On The Road

Hi everyone;

Today we are at the Kompinski Hotel on the Dead Sea. We ate breakfast on the terrace overlooking the sea across to the West Bank. It seems so much closer than I ever imagined. Almost like across a lake instead of a sea. When I woke this morning and walked out on the balcony watching the sun begin to shine on the sea, it was so beautiful and overwhelming. How can it be that I am here? God is so good and His world so beautiful.

Yesterday we were at the Wadi Rum, a protected dessert area. Beautiful red sand and indescribable rock formations, some several stories high. Our little grandson's attempted to climb them all giving their mom a near heart attack.

Throughout this dessert we saw Bedouin tents, camels, donkeys and goat. Often the goats were in the road. Most Bedouin's have homes now. The government built homes for them free. This was to keep them from all moving to the cities and to help preserve their culture. They spend part of the year in their tents on the dessert and the rest at their homes.

We spent one night on the dessert in a Bedouin tent. It gets very cold at night,but we had wonderful heavy warm blankets. We ate goat for dinner that had been cooked under ground.
Very interesting. Some of the standard foods we see at all the buffets are different types of hummus, zatar (a mixture of wonderful spices) which you eat by dipping pita bread in olive oil and then the zatar. It is delicious. We will have it at Home group and Investment Club.
Other foods, are various salads, marinated vegetables, rice, lots of olives, usually a chicken dish, and fruit.

Our day in Petra is difficult to describe since it is so incredible. First we rode a horse part way in, then we walked with our guide explaining ancient writings and religious monuments along the way. The boys climbed along the ancient roman water system that served the city from several springs along the way. When we came around the last curve through the narrow entrance and saw the first of many buildings carved out of the rock it was breathtaking. The beauty and the ability to have accomplished this magnificent structure was awesome. I can't begin to put it into words. I cannot send pictures on this blog as the Hotel computer does not have a spot to put in my digital chip. You will have to wait with bated breath.

We spent the whole day going through this city where 12,000 people lived at one time. Now four families still live here in the caves.

After all this walking I decided to join Michael in riding a donkey back to the first building. Then Steven hired a chariot pulled by a horse to take us back to the Visitor's Center. It was quite a ride over cobblestones at mostly a fast pace. We were pretty shaken up, but still thankful to not be walking all that way.

I'm going to stop for now. My bathing suit and the Dead Sea are calling.

Will be back in touch when possible. Maybe from Cairo. Love, Dolly