Thursday, 31 October 2019
Third Day at Sea:  Halloween

There are big plans for Halloween tonight on the ms Encore. Entertainment will revolve around the annual event and everyone is encouraged to wear costumes.  I shall appear exactly as I am—that is certainly scary enough.

I am enjoying an after-breakfast cappuccino in the Seabourn Square   (the central lounge and information area on the ship).  

The morning coffee in the Colonnade, where I had French Toast for breakfast, never stays warm because the AC blasts at a very high level. Admittedly, the temperature and humidity on deck have been really unpleasant for the past few sea days, but someone needs to moderate the inside temperatures.  At least there are individual controls in each suite, so I can turn down the fan and raise the degrees when I get too uncomfortable in the cold—or I can just open the door to my veranda.

And in my imagination I can return to the more pleasant temperatures in Aqaba and Petra on . . . 

Monday , 28 October 2019
Aqaba and Petra, Jordan

Because all of today’s shore excursions leave by 7:30am, the Colonnade is open for breakfast at 6:30.  Although there are several different excursions on offer, almost everyone is going to Petra—10 buses, each with about 25 passengers, are all heading out on the same route.  It takes about two hours to drive to our destination.  The drive takes us through the central part of Aqaba, Jordan’s only water access. Both Africa (Egypt) and Asia (Iran) can be seen from the city. Many new infrastructure and beautification projects are visible, including an entirely new cruise port facility.  Even this short ride through the city reveals many historical monuments, including large fountains and statues.

As we pass the outskirts of  Aqaba, the scenery quickly changes to a desert of harsh sand and stone.  The well-paved four-lane highway (sometimes widening to six lanes on uphill stretches) is well maintained and traffic moves quickly.  There are patches of green where irrigation allows year-round planting and strings of tall modern windmills for the generation of energy.  Otherwise all is beige sand and blue skies.

We make one short stop for toilets and/or shopping about 30 minutes before reaching Petra , but the shopping looks mass produced although it is all stamped, “Made in Jordan.”  At least the signs are . . .

Arriving in Petra I find a much larger town that I expected. Homes and businesses line the hillside on both sides of the winding two-lane main road.  There are many major hotel chains (including Marriott and Mowenpick), and every other building seems to be a restaurant.  We soon join a long line of tourist buses in the parking lot and take our first steps into the cooler—some might call it “chilly”—morning air.

Before I take my readers into the historic site of Petra’s ancient ruins, I will take a break and save the excitement and many photos for the next blog.