Let's talk politics!

The Jordanian people are a rear breed. A real breath of fresh air after the overwhelming hassle I received all throughout Egypt. I stayed in Jordan only 2 nights. I hadn't intended to see the country at all but had been told, I would be an amateur traveler if I had come all the way to the Middle East and had failed to see the Pink City of Petra. Once an ancient Roman capital dating back to 2000 BC, the inter city had been completely hand carved out of the solid sandstone red rock. On horse back I spent the day, whistling the theme song to Indian Jones (given this the place the Last Crusades had been based on and filmed) as I explored the rose red city.

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I had hardly enough time conversing with the kind hearted Bedouin people. Jordanian hospitality is incredibly amazing. The people are consistently invitng you to sit and join them for tea. And if the Egyptians have not completely tainted your thoughts on Middle Eastern hospitality (By ingeniously befriending you then asking for "Bakhsheesh" of a tip afterwards) and you take these Jordanians up on the offer, you'll be rewarded with intense conversations about Muslim/Bedouin life, Middle Eastern politics and Jordan's present relationship with my home the U.S. Topics mentioned that will forever linger in my thoughts are possibly the political ones. Finally understanding this consistent conflict in the Middle East. Being taught about Jordan's past ruler, King Hussein 'the longest ruling head of the states in the world' opening it's boarders to the Palestinian people back in the late 1960's. And how today Jordan is occupied by more Palestinians then Jordanians. I was exposed to there unpleasant heat for the Israelis and when asking a Bedouin man why Muslim man have 4 wife's was told 'So we can have more babies and kill the Israelis' It beaks your heart to physically see there will never be peace in the Middle East.

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It was just such a small taste of something so huge.

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Exploring Petra Indiana Jones Style