"Shining Flowers of the Desert" Jordan by Romanian_Bat

The desert gives one the time and space to think, to relax, to see things he / she would never see otherwise. There is a stillness which cannot be described in words, there is a silence that overwhelms anyone, there are little things which make it for great events in the desert. A dry bush turns into a goldmine after the sunset, as it can be turned into God-given fire against the dry cold, a dim wind breeze is more than all air conditioners in the world when in the hot stillness of the afternoon, while a Bedouin song is more than any musician when spending long hours in a tent in the end of the day...

Jebel Harun, Wadi Rum

Nabateans created a city out of the desert. Bedouins created a culture around it, leading caravans across it. Tour operators created a business around the desert by selling packages involving the heritage provided by the two above. Looking at it this way, the desert is no longer an arid topic lacking any substance, but it rather has a diverse potential, it is at times a source of inspiration and a purpose...

The Treasury, Petra

Even though some of the aborigenes are leaving their original home, some others are taking their place. They speak various languages, go on long journeys in order to reach the desert and cross it without any merchandise to sell. Even though they do not go by the ancient traditions of the Nabateans, they keep the spirit of the place alive by passing through it. They belong to a heterogenous tribe named "Tourists".

More details on my trip to Jordan to be found in the travelogue down here.

• Pros:Only down there in the desert one can understand the origin of the noisy, crowded souq.
• In a nutshell:A country where one can go as far as the origin of mankind.