Hi everyone!
WOW! That about sums up my incredible journey through the beautiful country of Jordan! Recently I had the blessed opportunity to photograph for the Jordan Board of tourism during their annual Travelmart! I'm thinking that I absolutely love travel photography! I and my lovely assistant Bonnie Benacquista left Pittsburgh on February 13th on a 12 hour flight to Jordan. We did alot of resort hopping and in each place we stayed we would turn and look at each other and say " Have we died and gone to heaven" It was just that beautiful! The country, the people, the food and the places we stayed were out of this world! I would recommend this trip to anyone!
We saw the holy lands; Bethany,where Jesus was baptized; Mt. Nebo where Moses saw the Holy Land; Jaresh where Roman ruins were uncovered 70 years ago but were built over 2000years ago by the Romans; Petra, where Indiana Jones and the last Crusade were filmed and where the Nabateans carved out of the mountain ginormours buildings for trade and a monestary that you would need to climb 800 steps up a mountain to get to! I think I was crying from exhaustion on step 400 when my guardian angel Omar helped me carry my equipment the remaining 400 steps.....I did make it to the top for my reward, the awe inspiring Monestary.
We traveled to Wadi Rum where huge rock formations pertrude throughout desert sands! We rode camels to our camp site where we were received by the Bedouin hospilality. They are so inviting and love to tell their stories. They are amazing cooks and cook their food underground lamb, chicken, rice, potatoes mmmm so delicious! They welcome you with the most delicious tea I have ever tasted. I have been trying to brew my tea at home this way...not the same unfortunately. We took the hand of one of our Bedouin friends who lead a group of us into the desert night in complete darkness to lie in the cool sands and stare up at the millions of stars. Amazing!
We were swimming, or should I say floating, in the Dead Sea. We first slattered ourselves in mud and then floated in the Dead Sea. We went diving off a beautiful sailboat called the Sinbad to snorkel in the Red Sea. We enjoyed a day at the Dead Sea spa and relaxed in the warm filtered Dead Sea sun. FYI you don't need sun screen because the Dead Sea is 2000miles below sea level the sun's rays are not harmful! Gotta love it! Anyway I could go on and on with stories you will just have to go there and check it out for yourself...you will not be disappointed!!!
Check out my photos some of them will be for sale! And some will be displayed at the embassy gallery in Washington DC in the next few months. For more information contact: Mary Beth Kratsas 412-445-5904!
Mary Beth, your photos are AMAZING. I loved traveling with you and Bonnie and see a great future for you as travel photographers! Thank you so much for joining us and being part of this fun and incredible experience. You and Bonnie made my days easier to get through when things were tricky or tough. I feel blessed. Love always, Malia
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