Monday, May 19, 2008

Mountains and Sea

My trip to Jordan has afforded me some very interesting day trips, including my favorite place, Ma’in Hot Springs. The place is being built up to accommodate for more tourism, but to me, it was just fine (actually though, the bathrooms sent Tamara and I running out screaming). The springs were unbearably hot in some places. They are nestled in a mountain range between the Dead Sea and Madaba, and the drive into the valley was quite tortuous. The landscape was very dramatic, filled with rocky red and orange mountains. I imagine it’s gorgeous at sunrise and sunset. We drove into the resort area and made our way for the waterfalls. Going down this path, they became visible as we walked closer, and I got really excited because there were people just standing there underneath the powerful pounding water, unable to move. They looked pretty funny, so Tamara and I made fun of them and found a place to sit. After I got over the freak out of being half undressed in front of people and deciding to wear my skirt with my bathing suit, I got into the water and marveled at the warmth of it. It’s strange because even though the day was quite warm, it didn’t bother us to be in warm water. I think they channel through some cold water into the fall. I slowly made my way underneath the waterfall and was totally astounded. Tamara, Mohsen and I looked at each other stunned at how powerful the water was pounding down on us. It was a strange combination of feelings. First, the water felt therapeutic. Then, being under a mad rush puts you in a kind of a hypnotic state. The water falls down rather steady, but every once in a while, it pounded extra hard as if another spring joined in. All you can do is stand there and give in to the power of the falls, and I willing did so.

The drive there was pretty great, too. First we passed through what is referred to as the Grand Canyon of Jordan. I didn’t realize how mountainous Jordan is. We passed through this little
town built along the mountain road and I thought about the relationships people have to the mountains in which they live. I thought about the Berber girls in the High Atlas Mountains in Morocco, and the Bedouins at Mt. Sinai in Egypt. I thought about the folks in the Northern Sierras who make their money during tourist season and close up for the winter, getting snowed in and all. While I lumber up the mountain like an elephant, unsure of every step, kids in rubbery slippers bounced from rock to rock. I thought about the animals people encounter, and the people animals encounter. I think mountains breed a special kind of being.

Then we got to the Dead Sea and I gasped because I could see Palestine just across. I felt sad that the days of going back and forth between Jordan and Palestine with nothing but the road to worry
about were over. Tamara mentioned that she never sees boats on the Dead Sea, it probably has to do with its salt content. Or maybe it’s something to do with security? I don’t know. But it is sadly symbolic that the horizon toward Palestine is comprised of a sea that’s so salty, nothing can live in it, a sea upon which no boats float. I have the privilege of being melancholy, but it’s not an option for people who live there (though depression must be rampant there). That’s why you see people laughing all the time in Palestine, or snapping at each other, or marveling at this years figs…feeling their feelings with all they’ve got. For what else can you do in a place that the world has deserted?

2 Comments:

Blogger Rania said...

Hey Baby! Are you going to try to go to Petra??

Love you!

May 19, 2008 at 8:24 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi Kathy,
It's been a week since you've posted, how are you? Working, playing, enoying? Hope all is well.
xoxoxo
Lizanne

May 24, 2008 at 10:45 PM  

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