Dead2Red and Camels

This really should be three blog posts.  I know it before I began typing.  But something about packing up and moving and getting all that you need for at least 18 months into 3 suitcases pushed me into a just-make-it-work fit.  And that fit must have rolled over into blogging, because I've packed three posts into one.  Oh well.  

I had a long layover in Athens, Greece on my way to the ME.  My friend who lives there had arranged with me where to meet her in town, and we had a lovely time catching up over cappuccino freddos and yogurt.  I took one picture the whole day, and it came out of the Bible nerd in me.  The exit sign says "exodus" in Greek.  That just made my day.

Me and all my luggage (which gloriously all weighed in at 49 lbs each) arrived with no problem at 2 in the morning.  Maple and friends were waiting for me at the airport.  She and I stayed up talking until 5am, when fatigue won over the excitement and we both crashed asleep.  The next morning, I was surprised by her Starbucks mug collection.  Not because she had one, but because she had yellow and orange mugs.  Mrs. X and I had just been discussing days before about how we'd never seen any yellow, orange, or purple mugs.  And then there they were.  Apparently Asia holds all the sunny colored mugs.

My first few days were a whirlwind of riding around the city, doing various little things.  All the buildings are the same sand color, which is pretty in its own way.  I haven't seen any doors that have made me want to yell out "stop the car so I can get a photo!", but I did spot this on the side of a building one day.  Close enough.

After three days, it was time to pack the suitcase and head right back out of town.  There were many discussions that needed to be had, and we could have had them in town, or in an air conditioned resort by the beach in the south.  We opted for the latter.  I'm glad we did, because getting out of town and focusing a bit helped clear all the fog in my head from leaving and coming and goodbyes and hellos and feeling whelmed by the new place.  The trip thrust me straight into the honeymoon phase of loving the new place.

As we drove out of the capital city, it looked like this.

Which then transitioned into this.  I do love me some desert.

Camel on the side of the road: normal.

THE DEAD SEA!!!  We weren't actually going there, we were taking the highway that leads from the Dead Sea to the Red Sea, so we passed all along it.

I was so excited to see it.  I mean, so excited.  Jumping, happy dancing, flipping out so excited.  It's one of those places I've figured I would see some day, and then all of a sudden, there it was.

It was so much prettier than I ever imagined.  Just the prettiest colors.  And so still.

Salt along the beach.

The driver let me out again to freak out some more.  A car can't contain that kind of excitement.

Past the Dead Sea, we were trucking along, when we saw a large herd of camels frolicking in the sand.  I'm not trying to be descriptive here--they were actually frolicking!  Rolling around on their backs, feet in the air, trying to cool off in the sand, frolicking.

I love how they walk in single file lines.

This was my favorite shot from that series:

More salt deposits.

Feral camels about to cross the road.

We arrived to town and got checked into our resort before heading out to find some dinner.  The average temperature there that week was 107F.  But we had A/C, which was glorious.  This was the local mosque.

Here's the view I had every morning while I drank my iced coffee and read my Bible: the Red Sea and the Sinai Peninsula.  That's just too cool.  I only swam in the Sea once on this trip, because of the timing of our discussions.  We had free time in the afternoons, but it was just too hot and I wanted to catch up on sleep in the A/C.  I thoroughly enjoyed my one swim, though.

I wanted to get four pictures of the four countries that are cross-roads in that area.  We drove around.  This is a bit of what the area of my country looks like.

I liked this boat round-a-bout.

So in one day, I saw Dixie (from across the water).

Jordan

Saudi Arabi (from across the border crossing)

And Egypt (from across the sea).  I made this four square photo, clockwise from top left: Egypt, Dixie, Jordan, Saudi.  That's pretty cool.

In town, I realized just how behind the times Americans are with their 3D movies.  Here, they have 9D cinema.  I tremble to think at that experience.

We found an English pub in this place and the food was oh so good.  So good we went back the next day for lunch.

Maple found her car with a personalized license plate just for her!

Sunset over the Red Sea on our last night.

It was a great trip and got me all excited to be here (if I wasn't enough already).  I won't actually be in this country very much over the next year, but for the times I am here--I think they're going to be fun, interesting times.  And besides...any place that has this many camels has got to be awesome.