Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 7:32

Photo Permalink to this post

whatategilbertg: kalman1 I agree with all but the green pleated skirt. Blech. I’m not particularly into green clothing especially bottom related.

whatategilbertg:

kalman1

I agree with all but the green pleated skirt. Blech. I’m not particularly into green clothing especially bottom related.

Reblogged from Gilbert Musings.

Posted 4 days ago | 5 notes

Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 7:26

Quote Permalink to this post

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

— Mark Twain (via oursongsoffreedom)

Reblogged from Urban Adventures.

Posted 4 days ago | 0 notes

Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 2:41

Photo Permalink to this post

Posted 4 days ago | 0 notes

Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 2:30

Photo Permalink to this post

see what that kid is doing? that’s what we had to do to get to the other side. there was no where to step on, so we had to “walk” on the sides of the wall..insane. when the bedouin boy first demonstrated it to me (since I was first in line), i shouted out loud “SERIOUSLY!” and did it. fauziah was second, and chris was third. and they all had the same reaction and screamed “SERIOUSLY!” as i did. lol.conquered my fears and pushed myself to do it, despite shaking legs and white knuckles (i imagine). it was definitely worth it, all the rock climbing..it was peer pressure at its best. the sunset view was just magnificient.

see what that kid is doing? that’s what we had to do to get to the other side. there was no where to step on, so we had to “walk” on the sides of the wall..

insane.

when the bedouin boy first demonstrated it to me (since I was first in line), i shouted out loud “SERIOUSLY!” and did it. fauziah was second, and chris was third. and they all had the same reaction and screamed “SERIOUSLY!” as i did. lol.

conquered my fears and pushed myself to do it, despite shaking legs and white knuckles (i imagine). it was definitely worth it, all the rock climbing..it was peer pressure at its best. the sunset view was just magnificient.

Posted 4 days ago | 0 notes

Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 2:15

Text Permalink to this post

Notes from my monologue (notebook)

14 Nov 2009, 1.37pm.

On the coaster(mini-bus) from Amman to Petra

feels surreal, sitting here in the coaster, looking out to the view that is nothing but blue skies, endless desert land and rectangle stone-walled structures. Arab music has been blasting throughout the journey. its still gonna be a few hours before we reach our destination. ETA (estimated time of arrival), 3pm. 3 hour bus ride.

I am with fauziah, she’s a student at Warwick. Backpacked to Turkey, and decided to go Syria, and then to Jordan. its how we met. And we’re with her friends. Chris was interning at MFA Egypt and he has with him, Benson. and now we’re on the trip of our lives.

Posted 4 days ago | 0 notes

Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 2:08

Photo Permalink to this post

The big - for most people, the only - tourist attraction in Badia is “Little Petra”. This is a narrow valley, entered by a narrower opening, that is referred to as the “Siq Barid” or the “Cold Canyon”. It seems to get its name from the cold wind that almost always blows through it. Inside the valley, which is really a canyon in itself, the walls are lined with tombs and the remains of grottoes, previously inhabited by the Nabateans. There are many fascinating tiny staircases mounting the cliffs towards what must have been “houses” at that time. In one of the photos higher up, you can see that the herd of goats is taking advantage of one of them to get a start on climbing. There are several theories about the original purpose of this settlement. One is that it was some kind of religious settlement, another that it was a caravanserai for those caravans who wished to camp close to Petra but who didn’t want to pay the tolls (which are supposed to have been horrendous!) But whatever the truth, it is now a cool and usually green valley, sheltered from wind, sun and cold alike. The Bedouin took full advantage of this, before and after leaving Petra, and it is only in the last ten years that they are ceasing to occupy the grottoes and tombs during the winter. Indeed, many of these grottoes have a ready made “cistern” alongside them to collect water from any rain. You can see one of them in the larger version of the centre photo above underneath the pillars. thanks http://www.jordanjubilee.com/gallery/photosbaida.htm

The big - for most people, the only - tourist attraction in Badia is “Little Petra”. This is a narrow valley, entered by a narrower opening, that is referred to as the “Siq Barid” or the “Cold Canyon”. It seems to get its name from the cold wind that almost always blows through it.

Inside the valley, which is really a canyon in itself, the walls are lined with tombs and the remains of grottoes, previously inhabited by the Nabateans. There are many fascinating tiny staircases mounting the cliffs towards what must have been “houses” at that time. In one of the photos higher up, you can see that the herd of goats is taking advantage of one of them to get a start on climbing.

There are several theories about the original purpose of this settlement. One is that it was some kind of religious settlement, another that it was a caravanserai for those caravans who wished to camp close to Petra but who didn’t want to pay the tolls (which are supposed to have been horrendous!)

But whatever the truth, it is now a cool and usually green valley, sheltered from wind, sun and cold alike. The Bedouin took full advantage of this, before and after leaving Petra, and it is only in the last ten years that they are ceasing to occupy the grottoes and tombs during the winter. Indeed, many of these grottoes have a ready made “cistern” alongside them to collect water from any rain. You can see one of them in the larger version of the centre photo above underneath the pillars.

thanks http://www.jordanjubilee.com/gallery/photosbaida.htm

Posted 4 days ago | 0 notes

Tuesday December 08, 2009 at 1:35

Quote Permalink to this post

“A man travels the world over
in search of what he needs
and returns home to find it.”

— George Moore (via justbesplendid)

Reblogged from Just be spLendid....

Posted 4 days ago | 20 notes

Sunday December 06, 2009 at 7:24

Quote Permalink to this post

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”

— Dr. Seuss (via kari-shma)

Reblogged from twentythree :.

Posted 6 days ago | 171 notes

Sunday December 06, 2009 at 4:37

Photo Permalink to this post

Posted 6 days ago | 0 notes

Sunday December 06, 2009 at 4:18

Photo Permalink to this post

say hi to fauziah. we met once, and travelled the next day together. it is with her that i can now testify to the aathar (sayings) of Sahabats that means you can only say you truly have known your friend until you have traveled with him/her. i remember fauziah said, in traveling together, you eat, sleep, and spend almost every waking hour together..and because of that, it gets too tiring to put up a front, to keep showing your friend your best. and therefore you know him at his worst: tired, hungry, and angry. thank you Fauziah, its been a great blessing and gift to have met and traveled with you. thank you for the incredible lessons i have learnt from you. you’ll be an awesome teacher, all the best in the next phase of your journey :)

say hi to fauziah. we met once, and travelled the next day together. it is with her that i can now testify to the aathar (sayings) of Sahabats that means you can only say you truly have known your friend until you have traveled with him/her.

i remember fauziah said, in traveling together, you eat, sleep, and spend almost every waking hour together..and because of that, it gets too tiring to put up a front, to keep showing your friend your best.

and therefore you know him at his worst: tired, hungry, and angry.

thank you Fauziah, its been a great blessing and gift to have met and traveled with you. thank you for the incredible lessons i have learnt from you. you’ll be an awesome teacher, all the best in the next phase of your journey :)

Posted 6 days ago | 0 notes