Middle East – Top 5 Destinations!

No. 2 – Amman, Dead Sea, Petra & Wadi Rum, Jordan

My journey this summer started in the city formerly known as Philadelphia – over 11,000 km in distance from PA, USA, and over 10,000 years older – Amman, Jordan. As old as the roots of city are, Amman is a newer metropolitan with modern apartments, huge malls, and trendy cafes (most of them have valet parking). As a matter of fact, Amman’s home to the world’s second largest Starbucks!

The main excuse for making this trip was to attend my friend’s wedding, so it was undoubtedly a great place to meet new people and make new friends. As a matter of fact, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of foreigners who came, most of them globe trotters like myself. The wedding itself took place in a resort in the Dead Sea, a short 45 min drive from Amman. The resort architecturally had a local appearance – and although it was scorching hot to be wading in the numerous pools, the fun of floating on the Dead Sea and wrapping myself with its clay was worth putting up with the 40 plus temperatures.

The wedding was a highlight in itself, especially considering the fact that I hate them. So obviously I was made the best man, speech and all, but it was definitely one of the most fun I had on a wedding, dance floor antiques included.

The best part of Jordan is by far Petra and Wadi Rum. Even though I’ve heard/seen pictures of both before my trip, coincidentally I got a good glimpse of them just a week before my trip during a viewing of Transformers 2. For those who’ve seen it (and for the guys who were able to peel their eyes off of Megan Fox), the last half of the movie was pretty much shot in these two locations.

Petra, known as the Machu Picchu of the Middle East, is an archeological wonder. A great stroll through the Siq that climaxes with Al Khazneh (The Treasury), and a great hike up to El Deir (The Monastery) makes for a great adventure. If you can avoid the plethora of local donkey tour guides and barrage of tourists, Petra is a great way to spend a whole day especially if you return in the night for an even better look. Incidentally, I was wearing a cap with the maple leaf on it, and lost track of the date when several tourists kept coming up to me and wishing me a happy Canada Day. I then realized it was July 1st.

Wadi Rum gives an absolute stunning view of the desert landscape and the Bedouin lifestyle. A jeep tour during the day was capped off with an overnight stay at a local campground which included an elaborate dinner and dance ensemble put on by the locals. There are several options for camping overnight here, including private as well as campground tents. Wadi Rum also makes for some spectacular sceneries – including awesome sunrises and sunsets – so a definite place to visit with a loved one.

Of all the places I visited, I found the people of Jordan to be the most well-mannered, even though the city traffic would give you instant ulcers. Jordan is also quite open to Westerners, and the bureaucracy the least corrupt, at least that’s what I found during my frequent border hopping through Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and the West Bank. Amman was an anchor for my trips because of its better relations with its neighbours and its relatively open borders. If you’re planning a trip to the Middle East, Jordan should be at the top of your list.