On my way from Aqaba at the southern tip of Jordan to Amman, Jordan's main city. I spent yesterday in Aqaba, Jordan's beach resort town. The snorkeling was fantastic, but the bar scene was again hampered by Ramadan. Aqaba and the Gulf of Aqaba has an interesting and strategic location in the Middle East. The northern tip of the Red Sea terminates here at the apex of four countries. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel, and Egypt are all a stones throw away. As we looked out on the gulf I was struck be the challenge Israel has to protect itself. A patrol boat in the gulf meticulously motors along Israel's small rectangle of marine property. On land Israel's border is carefully fenced and mined protecting it from the Jordanians, the Egyptians, and stray camels that occasionally explode due to false steps in the neutral zone. Sitting at the empty beach-side bar last night all we could think about was how nice it would be to escape Jordan's Ramadanian boredom for the town of Eilat, Israel and what seemed to be a neon party across the bay. At least by comparison. We stayed put, not wanting to test the borders and incur the visa expenses.
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