Wadi Rum speaks a beauty that is universally understood – as demonstrated in this at SobreTurismo, a Spanish language travel blog whose title in English simply reads “Jordan: The desert of Wadi Rum.”

Berenice Lomont, the author of the article, expresses the universality of Wadi Rum’s “vast and echoing and god-like” magic in a sentiment coined here, “if Petra is Jordan’s gold, then Wadi Rum is its silver” as the travel blogger writes:

When we think of Jordan, the spectacular lost city of Petra comes directly to the memory, but this country offers us more, much more, so it is worthwhile to venture into [Jordan's] wonderful … Wadi Rum.

Located in southern Jordan … we are surprised by their reddish sands, the lack of a classic horizon, for its mountainous structures rounded by the action of continuous wind.

Citing Wadi Rum as the location of the films Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Red Planet (2000), the authoress goes on to describe the recently build visitor center where one can hire guides and 4×4 vehicles and …

… for the more adventurous there is the option of multi-days tours via Dromedary camels.

Ms. Lomont goes on to write of the places one often stops to admire while in Wadi Rum including (translated):

The Seven Pillars of Wisdom: the most famous mountains of Wadi Rum, which owes its name to book TE Lawrence was inspired during their stay here. His vision is really overwhelming, seems out of a fairy tale.

The stone bridge of Burdah: this is an impressive natural arch 35 metres high. One of the highest in the world. Spectacular and unique.

Cave paintings (petroglyphs): It is said that this desert is a huge blackboard full of rock art made by the civilizations that inhabited (Tamudo and nabatea). A symbol that certainly deserves a visit.

The writer also recommends Jordan’s highest mountain, Jebel Um Adaami … suggesting while its 6000 foot (1830 meter) elevation doesn’t pose too much difficulty, the difficult path is best traversed with a hired guide.

Berenice ends her post as poetically as she begins describing a once-in-a-lifetime experience that transcends all languages, borders and cultures when she opines:

It is an enigmatic place, haunted, is so enormously beautiful that for centuries has left mute those who until then had been approached…. And without a doubt I am one of them.

She’s right, of all the sites I’ve visited in Jordan – Wadi Rum is my favorite as well as reflected in the following past posts:

• Wadi Rum: vast and echoing and god-like, magically haunted
• Two bloggers experience Wadi Rum to Aqaba, just like Lawrence
• The Hidden Petroglyph Ledge, Wadi Rum, Jordan
• Visiting God in a 1978 Toyota Landcruiser

Even the aged aphorism of a picture being worth 1,000 words cannot do justice to the 10′s of thousand emotions one feels while drinking in the millions of colors, shapes and textures this arid ocean of beauty has to offer.

None-the-less, some images from Wadi Rum – with more posted in our gallery.

Dean standing in front of the 7 Pillars of Wisdom, from the terrace at the newly built Visitor’s center

Dean with two of the drivers of our jeep tour – each of the latter holding up the famed blogJordan.com carabiner.

Vast – (/vɑːst/) from Latin vastus ‘void, immense’ ^[3].

Echoing – present participle of the verb to echo (ˈekəʊ) Greek for ‘reflected sound’ ^[4]

god-like – having the characteristics of a god ^[5]

Note the huge square cut in this cliff, demonstrating the impact of the vast differences between hot and cold that range between day and night.

Some of the natural formations take on structures of animals, objects and faces.

In other stones are carved faces of famous visitors – this relief being that of T.E.Lawrence.

Ancient graffiti also dots this landscape – I suspect this one describing their camel caravan.

Camels – the Cadillacs of the desert, a primary source of transportation and beloved pet of many Bedouins.

Sa’hah – as the author enjoys some mint tea in a bedouin rest-stop along with other members of the tour.

I could get used to this cuisine. Heck, what do I mean “could” – I already pay good money for it in the States!

The hubbley bubbley – a common centerpiece of communal relaxation and conversation.

Of note, the author did see this land during a full moon back in 2004 – along with every star in the universe – which is why he is determined to go back when the timing is right!