Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Aqaba, Jordan

Thursday, April 2, 2015

Departing at approximately 7:30am seven days ago, we arrived on schedule in Aqaba, Jordan today.  Aqaba is situated on the northeastern tip of the Red Sea.  It is the largest city on the Gulf of Aqaba and Jordan's only coastal city.  Aqaba is famous for its warm water and rich marine life.




We shared our day in Aqaba with Holland America's Amsterdam, also on a World Cruise.  The city is primarily known for the close proximity to the   ancient city of Petra, the beautiful "Rose City".  Also, famous from the movie Lawrence of Arabia, many people travel to see Wadi Rum, scenic desert landscape where Bedouins make their homes and to see the Seven Pillars of Wisdom Mountain.









Also available is a city tour, museum, Aqaba Fort, and the south beaches.  We took the city tour and a trip to the south beaches as far as the Saudi Arabian boarder.  It is evident that the conflict in the Middle East is having a major impact on tourism in Jordan.  The city and area is suffering.










Dropping lines around 7:15pm, we headed out of the harbor and Gulf of Aqaba to the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal.