Aqaba
The 27th of January 2011
Aqaba , though considered a world class leisure destination is also known as one of the more socially conservative urban centres in Jordan, due to the "proximity to - and historical links with Saudi Arabia".
We decided to walk along the waterfront, prior to visiting the Castle and other places of interest, as the beach wandering the day before had left me quite intrigued ... camels moving about ... people picknicking ... smoking narguile ... women sitting on the sand in groups separated from the men ... (just to mention a few things which had caught my attention).
It was a fairly warm morning ... and although from a distance it might have looked like a European beach ... the atmosphere was somewhat different ... there were quite a few children and men bathing (and even sitting in chairs placed) in the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea but all the women were covered up (mostly in black) either standing by the shore, sitting on huge towels and carpets in groups of other women or walking along the peer, where most of the glass boats are hired at or leave from.
I honestly don't know what to think of it all ... it impressed me (it still does) ... and I feel these "black figures" will be with me for a while ... together with what lies behind this scenario like situations ...
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