Lost Cities of the Desert

Everyone lucky enough to have marveled their way through the last scenes of Stephen Speilberg's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" or most of David Lean's masterpiece "Lawrence of Arabia" will need little encouragement to hop on the next flight to the biblical land where those cinematic wonders were captured.

Jordan.

Situated inside an oddly shaped border, that was reputedly created by Winston Chruchill while he was three-sheets-to-the wind, the smallish nation is bounded to the west by Israel, to the north by Syria, to the south by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to the north-east by the unfortunate situation in Iraq.

Despite its wealth of ancient historical sights, as a nation Jordan began life fairly recently, after World War I to be exact, following the collapse of Turkey's Ottoman Empire. Great Britain took control of what was then collectively known as Palestine and created the monarchal state of Transjordan. During the war wherein the state of Israel was founded, the Tranjordanian's declared their independence and renamed their home Jordan.

Currently ruled by King Abdullah, who it's said enjoys disguising himself-Henry the Fifth style-and socializing with his subject's incognito, Jordan is a surprisingly hospitable country. It is not at all uncommon for families, especially desert dwelling families, to invite complete strangers into their homes for tea. The tradition, nourished by the harshness of a desert life - where no traveler could long survive without being the beneficiary of the kindness of strangers, is a cornerstone of Jordanian life.