Below is a pleasant and short video from the WorldNomad’s blog aptly entitled ‘Travel Safety Tip – Riding a camel!‘:

Too bad the gang I traveled with back in ’07 didnt’ see this one first. I wasn’t with them at the time, but the account goes via Diana Scimone is that at the saddle broke on the lead of three … at Petra they tether together trains of camels lead by 10 to 15 year-old boys.

What makes the account even funnier is that the two ladies on the loosed camels were ‘automagically’ led back to the Treasury at Petra by said, unattended animals … whom then refused to let them down until the young owner could get back to them and extract payment on the agreed-upon price.

Good for them as I’ve heard some other accounts where even with the guide along the way, the price negotiated to get on isn’t the same as the price to get off – which is why you agree up-front for such rides on the getting on AND off price!-)

p.s. – thanks Diana for the hat-tip via my Twitter account.

As a follow up to my September 8 post ‘Pavarotti to be remembered at Petra by Elton John, Bono, Celine Dion, Joe Cocker and Sting‘ – and as a once aspiring opera singer myself – it is thrilling to see that the two surviving members of the musical trio simply known as “the Three Tenors” celebrating the late maestro’s ambition to perform at one of the World’s Seven New Wonders.

As this event continues to gain in excitement and momentum, the list of singers now also includes opera stars Roberto Alagna, Angela Gheorghiu and Andrea Bocelli, all conducted by Maestro Eugene Kohn according to the Epoch Times.

The Hashemite Kingdom of late, becoming a popular backdrop to the “big singing” as just this past summer, Placido Domingo, Julia Migenes, and jazz singer Diana Krall were the highlight acts at this year’s Jordan Festival.

A number of noted non-singing celebrities will also be among the exclusive guest list of 500, including Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the billionaire ruler of Dubai who is married to Princess Haya – daughter of the late Hussein bin Talal, King of Jordan (may his name be blessed).

As Reuters reports:

The tribute is the brainchild of Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti’s widow and HRH Princess Haya, a fellow UN Messenger of Peace and daughter of Jordan’s late King Hussein. “A concert in Petra was a dream once shared by the late King Hussein of Jordan and Luciano,” said Mantovani. “I am so grateful to Her Royal Highness Princess Haya, for making it possible to turn this dream into a reality.”

The proceeds of the concert will support joint projects in Afghanistan by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP).  A local charity supporting disabled children in Petra will also benefit from the concert. More information about the UNHCR-WFP Pavarotti Tribute Project can be found on their ReliefWeb page that includes contacts information.

Also, as reported on blogJordan last month, websites providing tour packages can also be found at:

• thepavarottitribute.com
• eventsbyappointment.com

Below is a list of some other blogs writing about this exciting event.

• Gheorghiu Tribute In Petra, Jordan: Luciano Who?
• Cynthia Lawrence Headlines Pavarotti Tribute
• Concerto a Petra (English translation)

Finally, here’s a few articles enumerating my own experiences in the ‘Rose Red City:’

• The Petra Treasury Indiana Jones didn’t show you
• Best Online Photo Gallery of Petra Ever!
• Petra: 10 miles + 2 mountains of world wonder

Oh what this bass-baritone wouldn’t give to be there (again)!

Food channel cook and author Michael Smith gets a taste of Jordan’s desert hospitality during this first episode of Chef at Large, Season VI, on the cable Food Channel. With the help of the Petra Kitchen – a cooking school/restaurant in Petra – Smith enjoys the creation and consumption of mansaf, a meal traditionally made for guests … one of whom will be Prince Mired Al Hussein of Jordan.

This according to an online article in TheStar.com which also informs us that:

Later, Smith and the prince travel by camel through the desert to Wadi Rum where a Bedouin tribe welcomes them with a meal of goat cooked in a barrel under the sand.

This is not the first time The Petra Kitchen has been featured on a cable network, as the Travel Channel also featured this fun respite last year as described in this online synopsis that includes both some video – and more importantly recipes – for how to make some of the yummy Arabic cuisine one learns to make there, hands on:

This month on TRAVEL 2007 we visit the PETRA KITCHEN, which gives visitors a great opportunity to learn more about Jordanian food. It’s a very hands on approach – you eat what you’ve prepared. Wendy Botham, the owner, was kind enough to pass on some of the most popular recipes to us …

Some of those recipes include (note, links open a new window):

• Shourbat Freekeh – Green Wheat Soup
• Fatoush – Cucumber and Tomato Salad
• Salatat Khyar – Cucumber and Yoghurt Salad
• Magloubet – Upside-Down

Here are what some other blogs are saying about the Petra Kitchen:

• Jordan Jubilee – the Petra Kitchen is now open.
• Great idea, but poor execution – TravelAdvisor
• Egypt Magic – how I could barely stop laughing …
• Off The Beaten Path: Petra Kitchen  – VirtualTourist

When I went, I was incredibly tired and footsore from a day climbing all over Petra – so I didn’t get as “hands on” as other members in the group. That said, I wasn’t so fatigued that I didn’t enjoy the soup, mezza, salad, and Levant – nor the furnishings and the tableware which all crafted in Jordan and produced by the Iraq al Amir Women’s Cooperative (via the Queen Noor Al Hussein Foundation) and the aprons and table linens all hand-embroidered by the Jordan River Foundation (a Queen Rania Al-Abdullah initiative).

The regular price of JD 30/person includes the cuisine course, meal and all non-alcoholic beverages as well as take-home recipes for all dishes prepared that evening. For more information or to book your evening at The Petra Kitchen, contact:

• The Petra Kitchen
  P O Box 40
  Petra, Jordan
  tel/fax +962-3-215-7900
  email: kitchen@petramoon.com

An unusual perspective of the Treasury by by: MarceloRuiz

Oh sure, there are many good galleries of Petra. How can there not be given the subject?

Here are just a few as proof:

• Flickr
• Picasa
• WikiCommons
• National Geographic
• Stock.xChnge
• Jordanian Tourism Board
• Mansour Mouasher
  

However only the last gallery listed above comes even close to holding a candle to the spectacular images of the Rose Red City discovered in 1812 by Johan Ludwig Burckhardt, and wonderfully displayed online at SoothBrush.com.

Go ahead, check and see for yourself and see if you don’t agree:

“… the award-winning sustainable tourism and eco-tourism projects, which are helping us to both protect and promote the things that are most precious to us …

… From Yarmouk in the north to the southern mountains of Aqaba, these parks will create wildlife corridors and sanctuaries for endangered plants. They’ll be looked after by local communities, who know the landscape better than anyone, and will offer visitors unique cultural experiences, …”

… said Her Majesty Queen Rania Al Abdullah while addressing hundreds of CEOs and travel industry leaders this past Tuesday her keynote address at Conde Nast Traveler’s 2nd Annual World Savers Congress in New York.

For a description of one of these “sustainable ecotourism projects” one need only visit my recent post about the Jordan’s initiative to re-invent the Shaumari Reserve.

Of course, there’s more to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan than eco-tourism, as Her Majesty enumerated while promoting the Middle East an attractive travel option for prospective tourists of all ilks:

• “If you’re looking for a place to relax, the Dead Sea will make you feel more alive than ever,” she said. “It’s the lowest point on earth, with the highest oxygen content in the world… and is home to the region’s biggest spa.”
• “If you want adventure, you can abseil down waterfalls, paraglide off sandstone crags, navigate Red Sea reefs, then cook supper deep in the desert sands of Wadi Rum,”
• “If you’re a history buff, we’ve got Roman ruins and desert castles from the Umayyad times to explore, and our famous Nabataean city of Petra, carved out of red stone cliffs – where Indiana Jones’ escapades ended when he found the Holy Grail.”

Yes, this is sort of a fluff piece … but having been to Jordan twice … all I can do is verify that what Queen Rania states is true … in fact this very blog is a testament to that.

That and I was just speaking to a neighbor who was going to the Middle East on business … so hopefully he reads this after bending his ear all afternoon about how he should take an extra week to experience the journey that is Jordan.

Here are some related articles on the above topic:

• Keeping Up With Conde Nast Traveler’s 2nd Annual World Savers Congress – Traveling the Green Way
• HuffingtonPost – Can Travel Change the World?
• Queen promotes Middle East as attractive tourist destination – Jordan Embassy to the US
• Jordan Times – Queen promotes Middle East as attractive tourist destination
• CNT’s World Savers Congress: Shout-Out to Fellow Travel Bloggers
• Update Blog – Conde Nast Savers Congress – Day’s Agenda
• Diplomats, Environmentalists, and the Power of Travel – Nerd’s Eye View

Update – 30Sep08 – So How WAS that World Savers Congress Anyway? You can ask Matt Damon whose YouTube video is posted over at Conde Nast Traveler’s on Concierge.com.

Jihad, Shmahad – Southern Jordan, 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.

Wade Jewkes, Deseret News: Petra — Ancient Nabateans built a place of wonder in the wilderness

… everyone who visits here is left breathless by the stunning, architectural beauty. And the breathless part can be taken almost literally when one considers the hike in is about two miles to the main bowl area and from there it requires a steep climb covering 950 steps to reach the famed Monastery monument — that is if the wear and tear on your body can withstand the rigors required from this masochistic behavior. But it is worth it.

Trans-Ferir – Professor da Universidade do Porto – PETRA (Jordan)

A little farther from the Treasury, at the foot of the mountain called en-Nejr is a massive theatre, so placed as to bring the greatest number of tombs within view; and at the point where the valley opens out into the plain the site of the city is revealed with striking effect. Indeed, the amphitheatre has actually been cut into the hillside and into several of the tombs during its construction, rectangular gaps in the seating are still visible. Almost enclosing it on three sides are rose-coloured mountain walls, divided into groups by deep fissures, and lined with tombs cut from the rock in the form of towers

Lee Abbamonte – The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

I wish I was more poetic, to be able to aptly describe what the opening walk in Petra is like, but I will try my best. Entering the city, you first see various different sculptures along the road that winds into a mountain. As you enter the Siq, it seems like you are walking aimlessly for a very long time. After about 20 minutes or so you see an opening in the narrow slit in the Siq.

As you approach the ending the narrow gash gets wider and more and more light shows itself and the temperature starts to get hotter as your heart starts to beat heavier. Finally as you are about to exit the pass you are blinded by the rush of light and as you clear your eyes and continue walking out the tunnel you are greeted by the single most amazing site ever concocted by mankind. Right there in front of you is the Treasury, Petra’s most famous and magnificent structure.

And the adventure continues…. on to Jordan and Israe! – Petra, Jordan

Well things didn’t work out as planned and I did not spend my birthday at the pyramids!  I thought Petra would be nice, one wonder of the world for another, but I was disappointed.  I got there at 10am and quickly went to the sight … The second day I had a much better time and started to like Petra a lot more.  It is amazing to see the same sight twice because the light changes completely during the day and it looks very different.

Hiking Petra – The Monastery

By this point we were quite ill again, but I decided it would be a good idea to continue hiking up the 800+ steps carved into the sandstone which lead to the monastery. I really enjoyed this part of the hike, in part because of the view at the end, but in part because we met several families that lived in a neighboring village with whom we exchanged greetings and who were kind and welcoming. I was fascinated that the trails leading among these wonders of the world were their daily paths.

Southern Exposure offers these three photo journal posts:

• Southern Exposure: Petra
• Southern Exposure: Aqaba
• Southern Exposure: Wadi Rum

Of course, there’s my post from November of 2007 – The Petra Treasury Indiana Jones didn’t show you

Two days ago I was standing alone on the steps of the Treasury at Petra. The images still awe me, more so this 2nd visit than the 1st.  Below is a brief description along with 3 YouTube videos explaining why …

Hey, I know what some of you are thinking … but trust me … while there’s alot of “touristy stuff” going on there … none of it detracts from finding your own grail in the glory of Petra.

Tourism between Jordan and Israel is increasing, but getting to Petra was scary. We were deposited at the Israeli border and instructed to take ourselves across a 100-yard stretch of “no-man’s land” to the Jordanian side, where we were to be met by a Jordanian guide.

“Welcome to Jordan,” said the sign, but there was no one to welcome us.

She goes on to write that after 2 hours in 90°F degree heat (32 °C) that buses finally arrived. And though they were made an offer by Petra’s horse mafia, they managed to refuse, walking the rocky 0.825 mile (1.3 km) trek through the Siq, where …

Finally, our efforts were rewarded. Through a steep crevice, we glimpsed the rose-red glow of Petra’s most famous building, the Treasury, with its 140-foot-high carved columned facade.

Also described are the many tombs have been carved into the mountainside … and other amazing sights made it well worth Ms. Lewis’ “sometimes harrowing journey from Israel.“

“You want a horse? You wont make it five feet” – This was the advice of a young man who is part of the “horse mafia” that operates here in Petra.  If you go into Petra as a group you have to pay an additional 7 JOD on top of the large sum of cash you already dished out.  This money goes directly to the horse mafia in order to keep them off your tail and to allow you to ride a horse if you wish.

The above quote coming from a recent Travel Post that along with describing the once-in-a-lifetime thrill that is visiting Petra, some of the not-so-thrilling aspects of the local tourist enterprises.

In my first visit to Petra, I noted the same – where a number of soot covered boys would come right up next to me and holding strands of cheap bracelets and necklaces in my face would shout out sales pitches into my ear – often including empty flattery about the U.S.A. – which they correctly (and probably easily) guessed as my country of origin.

But that was benign and almost cute. What wasn’t was the horses running up and down the Siq – an awe-inspiring spectacle of geology almost 0.825 mile (1.3 km) long, 600 foot (182 m) story high. It is through this rose-red gorge one walks through before arriving at the Treasury – with an awe inspiring view similar to that seen in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) that I captured and posted to YouTube my second visit … but I digress …

It is also through this cavern that I and others have almost gotten run over by … as another blogger describes: “Untrained horses with untrained kids racing the horses down a rocky trail …”

And it is this safety issue, along with a health issue one confronts while climbing the long set to steps up to the Monastery … avoiding the odorous ‘presents’ left by mules some tourists take to the top … and then are taken at the top by the ‘donkey mafia‘ when they discover the negotiated 2JD price for riding up is taxed with a surprise 10JD to be let off the animal!

Hopefully, the recently announced plans at Petra to regulate services & enhance visitor experience will remedy such incidents as they tend to distract somewhat from the experience … though I have my doubts if there is any truth to this snippet from another Petra blogger also commenting on the infamous horse mafia:

At Petra the horse mafia rule the roost. They’re so cunning that they hold the King to ransom and force him to include the price of their terrible horse ride into the entry price to Petra. And when the King tried to change things, they threatened to blow up Petra with dynamite… long story.

Still, with increased travel to the historic site up over the half million mark this year alone, something is going to have to change before a fatal accident and/or a health issue ruins it for everyone.

BUT please, don’t let these descriptions of the horse mafia, the donkey mafia, the bands of junk jewelry hawkers and other minor distractions deter you from visiting Petra. They are annoyances at best, usually quickly forgotten moments after experiencing fantastic and incredible sites such as:

• The Siq
• The Treasury
• Street of Facades
• The Amphitheater
• Royal Tombs
• High Place of Sacrifice
• Colonnaded Streets
• Winged Lions & Qasr al-Bint Temples
• The Monastery
• The Petra Museum

Trust me, as time passes and one looks over the photos of Petra, you don’t think too much about them crazy kids racing them rickety carriages up-n-down the SIQ.

With increased travel to the historic site up over the half million mark this year alone, and as a result of a survey jointly conducted by USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project, PAP and the Ministry of Tourism, the plan was developed to help keep up with and sustain the growth in visitor traffic to the site.

This will include notice boards will be posted at different sites within Petra informing visitors of the services they are entitled to, while specific areas will be marked with guidelines for trails and the requirements to undertake them. For example, signs will indicate sections that could be physically challenging and require good fitness levels as well as equipment, he noted.

Tourists will also be informed which trails they are permitted to take on their own and those that require the presence of a tour guide.

As part of the changes, focus will also be placed on local bedouins working in the site, such as horse carriage owners and vendors, the PAP official said. For example there will be stricter regulations ranging from the welfare of animals to their attire and licensing for vendors.

Regulations will also be applied to film crews wishing to shoot in the rose-red city – to prevent harm from  heavy equipment and cars to the fragile environment; not to mention the disruptions to tourists.

In addition, a larger visitor center is slated for construction in the near future.

According to the Associated Press, the Petra concert will host some of the biggest names in music will take part in a charity concert “Pavarotti and Friends,” including Elton John, Bono, Celine Dion, Joe Cocker and Sting — all of whom have duetted with Pavarotti.

Reuters reports:

The tribute is the brainchild of Nicoletta Mantovani, Pavarotti’s widow and HRH Princess Haya, a fellow UN Messenger of Peace and daughter of Jordan’s late King Hussein. “A concert in Petra was a dream once shared by the late King Hussein of Jordan and Luciano,” said Mantovani. “I am so grateful to Her Royal Highness Princess Haya, for making it possible to turn this dream into a reality.”

The proceeds of the concert will support joint projects in Afghanistan by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP). A local charity supporting disabled children in Petra will also benefit from the concert.

A separate Reuters’ story on the Pavarotti memorial concert for Afghan refugees reminds us that:

For over ten years, until his death in September 2007, Maestro Pavarotti actively supported UNHCR projects in Kosovo, Pakistan, Zambia, and Iraq. For his continuous commitment to refugee causes, Luciano Pavarotti received UNHCR’s Nansen Refugee Award and was named a UN Messenger of Peace.

The aforementioned AP article quotes Pavarotti’s 38-year-old widow Nicoletta Mantovanias to say the concert was:

“a dream of King Hussein’s as much as it was Luciano’s …”

The English version of Wiener Zeitung additionally states that:

The audience will be limited to 500 spectators, but given the strategies of the recording industry, you can expect a CD of the event as well as a DVD, a blu-ray disc and maybe a coffee table book.

The following ReliefWeb page provides these contacts for those seeking more information on the UNHCR-WFP Pavarotti Tribute Project.

• Brenda Barton
  Deputy Director of Communications
  Tel. +39-06-65132602
  Cell. +39-3472582217 (ISDN line available)

• Bettina Luescher
  WFP/New York
  Tel. +1-212-9635196
  Cell. +1-646-8241112

• Lionello Boscardi
  WFP/Rome
  Tel. +39-06-65132234
  Cell. +39-335-201960

• Vichi DeMarchi
  Tel. +39 06 6513 2058
  Cell. +39 348-0517605

• Natasha Scripture
  WFP/Rome
  Tel. +39 06 6513 3146
  Cell: +39 340 466 3480

And if that’s not enough, some folks were kind enough to email me the following information:

The website for the concert is currently under construction but we hope it will go live this week, the address is http://www.thepavarottitribute.com/ you will be able to see all the details of the concert here.

• Weekend Package – $7624 USD (£4250.00) per person
• Concert ticket plus 1 night hotel accommodation -  $5112 USD (£2850.00)

www.eventsbyappointment.com

Thanks so much David S. for that update!