Better late than Never... Jordan >>> (and we really mean >>>) Egypt

Moscow internet was expensive. We're sorry!!! And Maggie's Uncle Mike's business associate kept us out very late. Too tired to blog. And the big girls were too tired to make us.

Jordan.
We loved Jordan.
Jordan was amazing.
Jordan was everything Egypt was supposed to be and more, minus the pyramids. But it has Petra!

Jordan versus Egypt:
- customs in Jordan, including a free visa and disembarkation off the ferry, 5 minutes.
customs in Egypt, including the boarding process, 5 hours.
- hotels in Jordan = amazing. helpful, generous, kind, non-sketchy owners complete with adorable babies and not skeezy 12 year old boys who comment on the inappropriateness of your conservative clothing.
hotels in Egypt... already covered.
- Petra. so so so cool. not as cool as the pyramids, but only one man inquired if we wanted to be his wife. also, really does feel like in Indiana Jones minus the old crusader and Nazis (just for you, Peggy).
- overnight in Bedouin horsehair tent in the Wadi Rum desert versus Luxor. one 32 degrees C, one 45 degrees C. one had amazing people and hosts! and amazing food cooked traditional Bedouin style. one had the most persistant hasslers we've ever encountered, and overpriced bad food.
- the Dead Sea!!! well, the Red Sea was pretty cool too, so this one is almost a toss-up, but the Dead Sea is amazing. you can actually read a book sitting up while floating. NB. when they say not to put your face in, don't! (bad call, Tori) use the public beach that has a shower, it's definitely worth the extra $1.
- the Automatic Bakery! while desserts in Egypt were fine, pastries at the automatic bakery were unreal. AND just walk in with really big eyes (as we were told from a valuable source) and your get all the free samples you could ever want.
- TABOULEH. despite many attempts, none to be found in Egypt.

We did love Jordan, and would love to go back to both Jordan and other countries in the Middle East. Our two complaints: the flights leave super early (we're talking 3 AM), and the closeness to Saudi Arabia is a little disconcerting (when we first got there, our taxi driver said, "Look! Saudi Arabia! 10 km!" but don't worry, Sandy, we didn't go).