Tuesday, April 17, 2018, Aqaba, Jordan

 

Jordan’s only coastal city, scenic Aqaba is set amid coffee-colored desert hills.  With its central location between Africa and Asia, it has played a significant role in the region’s trade for thousands of years.  Today, its prosperity rests in its position as the sole port in the nation and in its pristine snorkeling and dive sites.  The city’s history, too, draws inquisitive travelers.  In 1917, T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) led Arab troops in the Battle of Aqaba here.  The white robed English ally helped the Arabs run the Turks from the city’s fortress during a camel charge.  Famously, Lawrence used nearby Wadi Rum, a vast desert canyon, as base camp during the campaign.  The Gulf of Aqaba borders Israel, Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. 

On today’s shore excursion from Aqaba, we traveled by bus for 2+ hours to one of the ancient world’s most astonishing sights:  The rock-hewn city of Petra.  Due to the large number of pictures we want to share, a separate blog will be posted, later.  This blog has pictures of the port of Aqaba and of the road to and from Petra.

Saudi Arabia as we entered the Gulf of Aqaba.

Egypt as we entered the Gulf of Aqabq.

Greeters as we walked off the cruise ship; performing marching maneuvers.

Our bus had to climb 3,000 feet to get to Petra, which is at 2,650 feet elevation.

Note the beautiful layers of different granite types.

Jordan, having no oil; it has to import fuel to generate electricity.  Wind farms are in the process of growing!

Bedouin camp.

High on a windy hill.  Overlooking a valley similar to what Moses would have seen 3,500 years ago looking over the Jordan River valley.

Entrance to Petra.  Pictures to follow in next post.

On our way back to cruise ship at Aqaba.

Structures in the town of Petra.

Have a tomato. 

Olive trees.  Twenty liters of oil sells for $250.

Large building to right of center is town school.  Government supports education.

Mosque tower for calling to prayer.

Goats along highway.

At a rest stop some of cruise ship staff met us for tea and dates.  Yum!  Our ship's Hotel General Manager Sujith from India; a real manager and a great guy!

Note their claim regarding views.

Bedouin camp.

Sub-station for controlling generated electricity.

Bedouin camps.

Jordan's sources of income: 1) Minerals (phosphate, cement, silica)  2) Agriculture
3. Tourism  4. Youth working outside Jordan and sending income home  5.  USA aid ($1.2 billion for 2018, an amount we feel is needed; Jordan is a strong Middle East ally of the West that is hosting two million refugees from Iraq and Lebanon   6. Gulf countries.

Jordan's population is 9.9 million (90% in north), of which 7 million are Jordanians and 2 million are  refugees (2011 closed borders).  Jordan is  90% Sunni and 4-5% Christian.  Iraq is  60% Sunni.  Jordan gained its independence in 1946.  Note of interest:  Sunni and Shia differences are political not religious.  Jordanians average income is $700 per month with gasoline at $6 per gallon.

Back in the port of Aqaba, we found interesting views from our cruise ship's upper decks.  Above is the flag pole (20x40 meter flag out for repair/replacement) that is the tallest unsupported flag pole in the world that is commemorating the Great Arab Revolt (Lawrence of Arabia).

Aqaba town.

NE end of Gulf of Aqaba with large buildings and a waiting freighter.

Control tower to direct ships in and around the port.

New housing area.

Jordan imports some grain.

Looking across the gulf; Jordan on right, Israel on left.  They are jointly working on tourism expansion; both countries are in need of income sources.

The Gulf of Aqaba or Gulf of Eilat is a large gulf at the northern tip of the Red Sea, east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian mainland.  Its coastline is divided between four countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.  The city of Aqaba is the largest on the gulf.

The gulf is east of the Sinai Peninsula and west of the Arabian Peninsula.  With the Gulf of Suez to the west, it extends from the northern portion of the Red Sea.  It reaches a maximum depth of 1,850 m in its central area:  the Gulf of Suez is significantly wider but less than 100 m deep.  The gulf measures 15 miles at its widest point and stretches some 99 miles north from the Straits of Tiran to where Israel meets Egypt and Jordan.

Like the coastal waters of the Red Sea, the gulf is one of the world's premier sites for diving.  The area is especially rich in coral and other marine biodiversity and has accidental shipwrecks and vessels deliberately sunk in an effort to provide a habitat for marine organisms and bolster the local dive tourism industry.

At this northern end of the gulf are three important cities: Taba in Egypt, Eilat in Israel, and Aqaba in Jordan.  They are strategically important commercial ports and popular resorts for tourists seeking to enjoy the warm climate.  Further south, Haql is the largest Saudi Arabian city on the gulf. On Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab are the major centers.

The largest population center is Aqaba, with a population of 108,000 (2009), followed by Eilat with a population of 48,000 (2009).

Saudi Arabia in the background.


Our next post will back up a half-day to include pictures and text of our visit to Petra, one of the past "Seven Wonders of the World" and currently Number 2 of the modern wonders of the world.