Yesterday I had the pleasure of visiting Petra, one of the New Wonders of the World. Walking through the Siq, and passage cut into the sandstone rock face thousands of year ago, I came upon the Treasury, a building cut into the rose colored rockface and made famous by Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Thrilling! Magical - a clear moment in time that I won't forget. Rami's cousin, Mohammad, who works with horses for the tourists in Petra, walked me through the city and was my 'tour guide.' I had such a wonderful day climbing desert cliffs, checking out the buildings and breathing in the Ancient Air. I'll have pictures in the future. Everyone I've met has been so kind and helpful, some of the cab drivers too helpful, but I've rolled with it all. Tonight we'll go to Rami's parents home for dinner and cards. Between being offered tea, food, and generally being made welcome, I've had an easy transition from one part of the world to another. Adjusting to the pace of life has been interesting - either we've been relaxing with food, tea and conversation (much of which I can't understand in Arabic - but which is usually translated for my sake) OR communal work getting things done quickly so as to relax once again. But nothing feels rushed, in fact, life seems to have slowed down, no matter how busy we might be. The sounds of the prayer call give me a much better idea of the time than clocks, which aren't very abundant. I'm starting to understand Arabic pop music, which, as far as I can tell, is very similar to American pop music, or Thai pop music for that matter. Some things transcend cultures. After seeing Petra and Angkor Wat, I'm unable to draw comparisons, other than the fact that each culture has been able to make a distinctive mark on their surroundings. Place and culture are so closely intertwined - evidence of whihc can be seen in the desert, the jungle, and definitely New York City. My quest continues into Syria next week, and I'll take a look at the city of Palmyra, a throwback to the Roman Empire with an Arabic castle. Deeper into the desert - Love It.
