Crossing the desert–heading to Jordan
May 15 2011
Today was the intended hike to the top of Mt. Sinai, beginning at 1:30am. So the group was to assemble in the reception of Morgenland Village to begin the hike up “The Mountain of Moses” which would take 2 hours up and 3 hours down. At 1:30, I was curled up fast asleep and did not stir until 5:15, when I looked at my watch in panic and thought that it was almost 9am and I had 10 minutes to catch the tour bus!
I went for a short walk around the village (resort) which is located in the Sinai valley. The mountains are red, the land is rocky and red, there are few plants, and in the early morning the air is crisp. I spent a while talking to a Bedouin trader (we’re now at 750 camels, 100 goats and a horse) and bought a beautiful shawl, and have a down payment of 3 charm bracelets. My mother is considering life as a livestock owner.
Our first stop this morning was at the Monastery of St. Katherine, which is built at the site of the Transfiguration. Also there is Moses’ well (where water sprung from the rock) and the burning bush. The monastery is lovely, over 1500 years old, and includes a mosque within its walls. It’s Greek Orthodox, and has been protected by treaty since the 10th century. There’s a Bedouin tribe who act as servants to the monastery (the Garepy) and they’re apparently paid by the Egyptian government.
Then we drove 2 hours to the Red Sea to take the ferry to Aqaba, Jordan, where we’ll spend the night near Petra.
The prayers to Howard and Hailey continued today, and I learnt, in an amazing disregard for Canon Law, that the Holy Spirit works “to the intercession of your divine spouse.” Then, with many an “O Gawd” and “Lahwd Jeez-us” and assorted groans, a protracted prayer for our (Muslim) guide to be “filled with the spirit of Christ” Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
More time in the desert – it’s incredible. Colours and shades; the contrasts. It’s brilliant. I don’t know if I can capture the beauty in photos, but I’ll try.
Arrived in Jordan. Not thrilled. Our ferry was run later as there weren’t enough tourists to justify a fast run, and so it took 4 hours instead of 1.5. I have to say that no Trinidadian living in Trinidad has any right to complain about the service in any other developing nation. The ferry run itself was fine – add another 200 camels to the count LOL – the difficulty arose on landing. Because we were so late, there was no dinner when we finally arrived at the hotel around 1am. The guide optimistically announced that “food will be left in your rooms” – and in my room was stuff to which I was allergic. I also have a sore shoulder from helping to clear luggage when we landed. I’m unimpressed with the group effort exerted by the pilgrims as a whole. There’s more willingness to gossip and tear down than help… even when help is offered. It’s a meanspiritedness that I’ve seen before, which had made me withdraw from several groups. I’m by no means perfect, but I do expect some camaraderie from groups professing “Christianity”… but maybe I expect a lot? Tomorrow is Petra, and that is one of my main attractions for this trip; the city carved into a mountainside.
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