Aqaba

We finished our tour of Jordan with two very relaxing days at the Gulf of Aqaba. Aqaba has a very picturesque location at the foot of the rolling hills that the serve as protection from the desert.  As you approach the city, it is a surprise to see that Saudi Arabia is visible to the East, and Eilat in Israel dominates the Western side of the shore.  Across the bay you can see the lights of the large hotels in Taba, Egypt. After sunset the proximity of these countries really hits home as you sit on the beach gazing into the dazzling array of lights.

We enjoyed walking around the town, which was overwhelmed by Arab tourists who were there to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Since Aqaba is a tax free zone, several Saudis had arrived to do some shopping; taxis were being loaded with televisions and computer equipment. Our one problem was finding an ATM.  Little did we know that in Aqaba they have mobile ATM’s!  A kind police officer walked us to a pickup truck that served the dual function of ATM and transport for the locals.

On our final day we went to buy baklava in bulk for friends here in Prague.  When we told them how much we wanted to buy, they immediately ushered us to a table and began to feed us as they rushed around slamming pistachio and almond filled pastries into clear plastic containers. By the time they had finished, we had eaten enough baklava to satisfy us for a lifetime.

On our last evening we had a lovely dinner on a roof terrace of a local restaurant. We enjoyed our food as we looked out over the sea and the mosque that dominates the center of town.  We sipped our bitter lemon and listened to our final prayer calls from the minarets – at least for the time being…