JORDAN – The city of SALT nominated for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

JORDAN – The city of SALT nominated for recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Giordania UNESCO

Jordan has recently sent the candidacy of the Salt site for inclusion in the list of UNESCO world heritage sites.

The city, which is about 30 km away from Amman, was once considered an important settlement in a strategic position on the trade route between the West and the Eastern Desert.

Over the centuries Salt underwent the domination of numerous civilizations, including Romans, Byzantines and Mamluks.

During the Ottoman period Salt had the greatest development, as the regional administrative base was established there, became a trading city, and was the residence of many wealthy merchants who built their homes by mixing local and Western styles. Typically these towering yellow limestone buildings feature domed roofs, inner courtyards, and the typical tall arched windows. When Amman then became the new capital of the Emirate of Transjordan, the decline of the city of Salt began, but these houses remain a witness to those prosperous times.

Salt is also considered a site of interest from a religious point of view. The city hosts, among others, the Tomb of Job, one of the first patriarchal figures in the Bible, and the shrine of the prophet Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, as well as the tombs of two sons of Jacob: Jad and Asher.

JORDAN – Lawrence of Arabia

JORDAN – Lawrence of Arabia

Giordania

One of the most recurring characters on a trip to Jordan is undoubtedly Thomas Edward Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia.

Born in Wales in 1888, since his college days he undertook several trips to the Middle East, visiting Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Egypt. In 1914 he was enlisted in the cartographic service of the British army in Egypt, before moving on to military and political intelligence.

His main task was to deal with relations with the Arabs as an officer of the British secret services but in 1916 after coming into close contact with the Arab prince Faisal as a liaison officer, he began to operate with the task of fomenting the Arab Revolt. against the Turkish occupiers, allied with the Germans.

The first important victory, Lawrence achieved on 6 July 1917 with the conquest of the port of Aqaba, on the Red Sea. His base of operations from which he departed with the expedition was the Wadi Rum desert.

In December 1917, already known for all as “Lawrence of Arabia” and in command of the Arab contingent, he participated in the triumphal entry of the Anglo-Arab forces into Jerusalem and subsequently in the conquest of Damascus in October 1918 together with General Allenby, head of the British forces in the Middle East.

This was his last important operation, in fact after the war Lawrence experienced a period of unrest. In fact, in addition to having fought with great pride and having won the trust of the Arabs, at the same time he followed the orders of the British command somewhat ambiguously.

He then had strong feelings of guilt when at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919, the Middle East and the Arab peoples were put at the services of the British and French.

He was also a very proud and ambitious character and with the desire to spread his myth, in 1919 Lawrence had begun to write his war memories, which were published in 1926 under the title “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”.

He died in 1935 from a serious and still mysterious motorcycle accident.

BEYOND by MAGIC TRAVELS

BEYOND by MAGIC TRAVELS

Abu Dhabi Armenia Dubai Emirati Arabi Georgia Giordania Magic Camps Oman Partner

Faced with the growing desire for authenticity, space and awareness for sustainable tourism, Magic Travels has decided to mark a new turning point towards eco-responsible and ethical travel, after a first step initiated by the creation of Magic Camps (eco-chic tented camps in the Emirates and Oman).

This new twist has a name: BEYOND by Magic Travels.

“Beyond”: beyond the classic tours, beyond the beaten paths and beyond the travel experiences generally offered up to now.

This new brand will offer eco-responsible tours in the 5 destinations where Magic is present with its offices: United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Armenia and Georgia.

But why BEYOND? Because the goal of this new production, which will initially be aimed at individual customers, will be to take them “beyond” the classic circuits and not only to offer “adventurous” trips off the beaten path, but also intense experiences aimed at encouraging meeting with local communities.

The BEYOND programs will be accessible to both beginners and experienced adventurers, looking for meaning, or simply for adventure and excitement.

Social and cultural exchanges are promoted through many original and unusual experiences for responsible and authentic travel.

Closed doors open to offer unique encounters, to discover places hitherto inaccessible but above all to tell the true story of the country. When the journey is no longer a simple destination but an immersion.

In a responsible tourism approach, all programs are created by a team of enthusiasts with full respect for local populations and their environments.

BEYOND, where the MAGIC happens!

JORDAN – Rum Farm

JORDAN – Rum Farm

Giordania

Rum Farm is a farm located in the Wadi Rum valley in Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. It was founded in 1986 and covers approximately 2000 hectares of land in the middle of the desert.

More specifically, this valley is called the “Valley of the Moon” and is a very arid area, with very little annual rainfall and sparse vegetation.

Red sand areas alternate with granite and sandstone mountains, with gorges, caves, natural arches … everything would be said except that it is a fertile land where you can produce and cultivate something. Yet the desert regions of Israel and Jordan have been the subject of numerous agricultural projects for years, so with the involvement of some local Bedouins, activities have begun here that are starting to be successful.

In fact, it has been discovered that under the Wadi Rum desert there is a large aquifer and which guarantees a large part of the water supply for the whole nation. The water is then taken from the underground aquifer, 30-400 meters deep and irrigates 78 hectares of circular fields, a technique that works very well.

Rum Farm is today a farm specialized in the cultivation of products such as vegetables, cereals and forage, aubergines, cabbage, figs and pomegranates, potatoes, squash, tomatoes. The crops are grown using special irrigation techniques and a method that is said to have been in use since ancient times by the Egyptians and the Nabataeans.

JORDAN – The discovery of Petra

JORDAN – The discovery of Petra

Giordania Petra

Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage City and has been declared one of the seven wonders of the world. It is certainly the most renowned and visited site in Jordan and the main reason for the trip to the destination.

It is also very interesting to know how this beauty was discovered and delivered to the knowledge of the whole modern world. In fact, after the end of the Nabataean kingdom, the pink city (as Petra is also recognized) remained in the shadows for centuries and was only rediscovered about two hundred years ago, in 1812, by a young Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

His great ambition was to discover the source of the Niger river. He prepared the shipment carefully, studied Arabic, medicine, chemistry and astronomy, getting used to sleeping outdoors and feeding only on fruits and vegetables. He wanted to pass himself off as a Muslim, so he also studied Quranic law and Islamic culture. In 1809 he left for Cairo, passing through Syria, Lebanon and Palestine.

To tell the truth, he never arrived to West Africa and the great Niger River, in fact, during the journey he learned of a wonderful ancient city, forgotten by all and feared by local Bedouins, hidden in the impenetrable mountains. This legend excited him to the point that he organized a search. He hired a local guide and as a motivation to justify the trip he pretended to want to sacrifice a goat in honor of Aaron, brother of Moses, being the valley close to the tomb.

He left Damascus in the direction of Aqaba, along the Dead Sea. Two days on horseback from the coast, he found the narrow passage that led him into the canyon, right where the city of Petra stood. Burckhardt immediately understood the importance of his discovery, but had to remain silent to prevent the population from accusing him of being an unfaithful and only a treasure hunter. He then made the sacrifice of the unfortunate goat and returned.

He then told the discovery in his travel diary published in 1822.

Today Petra is one of the most popular archaeological sites in the world and its visit, from walking the Siq up to the climb to the Monastery is an unforgettable experience and must be done at least once in a lifetime.