1.Petra is actually the Greek name for Raqmu, home of Nabateans. The Nabateans were one of the few nomadic Bedouin tribes who prospered with trade and even established their own kingdom between 2nd and 4th century BC. They co-operated with the Romans and grew their kingdom, roman theatre and all impressive facades are estimated to have been built during that period.The treasury facade is carved on the pink sandstone rocks and is a sight to behold. Hundreds, if not thousands of tombs are also carved into the rocky cliffs. Like most civilizations, they just seem to have vanished but left us with these beautiful monuments to wonder at.

2. Dead Sea was surreal. I simply couldn’t imagine floating in water although science explains how. But to experience it was another thing. It is one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I simply couldn’t get enough of it.I was able to access both at a private property and public beach. The dead sea mud rub is part of the experience and is known to have skin healing properties. Almost all resorts or tour packages offer this complimentary .The public beach was equally fun but then again be open to large crowds and fewer facilities. It is a sad that the dead sea is drying up due to local and macro factors like global warning.

3. Wadi Rum is Martian looking. In fact, it was used to film parts of many space movies like The Martian, The Last Day on Mars and Red Planet. The desert has a magical silence to it that we don’t experience in our daily lives anymore. Also, sleeping under the stars never loses its charm. There are tons of tours that offer overnight tent stays including cultural experience like presentations from local musicians and bedouin food. Bedouins own access to the Wadi just like Native Americans manage access to canyons on their reservations.

4. Amman was my first city experience in the Arab World. It has interesting geographical texture – hills and winding streets. The Roman Amphitheater still stands and is testament to the might and reach of the Roman empire. It was no less impressive than other similar monuments in Italy. I kept wishing for more time in Amman. Jerash is another popular day trip option from Amman known for its Roman ruins.

5. I had the best Kunefe ever in Amman – there is absolutely nothing to complain about hot gooey cheese drizzled with sugar syrup. It was soul warming. The store like a melting pot where class barriers didn’t seem to matter. This was followed by Arabic cardamon coffee, the aroma of which still lingers in my memory. Maklouba (meaning upside down in Arabic) is an one pot dish native to the region. Meat, rice, vegetable and spices are cooked in shallow pot and flipped on to a serving plate to form a rice tower.  Although the vegetarian friendly version was tasty enough, it was akin to a meatless biriyani. The maghmour also referred to as Moussakal is a dish wherein eggplant, tomatoes, spice are cooked to a creamy consistency. It makes for a great dip for the pita alongside the ubiquitous hummus and ful.