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Windows & Doors, Bedouin Guest Camp, Wadi Rum

Posted by
dj.tigersprout (New York City, United States) on 11 November 2008 in Lifestyle & Culture and Portfolio.

my short but magical time in Jordan was really like an unexpectedly surreal dream -- at certainly stages, i felt i was living, walking, driving through an arid and beautiful, never ending Dali painting... at other times i felt like i was strolling through an ancient history museum -- with most of the ruins being either of Roman, Nabatean or of an other unknown and ancient origin... and everything seemed so different: far away was the culturally dominant and depressing American war on Iraq, the huge, buzzing, metropolitan cities of USA, the 10+ hour work days, the manic television commercials, the never ending list of corporate action items and personal responsibilities -- the general enervating shuffle of western civilization.

quite suddenly, i seemingly awoke to find myself in a different and very exotic land, a rugged, historic and rocky interior, a country of red sand and ochre rock, a country of ancient knowledge and vast minimalism, a country hand carved in 2000 year old memories and encapsulated in time, dust and ageless treasures. bathed in absolute tranquility and safely encased within a small, modest and totally elementary triangle hut that somehow felt all the more cozy and quite wonderfully comforting, i once again awoke to my deeper, inner self and then to the magically mysterious landscape of Jordania. the sole window was covered with a bamboo like shutter that could be opened or closed, and on the inside hung beautifully simple folds of mosquito netting. in the mornings and afternoons the light that seeped through the various slats on the door as well as this small window refracted into ephemeral orange, blue and violet hues... it was incredible to behold, and i spent a good amount of time in quiet rapture, marveling at the nuances of lighting, textures and colors and the soft whispers of desert heat.

during one of the many hours i had free to roam through the guest camp, i found myself perched at ground level, watching the gentle sway of tent flaps in the breeze. i was in the labyrinth like midst of a bedouin tent city... a melange of reddish, orangish canvas and thin semi transparent nylon fabric... it was so simple yet so fascinating, and again i was mesmerized for some time. for tonights post, i have joined these two interesting moments of my experience, knee deep in Jordan's interior to bring you 'windows & doors' / 'doors & windows'. :)

**note: a warm, sincere 'thanks' to Grouser -- for explaining to me months ago how to 'montage' in photoshop... cheers to you mate!! :D

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