2011: International year of forests? Sadly not in Jordan?

The United Nation has declared 2011 the International year of forests.

North of Amman is Ajloun Forest, home to more than 100 plant species, animals and birds. A deforestation program has just started in a part of the forest in order to built a military academy. I wonder how much clear land there is in Jordan? What is the need to actually destroy the forest so that we can get some more clear land? Well apparently there is 1% of forested land in Jordan.

In one of the most water deprived countries of the world, I think it is nothing less than a scandal.

A petition is currently being circulated on the net, to be presented tomorrow to parliament - you can show your support and sign it here. This is also a link to much more information about this case.

Away from Amman: A walk in Callas

I have already told you about the small village in the south of France where I grew up. So I am just going to share some pictures from this lovely place. When I was there this summer I didn’t really do anything else than stay at home, relaxing and enjoying looking at Bibs play in the shadow of the wisteria, turntables or the olive trees from my mum's garden. And of course go for walks with Bibs… Hope you like the pictures!

Flash floods in South of France

A couple of days ago the part of South of France where I grew up was hit by torrential rain and flash floods. In Callas, the village where I grew up, there wasn't much damage. Figanieres, the village down the road, was badly hit, as you can see on the movie below.

This was shot and posted by jakou83. It is very impressive.

According to the regional news paper Nice Matin, in the whole of Var (part of the region where this happened), the count is now of 25 dead and 14 persons still missing. My parents told me they had never seen rain like this, then in another city Draguignan, it is the biggest rainfall recorded since 1827. My heart goes out to all the victims of this disaster. Usual the region is hit by forest fires during the summer, not flash floods. As I have already said in previous posts, I think mother nature is teaching us lessons and Earth is very fed up with the way we treat her...

Amazing Petra - Part 1: Bab el-Siq

Somewhere lost in these mountains, is the Nabataean city of Petra

As I went a long doing this post, I decided to make several parts. There is so much to tell, so many things that I think are interesting. I haven't decided how many parts there will be, let's see. It's also because I don't like when my posts get too long, I get bored, a bit confused and can't remember half the things I have written or pictures I have added. Anyways, I hope that you'll enjoy the read.

Apart for the locals and the Bedouins probably, Petra was completely forgotten and lost to the world until a Swiss traveler, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, rediscovered it in 1812.

No words are strong enough, none can pay tribute to what you see when you exit the Siq, a 1200m long and narrow gorge and arrive at the entrance of the rose-red city of ancient Petra. Petra is unique. Petra is beautiful. But we are not there quite yet. We have to walk for a couple of kilometers first.

The entrance to the site is located at the bottom of the new city of Petra. It opens at 6am in the morning and closes late as it is possible to be on site during the evening as well (camping is not allowed though). It is said that the best pictures are taken in the early morning sun or at sunset, because of the light and the colours, but I would say also because less tourists are there, because it gets busy. For the moment it costs JD33 to get in for one day (you can also buy passes for 2 or more days), this is for tourists. That will change in November 2010 (I think the 1st) where it will cost JD50. As residents, we paid JD1. The site is huge, there are many things to visit - we only made it to The Treasury. It was hot and Bibs thought it was so exciting that she wouldn't sleep in the backpack. One of my friends was there a week before us and she has allowed me to use her pictures so that I can show you most of the things there are to visit.

As you enter the site, you have the possibility to make the first half mile on horse or donkey back or in a carriage. If you want to do it, I would strongly advise to do it on the way back, though. Right now you have plenty of energy and it is going downhill! Count JD6 for the horseback ride (that's more or less, depending on how rich you look...)

Bab el-Siq or the "Gate to the Siq" is so named by Petra's Bedouin inhabitants. The journey down to Petra begins with a modern gravel road. It runs along the Wadi Musa, "Valley of Moses", which is dry most year, but there can be water during flash floods (this used to bring water down to Petra). The Bedouins believe that Ain Musa, the "Spring of Moses", is the spring that gushed forth when Moses smote a rock (Numbers 20:11 - Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock (...) Water gushed out ... ). This path contains several monuments and memorials.  

As you pass the first corner, you get a first glimpse of Nabatean rock-carving, called the Djinn Blocks.

Djinn blocks, also called god blocks

These god-blocks stand 6 to 8 meters high. There is a lot of different information online concerning these blocks: some suggest they were shrines to the gods to protect Petra's water supply, others say that they are tower tombs and they might be symbols of the supreme god Dushara. The Bedouins, however, call them "Djinn blocks", as they believed they contained "Djinn", desert spirits. More than 20 of these blogs were found in and around Petra. 

Obelisk Tomb & Bab as-Siq Triclinium

A few meters away from the Djinn blocks are 2 monuments on the top of each other. The official Petra sign date these between 25-75 AD. However after a bit of research I have found that not everybody agree. I think that is the case with many things in Petra. The upper-half, the Obelisk Tomb, is clearly of Egyptian influence. These pyramids represent "nefesh", the Nabataean signs commemorating the deceased. The bottom half, of Nabataean style,  is called a Triclinium and is a chamber with 3 benches - a funerary dining hall: it was where celebrations took place to honour the dead, ancestors or a god. The niche in between the obelisks is of Greco-Roman influence. 

In between the god blocks and the Obelisk Tomg there is something called the snake tomb. There should be stairs leading to that tomb. I have been looking on my pictures, but cannot located it. Inside there are 12 graves. It is called the snake tomb because there are representation of a snake on the floor attacking an animal. 

All the way down to the Siq you have tombs appearing here and there

Eventually you will arrive at a dam and the entrance to the Siq. The dam was built across the entrance to avoid water for rushing down and destroying the city of Petra. The Nabataeans made a tunnel through the rock in order to divert the water into another valley. However the old dam collapsed at some point after Petra was deserted and floods have rushed through the Siq during centuries and have done much much damage to the center of Petra. The dam was reconstructed in 1963 and also in 1991. 

Entrance to the Siq and the dam

It is here that ends the horse back ride and that you will have to walk; unless you have taken a carriage. 

Wadi Al Muhlim

Just before you enter the Siq, and I end my first post about Petra here, on your right you can see Wadi Al Muhlim, which is the valley into which the Nabataeans diverted the water. It is thought that the water flowed through this valley all the way down to the Numphaeum (which would have been arranged to furnish water supply) in the city centre. You can also see another Djinn block.

In my next post I will take you through the Siq and all the way down to the famous Treasury. 

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I really try to be as accurate as possible, but there is a lot of information online and they don't always agree! I also use the official signs at Petra, the official Jordanian sites, the fliers you can get at the tourist center as source. There are numerous interesting websites about Petra, some I have used to find info on, I will post a list them all at the end of my last post as I discover some new ones as I go along.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed" - Mahatma Gandhi

How true is that? And that's exactly the reason such places as the Hot Springs in Ma'In and The Six Senses Hotel exist. To forget that we live in a world where everything must always go faster and faster. In a world where we don't take the time to truly appreciate all the things we enjoy. It is the second time we visit and are still as impressed by the tranquility of the place. You feel serene as soon as you enter the resort. Despite having brought my walking shoes and my friend's backpack for Bibs I didn't get to do the walks I wanted - time just goes so fast and it's difficult to plan with a baby isn't it? Well is actually mission impossible! But I keep faith, I will succeed before we leave Jordan to get up at the top of these mountains and see what's up there. I have always liked walked around in the mountains, the village where I grew up in France is surrounded. Anyways back to Ma'In. Never the less I have brought back some pictures of this gorgeous place. You can read about our first visit here.

Like most hotels, in order to save money they propose you to not change your sheets, your towels everyday. At this hotel they are very eco minded and I feel they are going the "extra mile" to preserve the environment.

I like this much more than the boring fliers large hotel chains use!

The information board, outside the hotel. All boards used are in wood.
I know that you wouldn't expect to see wooden boards in a business hotel.

Most of the furniture (maybe all the furniture!) in the hotel is in wood.

The Lobby

The Brown Bar

I just can't get enough of the views

That mountain on the right is the one I want to get up on

As last time we had an amazing dinner. They have a Thai chef staying for 18months, so if you crave for some good Thai food you know where to go.

We had a red duck curry, a green chicken curry and sauteed beef.

Because of Bibs, we always have room service. A part from the Thai main courses we also shared some traditional cold mezze. The red curry was definitely the best, but all were really good. 

We enjoyed some really nice massages and of course a swim in the Hot Spring before leaving the next day. I find the road absolutely amazing as well, so here are some pics! 

It is not only rock mountains you see on the road...

I would guess that this was also a spring, unfortunately there is no water running there now

And then... we saw these camels out for a walk!

Notice the Baby Camel in the middle!

Hope you have all enjoyed your week-end. We certainly did!

My sis-in-law is flying back home. tonight. It is going to be strange not to have her around anymore. It was easy when we were in the UK. My sister and her kids just up the road. Now we are all over the place again. Europe, Middle East... Am not nostalgic at all, but it is a strange feeling when you don't really know when is the next time you will see your loved ones! 

A movie, some education and a glass of wine

There are a couple of interesting articles in today's Jordan Times, and a couple of other things that I thought I would mention. The newspaper has a small section, what's on, in which one can find out some of the things going on in Amman: exhibitions, markets, theater representations... and today it mentions the Scandinavian Film Festival. Okay, it is not a huge festival - only 3 movies - but on the 31st they show Babette's Feast. It is a long and slow movie about the life of 2 elderly sisters and their French housekeeper, living in a small Protestant community in rural Denmark during the 19th century. Long and slow - but funny, interesting and so attaching. You can read more about the plot here. 

Then, this one made me smile, how should I put it? Well I guess that there are some words which are not (yet?) acceptable in my Jordanian newspaper. So "Sexual Education Module" becomes "a Family Health Training Manual". You see, that's cute! It is a small correction to an article from yesterday's paper. The power of words, I tell you. Of course you have to call a cat a cat, and sexual education is... sexual education. However,  I also think that sometimes you can present things a bit nicer and when as here there is religion involved in the same sentence, "family health" is much more appropriate.

On to some bigger articles now. First, Jordanian wines. There is an article about Saint Georges wines, the owner Omar Zumot has decided he wants to put Jordan on the wine world map. There is no reason why not. Wine had been grown in Jordan for centuries, the oldest wine making history in the world? It is naturally convenient to grow wine in Jordan; this country has a great soil and an ideal climate, with a coldish and wet winter and a sunny, completely dry summer. The interesting thing is, that his wine is organic. Because there is no humidity in the summer months, there is no growth of fungus, small spiders or insects and Zumot can rely on birds doing the pest work - I like that! It is explained that the wines are not exported to the EU yet, let's hope that the needed entity to validate the wines will make it's appearance soon in Jordan.

The last one links to another post I am working on and is regarding the Dana Biosphere Reserve. You may, or may not know, that Jordan has quite a few Nature Reserves worth a visit, one of them, Dana, is located north of Petra. The idea is to open a new trail going from the reserve to Petra. It will take 3 nights of camping in which one can discover some of the 216 types of birds (many of these are globally threatened), 38 mammals and the 4 bio-geographical zones in which lies the reserve. Did I mention the 833 types of vegetation? I am not so much into camping (well to be honest I have never tried), but this reserve, the largest in Jordan, seems amazing. 


It is week-end tonight. I feel like watching a good movie with a nice glass of red wine, then go to bed and enjoy my book. Bliss! 

Earth Day 2010

Yes, yes after earth hour last month, we now have earth day. I think it's not bad that our dear and old planet gets a bit more attention than an hour. As they say in the UK "every little helps"! And our planet needs it. Desperately. One can only wonder if all the natural catastrophes and variations this year have something to do with it all?  Earthquakes which have costs too many lifes, storms, floods, snow in abundance and lastly of course the volcano eruption in Iceland which is still paralysing half of Western Europe. Is our planet rebelling? Is Earth telling us that it has had enough?

Tomorrow, 22nd April is the day. The 40th celebration of what is the largest civic event worldwide. You can go on their website to get ideas of easy things you can do every day to lessen your impact and help our planet! Here in Jordan, I must say that the thing that is choking me he most is the use of plastic bags. I mean I could open a whole shop with all those I have at home. I think that supermarkets should change their habits a bit and tell their packing guys to be a bit more careful with the use of these bags. I tell them to put more things in the bags, they listen for one bag and then they'll continue as they usually do. One of the supermarkets, Cozmo, has done a little bit for the awareness. This week you get one of these when you shop with them.

Of course, you can't really reuse them, but the idea is there, and small ideas like this can do wonder. The problem is here there is nothing done recycling wise, I mean not really. Yes you can take your bottles with you to an embassy - but then with a baby in a stroller etc. it is not easy to organise! I have seen a lorry drive around and pick up cardboard - but I have seen it once - and it didn't look like it was organised by Amman Municipality. Every day I see people throw cans, paper and plastic out of their car window. Every time we drive out of Amman, I see plastic bags lying around, because people are too lazy, or don't care, to take it with them home after picnicking.

We don't really buy small plastic bottles anymore; if I am I make sure I reuse it for some time. And then I have decided that I am going to bring the plastic bags back to the shops and use them when doing my groceries.

So, what will you be doing to celebrate Earth Day 2010?

Springtime in Amman

I thought I would share some pictures of Spring in my street...

The Olive trees are already blossoming

I like roses... these one smell particularly nice

Entrance to an apartment block

Olive tree and Mimosa - they are everywhere...

I like Spring. I think it is my favourite time of the year. Everything is so fresh and new. The air is so clear. And here it is warm and the sun shinning!

Un coin de paradis

as we say in French. Six Senses Spa in Ma'In is a corner of paradise. It's exactly how I picture it, I mean Paradise: peaceful, relaxing, good food, lovely surroudings, with my loved ones. And that's it. Ah and free of course, cause if you have to pay as much to stay for eternity in Paradise, it's going to be an expensive one! Seriously, it was near to perfection.

Ma'in is located an hour and a half from Amman, lost in the middle of nowhere. You drive from Madaba, and drive. Suddenly it goes from green fields to a rock and desert environment and you drive some more and you drive down and down and down till you reach 200m below sea level and you get to the entrance of the site.

And then guess, yes you drive some more. The hotel is located at 260m below sea level.

View of the hotel from the Spa

We checked in and got escorted to our room. Well, our suite. We got upgrade to the honeymoon suite located on the top floor with the most amazing terrace and view.

The Spa

The main waterfall & swimming pool

The terrace!

I had pre-booked a treatment at 3pm so I rushed down to the Spa. I had a lovely massage and then we took advantage of the hot springs! The water is 39 degrees with a source coming out in the pool which is 65 degrees. That was absolutely amazing.

There are a total of 3 waterfalls, all hot springs. One of them is public, so it is possible to come and enjoy even though you are not staying at the hotel. The main waterfall is closed for security purposes at the moment. Unfortunately there is a big crack in it. The last one is located at the spa. There is also a natural sauna, it is a cave where you walk in and the source is creating the heat. They also have a small pool for women only.

After Bibs was put to bed, we had an amazing dinner which we ate on the terrace. What a treat to be able to sit outside!

The dinner was composed of mezze, then a sort of curry, which was amazing

and deserts - fresh fruit, different cakes and of course libanese sweets

Don't worry we couldn't eat everything!

The next day we were just very lazzy by the hot spring at the spa. There are many things to look at but one night is not enough and we need something to carry Bibs around in, there are many walks to do. It is possible to go all the way up on the top of the waterfalls.

Before we left we had lunch at the Panoramic restaurant. It's a restaurant managed by the hotel as well but located a few kilometers away with the most amazing view of the Dead Sea.

You can have look at the webside for the rates. For the spa the prices are approx 65 JD for an hour - and they are good at it! We really had a fabulous time, Bobs has promised we are going back!