Aqaba

We had a three day weekend so a group of us decided to ride a bus for 5 hours to the resort town of Aqaba. Aqaba is the only place Jordan touches the ocean.

It was very relaxing but I don't have very many pictures. We just sat around the beaches. Here are what I have.

The water wasn't warm but we snorkled and looked at the coral. In the background is Israel.

Sunset from my hotel balcony. Don't let it fool you, it was not a nice hotel but the price was right.

More things. You can see part of a big barge. It's a bustling seaport as its Jordan's only access to the highseas.

The second day we paid to go to a hotel's private beach. This hotel happened to be about 5 miles out from the city so we took a taxi. Its also 5 km from the Saudi border and next to a Jordanian Naval base. We had to go through a military checkpoint to get there. After a day at the beach we needed a ride back to the city. The cab ride would cost the outrageous sum of 17 J.D. or 25ish USD. Defiantly, we decided we'd walk until we could hail our own ride. On the way out we again had to pass through the military checkpoint. The 2 guards were very confused at first but we explained we were going back to our hotel. "Ma fii siiara?" (not in a car?) No, we said. Both of them just cracked up and we walked on. After about a mile a bus stopped for us and charged us 1 J.D. each to ride back to town. It worked out great.

For the first time since I left I wish I was back in Wisconsin because of the protests against Scott Walker's bill. I'm following the story here in Jordan and it is even making it in the news over here. That's impressive considering Libya and Bahrain are experiencing massive unrest and violence.

Some have you have already seen this but I thought it was worth posting.

A related picture from Egypt again. I really like it.