We left the Aqaba, Jordan port very early. We wanted to visit Wadi Rum before the crowds. Those of you familiar with Lawrence of Arabia will recognize the 7 Pillars as the entrance to this stupendous, timeless place, virtually untouched by humans. We saw 4,000 year old petroglyphs, and beautiful rock formations. Reminded me of Arizona and Utah, but different at the same time: limestone, water and wind erosion but totally different patterns and colors.

We were in the backs of small pickups, operated by local Bedouins . The sand was so fine that we got stuck. With a bit of cooperation and lots of laughter we got going again. Hope you get a chuckle out of the pic.

We went on to a Bedouin camp where we had tea and got a taste of living in the desert. What a wonderful experience. Some of our group rode camels, long enough for a photo op. I loved just taking snaps of the weeks-old baby.

After getting our injured guide to the hospital (nose not broken but he tore a ligament in his ankle - iPad survived) and finding out the hotel staff in Petra were on strike for 2 days, we went back to the ship for the night. Stopped in Aqaba for a delicious dinner.

We left at 7 a.m. for the Petra ruins, chosen one of the 7 World Wonders. Arrived before the crowds and while the light was still pretty good for pics. What an experience! We traversed most of the excavated site over the next 4 hours, about 14,000 steps and 73 flights of stairs on my Fitbit . The entrance is through slot canyons like Arizona but with cobalt rock interspersed with the orange sandstone. Less than 20% of the site has been excavated so far. What a treasure.

It is a vast, unique city, carved into sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled there more than 2,000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice,and other trade routes that linked China, India, and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome.

Our guides were so welcoming. Thanked us for coming, saying they knew our families had reservations of our destination, but wanted us to know that they are a peaceful people and that they don't condone the actions of the radical faction. The children are delightful, wanting pics with us. Google Petra for more info on current discoveries.

Now, off through the Suez Canal and on to Greece.