Flashback: A Very JORDAN and NALCO Thanksgiving!

I am going to take a break from Singapore and flashback to our extra special Thanksgiving.  It just can't go unmentioned!  During the Thanksgiving break SixintheSand went exploring in some new sand....Jordan. In absolute amazement we explored the ancient city of Petra(with the help of some donkey friends) and then set off to float in The Dead Sea!  We saw the actual site where Christ was baptized and dipped our rosaries in the Jordan River right on the border of Israel! We ended our trip at Mount Nebo where you can get an amazing view of the Holy Land.  According to the bible Mount Nebo is the place where Moses was buried by God himself.  It was an AMAZING experience for us all!  Of course at times during this trip we were homesick for turkey dinners, Aggie football and most of all FAMILY.  Luckily, we had a week packed with adventure to keep my mind off home and FOOD...pimento cheese and celery to be exact.

For all my friends still living in the Middle East and everyone for that matter...VISIT JORDAN!  It was a great great trip for our family!

AFTER A 3 HOUR FLIGHT FROM DUBAI AND THEN A 3 HOUR
DRIVE FROM THE AIRPORT WE MADE IT TO PETRA.  THIS
WAS OUR DRIVER.  HE WAS SO SO KIND TO US!  ISN'T HE ADORABLE!

I won't try to explain to you the entire vast history that goes along with the city of Petra.  That is what google is for!  However, here are a few simple facts that I retained from the trip.  Petra is old. It was established more than 2000 years ago by the Nabataeans, some Arab folks who could CARVE!  Their entire city was carved out of stone.  The word Petra actually means ROCK!  An Indiana Jones movie was filmed in Petra and it is said to be on one of those lists of "must-sees" before you die! 

DAY 1:  HEAD RIGHT OUT OF OUR HOTEL AND BEGIN

OUR HOUR OR SO WALK INTO THE ANCIENT CITY

OF PETRA.  INDIANA JONES IS USED AS A SALES TACTIC 

TO GET YOU TO BUY STUFF BEFORE STARTING YOUR 

WALK.  LOTS OF FOLKS WANTING YOUR MONEY ON THIS WALK...

WE HAVE A LONG WALK AHEAD OF US. YOU CAN TAKE A HORSE 

AND CARRIAGE OR RIDE DONKEYS!  THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT AND 

WE ENJOYED THE WALK!  (FOR AWHILE)

ALONG THE WAY WE BEGIN TO SEE THE ANCIENT CARVINGS.

WE MADE IT TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE "SIQ" WHICH IS THE ENTRANCE

TO PETRA.  IT IS A NARROW GORGE THAT WAS FORMED BY WATER! 

OH MY!! THE NABATAEANS ARE STILL THERE GUARDING THE ENTRANCE!

(THEY WANT OUR MONEY)

AS WE WALK THROUGH THE SIQ WE SEE SOME AMAZING THINGS.  THESE 
ARE THE FEET OF A ROMAN STATUE...LOOK HOW BIG!  SOMETIME IN THE
 HISTORY OF PETRA THE ROMANS TOOK OVER AS THEY DID TO A LOT OF 
THINGS IN HISTORY!

IT REALLY IS HARD TO EXPLAIN HOW ABSOLUTELY
BEAUTIFUL THIS PLACE WAS!

WE ARE ABOUT TO APPROACH THE FAMOUS

"TREASURY".  THE FIRST VIEW OF IT THROUGH

THE GORGE WAS JUST INCREDIBLE.

SO WORTH THE WALK TO SEE THIS AMAZING SITE!

THERE WERE JORDANIAN KIDS LIVING DOWN

IN THESE GORGES!  THEY DESPERATELY WANTED

YOU TO BUY THEIR GOODS...WHICH OF COURSE WE DID!

THIS WAS SUCH AN EYE-OPENING THING

FOR OUR KIDS TO SEE.  NECKLACES FOR EVERYONE!

THIS ONE IS FOR MY MOM AND AUNT LINDA! 

THERE WERE CATS EVERYWHERE (NOT SURE WHY) AND THESE TWO

CAUGHT MY EYE.  THEY WERE SO PEACEFUL AND COZY!

I WILL CALL THEM PETRA AND NEBO.

WE HAVE LOTS MORE TO SEE AND KIDS ARE GETTING

TIRED.  TIME TO NEGOTIATE A DONKEY DEAL.

REALLY? 2 KIDS PER DONKEY?

WHAT A GOOD DAD MAKING SURE IT WAS SAFE
FOR THE CHICKENS....(RIIIIIGHT)

CAMEL RIDES WERE AVAILABLE TOO BUT..WELL

BEEN THERE DONE THAT

4 CHICKENS+2 DONKEYS =
CHRISTMAS CARD PHOTO! 

CHECK OUT THE AMPHITHEATER(BEHIND US) THOSE NABATAEANS
CARVED FOR THEMSELVES!  

AHHHH! DON'T DO IT! THESE DARK DOORWAYS

SCARED ME.  NOT GOING IN THERE...NOPE

THIS WAS CONSIDERED A HOME OF SOMEONE WEALTHY.

SO ONE OF OUR DONKEYS WAS A MAMA DONKEY

AND THIS WAS HER BABY.  THIS DONKEY FOLLOWED BEHIND 

US (AND HER MAMA) THE ENTIRE TRIP!  IT WAS SO SWEET!

DOESN'T IT LOOK LIKE DONKEY FROM SHREK?

CAN WE KEEP HIM? 

SOMETIMES HE WOULD JUST STOP TO ROLL AROUND.

PLEEEEAAASE CAN WE KEEP HIM?  

WHOOP! GIG'EM AGS!

WE ARE NOW ON A LONG WALK UP AND UP AND UP

THAT ALMOST GAVE ME A HEART ATTACK.

WHAT?  WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T NAP ON A DONKEY?

BLAKEY..SUCH A GOOD BIG SIS

SHE'S UP! (DONKEY NAPS ARE SHORT)

 AND WE ARE STILL WALKING UP,

AND UP AND UP AND UP

WE MADE IT!  ALLELUIA!  THIS IS CALLED "THE MONASTERY" THIS 

PLACE WAS PROBABLY A TEMPLE TO A NABATAEAN GOD AND 

JUST CALLED "THE MONASTERY" BECAUSE OF ITS REMOTE LOCATION.

  IT TOOK US OVER AN HOUR TO CLIMB UP TO IT!

WELL WORTH THE CLIMB!

ON THE WAY DOWN WE STOPPED TO CHAT AND REST WITH ONE OF THE

 LOCALS.  WE SAID NO THANK YOU TO THE BEVERAGE SHE WAS OFFERING. 

 TURNS OUT SHE WAS THE  MOTHER OF THE FELLOW WHO OWNED

OUR DONKEYS!

TIME TO HEAD OUT OF PETRA...

OUR LUCKY DAY!  THE DONKEY FELLOW WAS RUNNING A 

SPECIAL FOR PEOPLE WHO CARRY 4 KIDS UP TO THE

MONASTERY!  A DONKEY FOR MOM AND DAD! OH JOY!

(FOR THE RECORD MY DONKEY WAS CRAZY)

WE STARTED AT 8AM AND WALKED OUT AROUND 4PM!

WHAT AN AMAZING DAY THAT ENDED WITH:

VINO FROM THE HOLY LAND FOR MOM AND DAD.
(IT WAS MUCH NEEDED)

DAY 2 OF OUR TRIP.  TIME TO DRIVE ABOUT 3 HOURS TO 

THE DEAD SEA.  OLIVIA LOST HER TOOTH IN PETRA AND

HERE SHE IS HOLDING IT UP.  SHE LOSES HER TEETH IN COOL

PLACES....THE LOUVRE, PETRA

WE STOPPED FOR SOME PHOTO OPS ON THE WAY

TO THE DEAD SEA.  DERIC!  THAT CLIFF IS MADE OF 

SANDSTONE!  ANOTHER HEART ATTACK MOMENT.

FIRST VIEWS OF THE DEAD SEA.  THE DEAD SEA, ALSO KNOWN 

AS "SEA OF DEATH" IS THE EARTH'S LOWEST ELEVATION ON LAND.

IT IS THE DEEPEST BODY OF WATER IN THE WORLD AND IS

8 TIMES SALTIER THAN THE OCEAN.

THE BEACH POOL AT OUR RESORT THAT LOOKED

OUT TO THE DEAD SEA.

HERE WE GO!  FIRST STEPS IN..THE WATER IS SO SALTY IT LOOKS LIKE SYRUP.  

IF YOU HAVE ANY SCRAPES OR CUTS YOU ARE IN TROUBLE...OUCH!

WE COULDN'T LET THE WATER TOUCH OUR EYES AND

NO LILLY ALOUD!  PLEASE ENJOY THE BACKGROUND

OF MANY OF THESE PHOTOS.

SALT ROCK!

YOU ARE 100% BUOYANT IN THIS WATER!

THE MUD AT THE BANKS OF THE DEAD SEA IS SUPPOSED TO BE

 MINERAL PACKED AND REALLY GOOD FOR YOUR SKIN.  CAN YOU 

IMAGINE THE FUN HUSBAND AND KIDS HAD WITH THIS.  THE PEOPLE

WATCHING WAS SUPERB!  SPEEDOS..MUD BATHS...WOO-HOOOO!

LADIES...HE'S ALL MINE

MOM'S TURN..THAT'S ME WAVING..I LASTED ONLY A MINUTE...

SHAVING LEGS THE MORNING YOU GO IN THE DEAD SEA 

IS NOT RECOMMENDED

THIS PHOTO IS NOT FOR YOU TO ADMIRE THE 

KIDS RINSING OFF..SPEEDO AND MUD ALERT!

WE'VE FLOATED...WE'VE HAD MUD BATHS..

(WELL NOT ME..NOPE, NO THANK YOU)

TIME FOR SOME BEACH RELAXATION!

ACROSS THE WATER IS JERUSALEM...SO CLOSE TO THE HOLY LAND!  

I LOVED HOW THE SUN KEPT PEEKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS...

IT WAS HEAVENLY LOOKING

DEAD SEA-ED OUT!

SO SAD THIS PICTURE DIDN'T TURN OUT..THIS WAS

OUR ACTUAL THANKSGIVING NIGHT DINNER...

NO TURKEY BUT STEAKS!

AFTER DINNER LILLY ENTERTAINED...

OUR LAST DAY AT THE DEAD SEA WE JUST

HUNG BY THE BEACH POOL...(MY FAVORITE THING TO DO ON A TRIP)

BUILT SOME SAND CASTLES...

AND WORE THIS ONE OUT ONE MORE TIME!

ON OUR LAST DAY IN JORDAN WE WENT TO SEE THE JORDAN 

RIVER WHERE JESUS WAS BAPTIZED. UNFORTUNATELY YOU 

WON'T SEE ALL MY PHOTOS OF THIS INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE 

BECAUSE MY CAMERA WAS STOLEN OUT OF MY CHECKED BAG.

YES, NEVER AT THE LAST MINUTE SHOVE YOUR PRECIOUS 

CAMERA IN YOUR SUITCASE THAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO CHECK

  BECAUSE YOU ARE TOO TIRED TO HOLD IT ANYMORE.

WHEN WE ARRIVED IN DUBAI ONE SUITCASE WAS

MISSING. 24 HOURS LATER IT WAS RETURNED MINUS

MY CAMERA.  LUCKILY I DOWNLOADED PHOTOS EVERY 

NIGHT DURING THE TRIP!  WE GOT A FEW FROM DERIC'S

PHONE.  STILL MAKES ME SO SAD!  

ACTUAL SITE CHRIST WAS BAPTIZED.

VISITING MOUNT NEBO

THE TOP OF MOUNT NEBO AND THE VIEW OF THE

PROMISED LAND.

LILLY SAYS ITS TIME TO GO HOME!

CHEERS FROM SINGAPORE!  OH WAIT!  THANKSGIVING IS NOT

OVER YET!  OUR DEAR NALCO FAMILY CELEBRATED WHEN WE

GOT BACK TO DUBAI!  TURKEY, DRESSING..PIMENTO CHEESE HERE WE COME!

THANKS TRINKA AND TODD FOR HOSTING!

AHHHHHH..REAL AMERICAN FOOD!

THE NAL-KIDS

THANK YOU NALCO FAMILY FOR HELPING US

CELEBRATE OUR LAST HOLIDAY IN DUBAI.

WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOU!  MORE THAN YOU KNOW!

NOW I CAN SAY IT..CHEERS FROM SINGAPORE!

(MUST SLEEP..BUS AT 6:40AM)