Saudade

 Saudade - "Longing, melancholy, nostalgia, as a supposed characteristic of the Portuguese or Brazilian temperament." Oxford English Dictionary

"Saudade is a word for a sad state of intense longing for someone or something that is absent. Saudade comes from Portuguese culture, and it is often expressed in its literature and music. Saudade is described as a king of melancholy yearning. . . In Portuguese literature and music, saudade is used as a theme or a motif . . . Saudade is most often discussed in terms of its importance to Portuguese culture and for the supposed difficulty in translating it to English." Dictionary.com

"The famous saudade of the Portuguese is a vague and constant desire for something that does not and probably cannot exist, for something other than the present, a turning towards the past or towards the future; not an active discontent or poignant sadness but an indolent dreaming wistfulness." A.F.G. Bell (from James Cave)

The concept of saudade popped up to me a couple of times yesterday, in the strange interconnected ways that only happens in Dickens novels and reality.  I completed, clumsily and painfully (my legs are not getting any better), a forty minute hike through Jerash on our NordicTrack. Experiencing Jerash made me happy (I've been there many times), but the experience also made me sad, not simply because I may never make it back to a country that I love so dearly, but also because my declining health is increasingly limiting what I can do, even much closer to home. Then, through mere happenstance, YouTube offered me up a Portuguese language series from Sandra Carapinha (which is one of the precious few things of value that YouTube has ever given me; I'm going to start following her videos, and see if she actually has a Portuguese language course). The first video of hers I saw was her description of saudade. I was already familiar with the concept (as all Lusophiles are) but her discussion was lovely (and I shared it with my students). Later I shared the entire story with some of my Jordanian veterans, and my wonderful former student Michael Manfredi sent me this picture:

I'm not certain when this was snapped, but it must be going on ten years ago. Obviously, saudade went into overdrive. 

What Could Go Wrong?

 I think another climate change event (as I pointed out recently, the "generational" has become the annual) here in Vermont has inspired me to finally post a too-long delayed story from our last Jordan trip. On both Jordan trips from two years ago - November 2022 and March 2023 - we experienced unprecedented weather events. On the November trip we waited out a massive lightning storm, the intensity of which no one could ever remember. In March, as the students were out on a camel ride, we had another huge storm, which eventually turned into a hail storm. Again, none of my friends in Jordan could remember anything like that. Happily, our friend Suleyman didn't like the look of the sky and had sent out a few trucks to pick up the students, which was remarkably well-timed, because once the hail hit the camel drivers had asked the students to get off and walk. As I told them, if nothing else it's an event that they will never forget. Suleyman opened up his private tent for the students to dry out, and I'll post some of those pictures later.

It definitely started out as beautiful day for a ride.

And then hell broke, and suddenly there was a little stream running through the camp - which I had seen only once before, in November.

Looking back towards the center of camp.

Yes, hail. I was stunned.

Water flowing down the rock faces like little waterfalls.

CB and CP

 I don't know why it has taken so long to post pictures of my spring 2023 student trip to Jordan. I suspect it was because it ended on a bit of a bittersweet note. My body really broke down on the way home, and being carted through the Istanbul Airport in a wheelchair is not my idea of fun. It was pretty humbling, which I guess isn't a bad thing. Anyway, it turned out to be a pretty good trip, and I'll see if I can't track down some more pictures. Here are a couple shots of my excellent friend Cyndi and Craig. It was my sixth trip with CB (five to Jordan, and one to India/Sri Lanka) and my second with CP (we made a trip to China once - we all remember the infamous Turtle Boy picture, captured here on the blog - along with this one). They were, as one might expect, wonderful travelling companions.

I think this was the restaurant where we each ate two pounds of meat.

In my tent in The Wadi Rum, debriefing after another day of student adventures.

Yes, because I need more pictures of Wadi Rum sunsets

 Seriously, how many photos of Wadi Rum sunsets are buried here in this blog? The answer: not enough.

Why am I not there - on the cliff above Suleyman's camp - right now?

Passing Judgment

 I'm usually not much of a fan of staged photos, but this one was a response to a student suggestion - and I think it turned out pretty well. It was snapped in the Roman theater in Amman, with yours truly playing the harsh emperor (clearly type casting).

To be fair, Caleb, Seth, and Jack earned their punishment.

Sheikh

 On the last two trips to Jordan, November 2022 and March 2023, we were fortunate to meet with a tribal sheikh in Petra. He hosted us in his house and fed us some delicious mansef (the national dish of Jordan). He's a wise, humble, and very gracious man, who sat and patiently answered questions from students on both trips. 

I look at death's door here, but I still love this picture. At the end of the session he said he wanted our picture together and proposed that I sleep over at his house on my next visit. That would be an extraordinary honor.

Some Ancient Djinn

 One of my students snapped this picture on the recent trip to Jordan. It was a bittersweet trip because it's the last student trip that I'll ever lead overseas. There are several reasons for this decision: I want to spend more time with Janet; the college simply makes it so hard to run the trips; and I simply can't do it anymore with my declining health. On this last trip I had to ride through the Istanbul airport on the return leg in a wheelchair, an event that I found even more humiliating than it probably was.

It was strange, although I suppose appropriate, that I spent so much time sitting there alone. It's one of my all-time favorite places on earth, perched above Suleyman's Rainbow Camp in the Wadi Rum. I'm sure I'll be back there again someday, inshallah in November, but one never knows. If that was it, well, the Wadi Rum owes me nothing else.

Back Again

Somehow, for the first time in almost three years, since the dawn of the COVID age, I managed to lead a student overseas trip. Naturally enough, it was to Jordan. Obviously, there will be many pictures on the way. It was a beautiful trip, although also a very frustrating one (mainly because of my continued physical decline).

One of the students snapped this picture of me on the rock ledge above Suleyman's camp, looking out over the Wadi Rum. I'd like to think that I'm looking at my screen to post pictures of the students on the parents Facebook page so that they know their little darling are alive - but I was probably just texting Janet or checking on my fantasy football teams.

Bumming Around the Camp - and Life

 Here's an absolute rarity: a pretty good picture of me. One of the students snapped this picture one afternoon on the recent Jordan trip as we were hanging out a Suleyman's camp in between adventures. I look old, but not completely decrepit.

I shoot note that I'm wearing an Ali McGuirk Til It's Gone hat (which the students kept stealing and swapping amongst themselves) and my Four Corners of the World Deli t-shirt.

Windows to Another World

 Here's a picture I snapped at the Rainbow Camp on the recent Jordan trip. Every year Suleyman makes improvements (two years ago on our last trip it was Wifi), and this year he was eager to show me that he had installed windows in all the tents. Here's the view out of window, looking out toward the rock face.

If I had known how much I loved this picture I would have framed it better. Nevertheless, I think this is going to end up on my wall.

The Boy and Suleyman

 And speaking of Suleyman, here's a shot of him and my son enjoying a cup of tea in the Wadi Rum, next to the natural arch from the previous picture.

I was so happy to introduce Gary to my favorite place, and some of my favorite people.

Infinite Monkey Theorem

 Yes, if you take enough picture - even a terrible photographer like me - I guess you'll eventually hit upon a great photos. The other day a friend of mine tried to argue that I'm a great photographer, whereas I pointed out, rightly, that my only talent as a photographer was putting myself in places where good photos could be taken. All of that said, I really like this picture that I snapped on the recent Jordan trip.

This is a picture I snapped of my friend Suleyman, who runs the Rainbow Camp where we always stay, standing under a natural arch in the Wadi Rum. I wish I could claim some skill in composition, but it, like so much of my life, was just witless serendipity.

It's Quiet, Too Quiet

 Just as it's amazing that in all the times I've been to Jordan I had somehow never visited Aqaba, I suppose it's equally amazing that I've not searched out more Lawrence of Arabia themed events or moments. Partially, as you might expect, Arabs have a somewhat complicated relationship with T.E. Lawrence, both appreciating his accomplishments - and his tourism value - but also fearing, quite rightly, that his legend diminishes their own role in the eyes of the non-Arab world. As we were leaving the Wadi Rum we stopped by to visit an actual Turkish train dating back to the Lawrence days. Apparently on Thursdays they reenact the attack on the train, which may have to be part of the planning for the student trips.

"So, do you think everyone yelling 'No prisoners!!' is a good or bad thing? Do you think that means they're just going to let us go, or . . .?"

A Light Lunch

 As we've discussed, there are different "times" in the world. My Arab friends joke about Arab Time - while my Indian friends joke about Indian Time - and my African friends joke about Africa Time. They are, as listed in the previous sentence, is descending order of certainty and specificity; in all of these different temporal realities everything that is scheduled happens, just not when they are scheduled. I remember sitting in my office in Mumbai talking to my dear friend Raj and he was talking about a meeting he had scheduled for the day with a company downtown in regards to a Champlain internship opportunity. I said that was great work, and when was the meeting scheduled. He looked at his watch and said, without a hint of irony, "Now." I responded that we had to drive all the way downtown and that it might take us an hour and a half in the infamous Mumbai traffic. He looked at me like I was a madman, but in a kind way. The point was that time was simply more fluid in India. We showed up, actually about two hours late, and the man was happy to see us and immediately ordered tea. I was thinking of that story on the recent Jordan trip and I decided why Arab Time is always slightly off is because no matter where we are - and what we're doing - we always have to stop for a huge lunch. Once I dragooned Mahmoud into getting carryout shwarma that we could feed the students on the bus, which he did (and it was fantastic) but it made him a bit grumpy. It's not that he - or Jordanians in the broader sense - don't want to get shit done, it's just that they're extraordinary hosts and it's important that their guests have an amazing time. Hence, we better stop and eat.

A light lunch for three.

You Had To Be There

 This is an awfully silly post, and probably a poor use of blog time and space, but for some reason this picture jumped out at me. We were sitting in traffic in Amman next to a truck and I snapped this picture. If you are new to the Middle East you'd probably find yourself asking, "WTF?" However, if you've spent enough time in the ME you'd automatically know that it's an add for takeout shwarma. It just was one of those odd little moments that reminds you that you're home.

I had some seriously good shwarma on this trip, but that's another post.

Luqman

 My son sent me this picture today that he snapped in the Wadi Rum, and although I look to be around fifteen hundred years old I actually like this picture. He had just climbed to the top of a massive sand dune that had built up next to a rock outcropping and I was waiting his return. It's a nice fit for me at this stage of my life: 1) the Wadi Rum; 2) tinkering with the new camera; 3) the weathered Cincinnati Reds sweatshirt (doubtless with the weathered Rising Sun, Indiana t-shirt underneath); and 4) the weathered old man pushing stubbornly onward.

Or maybe I just look like Luqman, taking the opportunity to share (doubtless specious) wisdom with my son.

The Boy - an Endless Series

 Not surprisingly, I took so many pictures of G3 on the trip, many of which will find their way to my walls. The apartment is starting to fill up with pictures, about half of which, as any parent would expect, are of my son.

While there are more to come, I suspect this one will remain my favorite. It was snapped on our first full day in Amman, walking around the Roman Theater.

The Young Man and the Red Sea

 As I pointed out yesterday, for some inexcusable reasoning I had never made it to Aqaba before. Our stop was way too short, although I suspect that most of the charm of the place truly related to snorkeling or diving. That said, it did have a bustling downtown area which should be a good fit for allowing the students to do some exploring on the March trip.  With snorkeling in mind, the Boy and I were signed up for some time in the water. In the end I had to bail because I tweaked my back pretty thoroughly while we were still in Amman so I had to nurse it through the rest of the week (I was determined to climb the outcropping above Suleyman's camp to watch the sunset (yet again) and also to get back into Petra (which I missed out two years ago with a twisted knee), and thus I left G3 to do the snorkeling. He had a wonderful time and was stunned by the clear water and pristine views.

Looking at these pictures I'm thinking about the new apartments I saw for sale in Aqaba for 50,000 JD. Hmmm . . .

The dock from yesterday's picture.

The Boy preparing for the adventure. For some reason they initially handed him a Small.

G3 walking me through the process, and telling me that my students will definitely love the experience.

I think we definitely have a winner.

Missing Jordan - Again

 I haven't been back for twelve hours - and I'm clearly already working through some jet lag - but I miss Jordan already, and am looking forward to getting back there again in March.

Inexplicably, despite all my trips to Jordan, I had never made it to  Aqaba and the Red Sea. I'll definitely be back. And I saw some new apartments for sale there . . .

Mahmoud Again

 On the trip we spent most of the time with our driver Mohammed (much more on him soon) but when I was looking at the itinerary I saw that Fadi and Hossam from Petra Moon Travel had assigned us a guide for our day in Petra. We had asked for a driver and not a guide for the week, so that was a little mysterious but I also appreciate how they always look after us. Also, truthfully, I had this suspicion that they might slip in Mahmoud, our long-time guide (as anyone who reads this blog - and why do you read this blog, seriously?) knows. And, sure enough, we popped down into the lobby at the Petra Moon Hotel on Thursday morning (and what better way to spend Thanksgiving than touring Petra - unless it's riding a camel through the Wadi rum and enjoying Bedouin-prepared turkey that night?) to find Mahmoud hanging out. As I've proposed, Mahmoud is the best guide we've had in any of our trips in any part of the world.  Plus, in addition, he's a good friend.

It was great to spend time with my friend Mahmoud, and he's definitely excited to meet the new crop of students in March.