After sailing up the Red Sea the past three days, last night as we approached Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, we hung a right and sailed up the Gulf of Aqaba to arrive here at Aqaba, Jordan, at 6:00am. Aqaba is at the end of the gulf and only about 5 miles to the border of Israel. Aqaba is the only seaport of Jordan so virtually all of its exports depart from here. Its population is 190,000 and is very important to Jordan’s trade and tourism sectors. It really is the gateway to Jordan’s two major tourist attractions: the ancient city of Petra and Wadi Rum. I will talk about them both more in a minute. Some multi-billion dollar resorts are currently under construction along with a $10 billion mega mixed use development. In addition to all types of water sports, it is also a top destination of scuba dive.
Excavations around Aqaba have revealed that the city has been inhabited since 4000 BC with thriving copper mining. I won’t bore you with the rest of its ancient history. Just wanted to say it was an OLD city.
The movie “Lawrence of Arabia”, starring Peter O’Toole, was filmed here in the desert at Wadi Rum. It is the actual battle site during WWI where the Ottoman forces were forced to withdrawl after the Battle of Aqaba by the Arabs led by T E Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). We watched this epic movie yesterday afternoon. In 2013 I took a fascinating tour to see Wadi Rum. I even got to ride a camel. Big highlight for me!!!!
Also in 2013 we both did the excursion to the ancient city of Petra. It was one of the MOST interesting excursions we have ever taken, and we have taken MANY. So we are both taking this excursion again this time. Only difference is in 2013 it was an ‘included” (no charge) excursion. This time we had to pay $159 each to do it. Yet another example of how Regent is starting to “nickel & dime”, but on a larger scale. Now due to Rebecca's head cold she has decided not to go. We will be getting a refund for her.
My “Ancient Petra” tour departed around 7:45 this morning and is scheduled to last 9 hours. The drive is about 2 hours each way (80 miles) plus it includes a nice lunch buffet. There is a LOT of walking on the tour as you have to walk quite a ways to see the ruins. Petra was estimated to have been established around 312 BC as the capital city of the Arab Nabataean’s. They were know for their great ability to construct water collecting methods in the deserts and their talent to carve structures into solid rock (you will see this in my photos). Petra was important to the Nabataeans as it was on the caravan trading routes enabling them to become wealthy.
Petra was lost for almost 12 centuries before a Swiss explorer unearthed the ruins in 1812. Hundreds of tombs are carved into the hillsides and there is a huge amphitheatre which seated 8,000 but the most impressive sight is “The Treasury”. Its impressive red façade was used in the final scenes of the movie, ’Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade”. When you view my photos of it, try to visualize how in the world they carved this out of solid rock with technology of 2000 years ago. For those of you who know how tight I can be with money, you have to know this is a VERY special place in the whole world for me to come back and this time spend $159 to see it again. There is just not enough adjectives to describe what I experienced today.
WHAT WE DID TODAY:
It is now 6:15 pm and back from my "Ancient Petra", 9 1/2 tour. Long day and I started it off with not feeling the greatest. Went anyway! I am cancelling my tours for the next two days while in Egypt. More on that tomorrow.
I sent Rebecca on ahead to meet with Susanne in the Stars Lounge. I will just meet them later after posting this in the Compass Rose dining room. I have asked the chef to prepare veal parmesan again for us tonight.
Not sure if there is a show tonight but not going anyway. I have started uploading today's 99 photos so will attend to that after dinner if I don't crash first. Petra today was again just as amazing as it was back in 2013. I will put those photos on tomorrow. In the meantime, here are the photos of the ancient ruins of Petra that I took when here in 2013. They were excellent photos and I am certain nothing has changed since then.
At 9:00 pm we will be sailing back down the Gulf of Aqaba and back into the Red Sea for Safaga, Egypt, which is the port for tours to the ancient ruins of Luxor, Karnak, and Valley of the Kings. After arriving tomorrow morning, we will be there for two days.
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