Wadi Rum & the Sounds of Silence

by keenan | July 30, 2007 at 03:12 pm

859 views | 18 Recommendations | 5 comments

Wadi Rum & the Sounds of
Silence

I sit alone atop a rock formation watching the sun set in
the vast desert known as Wadi Rum, listening to the singular sonorous sound of coursing
wind, contemplating the obsessive appeal of this wild, meditative place to T.E.
Lawrence of Arabia. This is where David Lean
chose to set his 1962 “best picture of the year” that won him a total of seven
Academy Awards. King Hussein of Jordan
lent an entire brigade of his Arab Legion as extras for the film, so most
soldiers were played by real ones. Hussein frequently visited the sets and
became fascinated with a young British secretary, Antoinette Gardiner, his
second wife in 1962. Their oldest son, Abdullah II, inherited the throne as King
of Jordan in 1999. Everywhere you travel in Jordan, you encounter pictures of
father and son. The father astutely signed a 1994 peace treaty with Israel and Jordan
has enjoyed U.S.
aid ever since.

Sitting on
narrow seats in the truck’s open back, a ripped piece of fabric covering our
heads, offering slim protection from the beating sun, we ride through sand for
two hours, driven by Bedouins. Modern Bedouins maintain camels for show and
photographs, particularly at all of the scenic vistas, but more likely travel
in Toyotas these days. True, we did encounter a mother camel in the wild
feeding three babies, and we witnessed a few primitive, nomadic tents. In fact,
all along the rock formations that I explored, I discover the remnants of group
meals, skeletal limbs, probably lamb or goat and carcasses littered about.
Sadly, I notice that there’s also garbage strewn upon the desert, plastic and a
tennis shoe.

This was Lawrence’s unorthodox starting
point for the heroic Arab drive across the desert to catch the Turks unaware in
Aqaba, their guns fixed in the opposite direction towards the sea, a land of
bizarre rock formations and sand that ranges from yellow to red, the wind sculpting
intricate patterns and dunes.

Tonight, we
dine with Bedouins and sleep in their camp, perhaps under the stars. Tents are
lined in a v-shape between two steep walls, composed of dark blankets strung
together, inside a coiled mosquito net and a comfortable mattress upon which I
choose to sleep, wary to check my shoes for scorpions in the morning.

I am told
by my guide, Ibrahim, that even Wadi Rum has experienced weird weather
abnormalities lately such as snow a month ago. In the desert, there are no TV
antennas, billboards and noise other than wind or other distractions except
when we spot a fox den that clearly animates the Bedouins who immediately try
to destroy it. There are camel tracks and remarkable hardy green shrubs, seemingly
a foil for the omnipresent sand, existential reminders that this is a rigorous,
unforgiving locale.

The meal is an elaborate affair.
Upon arrival, as usual, we are greeted with sweet, warm tea. We sit around a
large fire that illuminates the night. There is a full moon so no stars. The
Bedouins roasted a lamb under the sand, and they make a show of digging it up. We
are serenaded by three musicians in Arab garb and after eating, the men begin a
dance, content to partner with fellow males at least for several minutes and
then they encourage the ladies to join in.

A few smoke apple-flavoured
“hubbly-bubblies,” the tall glass containers, water filling the base, fueled by
hot coals applied at the top. I try a Turkish coffee which looks and tastes
like sludge.

Earlier, we viewed the impressive
rock formation that gave title to Lawrence’s
book, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Peter O’Toole was a great choice to play Lawrence. His angular
face and flaming eyes embodied the spiritual antagonism, trying to unite
disparate tribes in the pan-Arab revolt, slowly giving way to a madness that emanates
not only from war but also from harsh, unforgiving terrain that makes one feel
so small.

Mike Keenan
writes a weekly newspaper column for the St. Catharines Standard and has been
published in the Globe and Mail, Buffalo Spree, Stitches, West of the City and
Pulse Magazine. He is editor of the zine, Synapse Magazine: www.synapsemagazine.ca
and What Travel Writers Say: www.whattravelwriterssay.com

Photo Credits

Mike Keenan: Wadi Rum scenes – bridge, sand design,
sunset, camels, pictograph, tea at Captain’s Desert Camp, “hubbly-bubbly”, moon
above the desert

If you go

Captain’s Desert Camp: http://www.jtb.com.jo/brochures/guide_rum.html

Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan: http://www.kinghussein.gov.jo/tourism1.html

King Abdullah II: http://www.kingabdullah.jo/homepage.php

Royal Jordanian Airlines: http://www.rja.com.jo/default.aspx

Visit Jordan:
www.visitjordan.com