Saturday, April 03, 2010

Bedouin Barbeque






We have been on our own in Petra all afternoon and hurry back to the hotel to change into warm clothes for tonights Bedouin barbecue in the desert beyond. As we board the buses for the short ride to the barbecue, the sun casts a golden glow on the hillside of the modern town. Sunset descends, a dramatic splash of deep rose and purple, setting over the sculpted canyons. The night is bone chilling cold and I am grateful for the several bonfires blazing. It is not as authentic as I hoped, but the food is tasty and ample and the 108 of us heap our plates with lamb and goat skewered meat hot off a large grill. There are dishes of salad and warm pita bread and hummus. When our plates are full, we return quickly to the perimeters of the fires to warm ourselves. Soon the music begins and those brave enough to leave the warmth of the fire keep warm by dancing to the rhythm. The evening is a festive and fitting close to a remarkable day.

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