recommend a walk with them. The clothes we were wearing on the camel, calmly write them off until the end of the trip, due to harmless radioactivity. Tip when riding camels: you have to be firm on the descent, because, for example, ours were not very good suspension and we could easily roll off them.

For the sunset itself, we applied basic rock climbing skills and climbed a panoramic rock, where about twenty more tourists were perched like seagulls. One of my strongest memories of the trip is how after we finished the walk, the cameleer went to the camels and started praying, surrounded by the desert and the last rays of the setting sun ..

In the evening we are greeted at the Bedouin camp, where we spent the night. So far I have slept in many tents, but not in one in the desert. The tent was made of metal scaffolding and carpets instead of walls. Here the temperatures dropped sharply and from shorts and a T-shirt, we got abruptly wearing winter jackets. We were very surprised for dinner – they dug the fire and took out of the sand to a meter and a something tall dish full of chicken crumbs and vegetables cooked over low heat, you can imagine how delicious it was. In the evening we were all in the largest tent, with a fireplace in the middle. Bedouins sang, danced, played their typical Arabic guitars. We were treated to tea and a hookah, and we secretly poured a whiskey into the tea according to an old Bulgarian custom. I thought for a long time about the Bedouins, how simple they live, there, in the desert, they have never left their homeland. They had no wealth other than camels, goats, and a jeep, but they seemed quite happy and carefree. We were told that if we went back to Jordan, offering several days of camping in the desert from camp to camp, it would probably be very exciting. In the evening we watched the stars, it is difficult to see a brighter and clearer sky than this one in the desert, where there is no unnecessary light.

Petra

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The next day we went to Petra and spent all the time in this beautiful city, I recommend for future visitors to spend two days there, there is much to see. I will write separately for the day there, because in itself it was a whole separate adventure. You can find the story about my day in Petra here: A girl in Petra.

Jerash

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We appeared there accidentally and unplanned. It’s just that all the people I met along the way talked about how special and interesting this place is. It is the ancient Roman city of Gerasa, founded in the 4th century BC by the soldiers of Alexander the Great. The most impressive for me was the temple of Artemis, patroness of the city. We had the opportunity to walk along a more than a kilometer long stone street with preserved Roman columns on both sides. We also saw 2 – the best preserved and the smallest in the Eastern Roman Empire – Colosseums and the beautiful amphitheaters, which gather over 3,000 people. The city is beautiful and majestic, although today only shadows of its former splendor remain. It used to be covered in marble, mosaics and silk. The upper stones above the columns were made of special musical materials, which rang during a concert and served as a huge kind of bass. I dreamed of having the opportunity to see it reconstructed in all its glory.

You enter Gerasa and travel over 2000 years back in time, admire the architecture and scale of ancient temples and structures, and all around the ancient city stretches the modern Jerash, noisy, lively, with the singing minarets at sunset.

My strongest memory of this majestic city is how a gang of boys between 5 and 10 years old play folk ball in an amphitheater. Obviously children’s games are the same everywhere. Such a clash of the present, represented by the noisy city around, the future – the children running on the stone slabs, and the ancient – their 2000-year-old playground .. What a magical place. VIDEO

We enjoyed Jerash and headed to the capital Amman. Lively, big, noisy and dirty city, full of people and stalls. Colorful place for a walk and a market. When I go to Bangkok I expect it to be the same as radiance and rhythm. We bought Syrian cigarettes, we bought them for a dinar, and a lot of baklava and treats to take home. With our Bulgarian friends we found an amazing restaurant in the city center, great atmosphere, service and hookah. And unanimously the most delicious hummus we have ever eaten! His name is Zajal. I strongly recommend it.

We quickly saw the Citadel and the Amphitheater, the largest I have ever visited, many times larger than those in Plovdiv and Jerash, and headed back to Aqaba.

Red Sea

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The last day was dedicated to the beach and the sea. We caught a tan in spite of the 15 centimeters of snow that were waiting for us after a few hours in Sofia. If you are going to dive, I advise you to visit the southern beach, about 14 km from Aqaba, where the ladies can undress in a swimsuit, and in the sea there is an amazing coral reef and exotic corals, algae and colorful fish. Rent goggles and snorkeling and don’t forget to wear diving shoes so you don’t get sea urchin thorns in your legs, like us inexperienced divers.

From here I have two very memorable moments:

The first: Muhammad led us into the sea to some place. We swam about 100 meters and a deep sea abyss was discovered in the place of the corals. The next moment I shivered because I found myself over a huge sunken plane. Diving around this giant skeleton was magnificent, but also a terrifying experience.

The second sweet and bitter memory is from Mohammed’s rescue operation when we stabbed the sea urchins. I was very impressed how he grabbed a stick and patted us passionately on the soles and then, like a real surgeon, asked for a “towel”, dried the foot and scalded us nicely with his cigarette. I want to thank Mohammed for the quick and timely reaction.

Mohammed

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I have to dedicate a paragraph to this colorful person. It is difficult to meet a more smiling and witty person. During these 4 days we were half-adopted by him, although he is a boy of our age, but with 3 children behind him and rich life and driving experience. Thanks to him, we visited a bakery for Arabic bread, falafel, drank a lot of tea, coffee and ate incredible sweet and savory temptations, which I never learned the names, but the photos and memories tell. He was constantly pulling the car back and forth, and you can never guess what he would surprise us with. Along with it, I enriched my vocabulary with the Arabic “shmal”, “emin” and “dughri” (left, right and right), and in return we introduced him to the mystery of Google Navigator. I guess he and his family live in poverty and modesty, but he has always been infinitely hospitable to us and I will never forget the picture of him inflating the wipers, releasing the wipers, throwing the steering wheel and starting to sing, wave and play (and the car jumped with him, but no one cared). The last night before takeoff he organized a farewell tea in the desert. There we met his father, who had lit a fire for us and made us tea. A herd of camels made us company..

He continues to be my strongest association for the true and earnest Jordan, with its color, presence and songs.

It is difficult to describe these 5 days in a few pages, because they were filled with so much variety, emotions and situations. For me, Jordan remains a very special country and brings me very strong memories of travel and adventure. I wish everyone to visit this place and discover Jordan for themselves.

P.P. The trip was wonderful, but it would not have been so special without Hristo and Georgi, my faithful companions. I want to thank Vanka, Kateto, Vili, Lubo, Eli, Rally, Mladen and Dido for the wonderful company during these few days and the huge amount of laughter and fun. Our chance meetings and acquaintances have grown into precious memories and I hope they will lead to new adventures together!