Look what we did:
We are the "kids" they refer to.
Hahahaha. Oops.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Southern Jordan, Petra
Day 3: Petra
Let me preface this by saying: Petra is too amazing to be understood in digital picture format. It's older than anything in the United States (300 BC). As for a little background you might understand: Do you remember Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? The one with Sean Connery? Remember when Indiana is riding his horse through the valley at the end to find the temple with the Holy Grail in it? That's Petra.
You roll up to this hilly little town, very reminiscent of Tijuana, Mexico. The first thing I see walking up to the entrance is this...
Not Pictured: Intelligent Humor
After assembling our tour group, we learn that most of the buildings and other structures in Petra are either tombs for ancient Nebeteans or homes. So, being sentimental, I poured one out for my Nebetean brothaz.
One Love.
Then after seeing MORE GODDAMN CATS EVERYWHERE, we walked through the siiq (or crack) that Harrison Ford rode his horse through. It was pretty intense, as there was horsey landmines all over the place.
Charming.
After seeing some crazy carvings on the walls-
Yes, I am wearing Illinois Lacrosse gear. And my GWAR hat.
We saw the TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GRAIL (real name: the Treasury)
It smelled like pee pee. Weird.
So that was cool. We walked around the place some more and got hassled by every man, woman, and child for camel rides, donkey rides, horse rides, necklaces, bracelets, curvy daggers (they sucked, believe me I checked), postcards, even ROCKS. They would promise me everything was 1 JD, and after inquiring price would magically jump to 7 JD!
Literally 5 seconds after I took this, the baby ate a cigarette butt.
We walked around Petra all day, seeing all the different tombs, monasteries, theatres, caves, Byzantine churches, Roman ruins and all flavors of animal feces. The place is gigantic, and we didn't even see half of it in one day. I'll probably go back at some point, at least to see where Moses's brother Aaron is buried.
I got bored.
All in all, Petra is mindblowing. The only thing I had ever been too that ancient was the pyramid in Mexico, but that was never in AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE!!!
See me? I'm on the left.
That's the end for the weekend trip to southern Jordan. So after this its back to mediocre jingoist social commentary...
Let me preface this by saying: Petra is too amazing to be understood in digital picture format. It's older than anything in the United States (300 BC). As for a little background you might understand: Do you remember Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade? The one with Sean Connery? Remember when Indiana is riding his horse through the valley at the end to find the temple with the Holy Grail in it? That's Petra.
You roll up to this hilly little town, very reminiscent of Tijuana, Mexico. The first thing I see walking up to the entrance is this...
Not Pictured: Intelligent Humor
After assembling our tour group, we learn that most of the buildings and other structures in Petra are either tombs for ancient Nebeteans or homes. So, being sentimental, I poured one out for my Nebetean brothaz.
One Love.
Charming.
After seeing some crazy carvings on the walls-
Yes, I am wearing Illinois Lacrosse gear. And my GWAR hat.
We saw the TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GRAIL (real name: the Treasury)
It smelled like pee pee. Weird.
So that was cool. We walked around the place some more and got hassled by every man, woman, and child for camel rides, donkey rides, horse rides, necklaces, bracelets, curvy daggers (they sucked, believe me I checked), postcards, even ROCKS. They would promise me everything was 1 JD, and after inquiring price would magically jump to 7 JD!
Literally 5 seconds after I took this, the baby ate a cigarette butt.
We walked around Petra all day, seeing all the different tombs, monasteries, theatres, caves, Byzantine churches, Roman ruins and all flavors of animal feces. The place is gigantic, and we didn't even see half of it in one day. I'll probably go back at some point, at least to see where Moses's brother Aaron is buried.
I got bored.
All in all, Petra is mindblowing. The only thing I had ever been too that ancient was the pyramid in Mexico, but that was never in AN INDIANA JONES MOVIE!!!
See me? I'm on the left.
That's the end for the weekend trip to southern Jordan. So after this its back to mediocre jingoist social commentary...
Southern Jordan, Aqaba
Day 2
Upon awakening, we ate breakfast and hopped into 4x4's to go across the desert and follow the Lawrence of Arabia trail. This unmarked desert path was the route Lawrence of Arabia took when he led the uprising in Aqaba, Jordan's port city on the Red Sea. It was pretty awesome, for being in a desert. All the once-in-a-lifetime sights start running together after a while, you know?
Wow, another mountain.
After 4 hours in the trucks, we arrived in Aqaba. Aqaba is now a resort town in Jordan, popular among Europeans (especially Portuguese for some reason). We got to go out on tour boats and snorkel among the Red Sea reefs while our boat captains blasted Arabic house music. I saw some cool fish, a submerged Army tank (WTF?), and got a lot of saltwater in my eyes.
The Aqaba coast
The flag of the Arab Revolt, which led to the founding of Jordan. Also is used as the Palestinian flag...no comment
After a few hours in the water, we went back to shore and drove north to Wadi Mussa (Moses Valley), to yet another Bedouin campsite in preparation for the next big day: Petra.
Upon awakening, we ate breakfast and hopped into 4x4's to go across the desert and follow the Lawrence of Arabia trail. This unmarked desert path was the route Lawrence of Arabia took when he led the uprising in Aqaba, Jordan's port city on the Red Sea. It was pretty awesome, for being in a desert. All the once-in-a-lifetime sights start running together after a while, you know?
Wow, another mountain.
After 4 hours in the trucks, we arrived in Aqaba. Aqaba is now a resort town in Jordan, popular among Europeans (especially Portuguese for some reason). We got to go out on tour boats and snorkel among the Red Sea reefs while our boat captains blasted Arabic house music. I saw some cool fish, a submerged Army tank (WTF?), and got a lot of saltwater in my eyes.
The Aqaba coast
The flag of the Arab Revolt, which led to the founding of Jordan. Also is used as the Palestinian flag...no commentSaturday, September 20, 2008
Southern Jordan, Wadi Rum
Warning: The following post may not be very funny, and probably more like a boring "MY SUMMER VACATION" Blog. Sorry in advance. Actually, its not boring, so go fuck yourself (sorry for swearing Mom).
Day 1
We took a bus to Wadi Rum (Rum Valley), and I was forced to buy $15 batteries. I was pissed.
Forget about the scenery, $15 FOR BATTERIES!!?!?!
After eating a ridiculously huge Middle Eastern lunch (complete with assaulting horseflies), we saw some lame museum and a lame video. LAME. Then I saw off in the distance...
Aw yeah. Camel time.
Most of the camels looked like a bunch of chumps, but not mine. She had a sheen to her coat and a gorgeous face. I thought she was a boy at first, so I named her "Dutch" in honor of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in "The Predator". Then my friend Ameerah checked under the hood and it turns out she was a girl, so I named her Princess Sparkle.
What a majestic creature.
We got to ride around in the desert for a while. Camels are ornery animals, and some of them were braying and being emo pretty much all the time. They sounded like Taun-tauns in the Empire Strikes Back. And they smell like poo poo. But Princess Sparkle was awesome and I got to grab the reins and ride her on my own for about a half hour.
So after the 3-hour camel ride (three people hilariously fell off), and my own stunning realization that I am a camel whisperer (I swear they all do what I say, its unreal), we got to our Bedouin campsite.
Bedouins are nomadic hunter-herders that travel all over the deserts in the Middle East. And after meeting some of them, they are amazing people. When they aren't traveling with their camels and horses, shooting rifles (and desecrating historical sites, more on that later), hunting with falcons, and living off the desert like Rambo, they are drinking and dancing and partying. Way cooler than all the WIENER Muslims during BORING Ramadan.
We got the real deal at the campsite- bonfire, hookah, full meal, Bedouin dancing, singing, and storytelling. Then we got to go run around in the desert in the middle of the night. It was awesome. I slept in the open under the stars in the sands of the Wadi. All you losers in Champaign probably went to Firehaus for the 8000000th time and "drank so fuckin much dude!". HA! Eat my bird.
Day 1
We took a bus to Wadi Rum (Rum Valley), and I was forced to buy $15 batteries. I was pissed.
Forget about the scenery, $15 FOR BATTERIES!!?!?!After eating a ridiculously huge Middle Eastern lunch (complete with assaulting horseflies), we saw some lame museum and a lame video. LAME. Then I saw off in the distance...
Aw yeah. Camel time.Most of the camels looked like a bunch of chumps, but not mine. She had a sheen to her coat and a gorgeous face. I thought she was a boy at first, so I named her "Dutch" in honor of Arnold Schwarzenegger's character in "The Predator". Then my friend Ameerah checked under the hood and it turns out she was a girl, so I named her Princess Sparkle.
What a majestic creature.
We got to ride around in the desert for a while. Camels are ornery animals, and some of them were braying and being emo pretty much all the time. They sounded like Taun-tauns in the Empire Strikes Back. And they smell like poo poo. But Princess Sparkle was awesome and I got to grab the reins and ride her on my own for about a half hour.
So after the 3-hour camel ride (three people hilariously fell off), and my own stunning realization that I am a camel whisperer (I swear they all do what I say, its unreal), we got to our Bedouin campsite.
Bedouins are nomadic hunter-herders that travel all over the deserts in the Middle East. And after meeting some of them, they are amazing people. When they aren't traveling with their camels and horses, shooting rifles (and desecrating historical sites, more on that later), hunting with falcons, and living off the desert like Rambo, they are drinking and dancing and partying. Way cooler than all the WIENER Muslims during BORING Ramadan.We got the real deal at the campsite- bonfire, hookah, full meal, Bedouin dancing, singing, and storytelling. Then we got to go run around in the desert in the middle of the night. It was awesome. I slept in the open under the stars in the sands of the Wadi. All you losers in Champaign probably went to Firehaus for the 8000000th time and "drank so fuckin much dude!". HA! Eat my bird.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Ew
Cats are like goddamn squirrels here in Amman. There may have been squirrels once, but I'm pretty sure the cats ate them all. These aren't your friendly, Homeward Bound Sassy-types. These cats are mangy, tough, frightening little bastards that jump out of dumpsters at you. And they are EVERYWHERE.
Picture this, except on every corner.
For those who don't know, I despise cats. Allergies aside, they suck as pets and for some Freudian evolutionary concept I still can't figure out, act like their owners (i.e. THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP THEM ALIVE AND FED) aren't important.
F THAT NOISE.
Dogs love you for your hospitality and protect families, save drowning children, detect CANCER in people, and are generally awesome at all times. Cats get fat and occasionally bring you a "gift" in the form of a dead bird. And they shit inside, and that is just plain rude.
There is no way this isn't Satan.
There are entire books written about famous dogs that save people, dial 911, detect mines and hidden VC during Vietnam, find drugs, and are beneficial to society. And then there's Garfield. I rest my case.
Addendum: Kittens are fine, because they're cute and stupid and aren't really cats yet.
Picture this, except on every corner.
For those who don't know, I despise cats. Allergies aside, they suck as pets and for some Freudian evolutionary concept I still can't figure out, act like their owners (i.e. THE PEOPLE THAT KEEP THEM ALIVE AND FED) aren't important.
F THAT NOISE.
Dogs love you for your hospitality and protect families, save drowning children, detect CANCER in people, and are generally awesome at all times. Cats get fat and occasionally bring you a "gift" in the form of a dead bird. And they shit inside, and that is just plain rude.
There is no way this isn't Satan.
There are entire books written about famous dogs that save people, dial 911, detect mines and hidden VC during Vietnam, find drugs, and are beneficial to society. And then there's Garfield. I rest my case.
Addendum: Kittens are fine, because they're cute and stupid and aren't really cats yet.
Ramadan Sucks
So the dream that was constant internet at my apartment evaporated this weekend. I have been relegated to a computer lab in the Langauge Center on the University of Jordan campus for the time being. So check every hour on the hour for new posts Mom and Dad!
Ramadan is in full swing here. Everyone on the street, especially security guards and taxi drivers, are especially grumpy because they are hungry, thirsty, and can't smoke cigarettes during the day. Drag.
This translates into tense, awkward exchanges between American students and taxi drivers when arguing over cab fare, especially at night. The cabbies use meters here, but meters are illegally turned off after 10:00 PM and the ripoff-fest begins. What is usually a 2 JD trip doubles or even triples (if you're a chump).
My roommate Joey drunkenly argued with a cabbie in Arabic two nights ago outside a nightclub who tried to charge us 10 JD. Joey has taken only one year of Arabic, which eventually backslid into swearing at local Jordanians in English, which was hilarious.
I have also found out that, like in Mexico (and I would assume all third-world countries), being American = being rich. The idea of the starving college student here is as foreign as the idea of non-white Americans (seriously, black people are still just black people here, not African Americans, and all Asians are Chinese). I have been shortchanged three times already, which really does wonders for my opinion of the people. Which is to say: Ramadan Sucks.
Random Jordanian Fact of the Day: In traditional Islam, dogs are seen as "dirty creatures." Cats, however, are spared this connotation (possibly because they kill rodents and scorpions and eat the souls of children). Both can lick their own balls, which you would think conservative Muslims would frown upon.
Anyway, I live in an affluent Christian neighborhood, and everyone has at least two dogs. It is a point of pride for them as well, kind of a badge of non-Islam and, in my opinion, one of the best cultural benchmarks of the Western World.
This is Don. He is six weeks old. I am not lying, he is barely a puppy and can knock me down.
Ramadan is in full swing here. Everyone on the street, especially security guards and taxi drivers, are especially grumpy because they are hungry, thirsty, and can't smoke cigarettes during the day. Drag.
This translates into tense, awkward exchanges between American students and taxi drivers when arguing over cab fare, especially at night. The cabbies use meters here, but meters are illegally turned off after 10:00 PM and the ripoff-fest begins. What is usually a 2 JD trip doubles or even triples (if you're a chump).
My roommate Joey drunkenly argued with a cabbie in Arabic two nights ago outside a nightclub who tried to charge us 10 JD. Joey has taken only one year of Arabic, which eventually backslid into swearing at local Jordanians in English, which was hilarious.
I have also found out that, like in Mexico (and I would assume all third-world countries), being American = being rich. The idea of the starving college student here is as foreign as the idea of non-white Americans (seriously, black people are still just black people here, not African Americans, and all Asians are Chinese). I have been shortchanged three times already, which really does wonders for my opinion of the people. Which is to say: Ramadan Sucks.
Random Jordanian Fact of the Day: In traditional Islam, dogs are seen as "dirty creatures." Cats, however, are spared this connotation (possibly because they kill rodents and scorpions and eat the souls of children). Both can lick their own balls, which you would think conservative Muslims would frown upon.
Anyway, I live in an affluent Christian neighborhood, and everyone has at least two dogs. It is a point of pride for them as well, kind of a badge of non-Islam and, in my opinion, one of the best cultural benchmarks of the Western World.
This is Don. He is six weeks old. I am not lying, he is barely a puppy and can knock me down.
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