March 14, 2009 by traveler.

Today I am proud to present OuttaLeftField’s first photologue. Considering my interest in travel and photography, you’d think this would be a regular feature on the site. Sadly I haven’t posted any of my travel pictures until now. Welcome to the first installment of OuttaLeftField’s photologue- Petra, Jordan.

Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, constructed around 100 BC and introduced to the West in 1812. Petra is often thought of as one monument, but it is actually a city that served as capital for the ancient Nabataeans. Taking the scenic route, you can see how ancient visitors and traders would see Petra from a distance. Hidden within the desolate landscape was a thriving city at the center of Nabataean caravan trade.

Once you arrive in Petra you’ll want to stretch you legs- it is a long way from Amman! A glance at the guidebook tells you that there will be LOTS of walking on this trip. If you’d rather conserve your energy, you can opt for a rickety ride in. I was glad to finally use my legs again, so we set out walking towards the ruins.

Along the way you come across several minor attractions such as ‘Elephant Rock’. This formation was carved by wind and time into its namesake.

Continuing on you see some human-carved sights in Petra. The stair-shaped carving signifies that there is a tomb underneath. As your camera snaps away, you realize that you will be taking way more pictures than you planned.

Once you pass through some scenic countryside you come to the entrance of the Siq (the Shaft). This narrow, natural crevice serves as the primary entryway to Petra and builds anticipation for the Treasury.

Just a little farther….

Popularized in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the Treasury (or Al Khazneh) is the most elaborate and certainly the most famous site in Petra. Sadly, the Holy Grail is not contained inside. One local legend, however, is that there was treasure hidden in the Urn at the top of the structure. Bedouin travelers would take shots at the Urn to make it spill the treasure. Hence this structure got its name ‘the Treasury’. The elegance and finely-crafted details make the Treasury well worth the admission.

Once you have soaked in all the Treasury’s majesty, you remember that there are still many sites to see in Petra. Don’t worry about the hike, though, because you will be pestered relentlessly to take a camel/donkey/horse ride throughout the rest of Petra. Be prepared to say a polite ‘no, thanks’ (‘la, shukran’) all day long. That camel looks tired, anyway.

Near the Treasury you can see different generations of Petra guards. Gotta keep an eye on that treasure!

Leaving the Siq/Treasury area, you can decide what other attractions you want to see. You won’t be able to see quite everything, but you can accomplish a lot if you fuel up at the cafe inside Petra.

Continue on and see yet another structure carved into the cliff face. This particular one is off the beaten path, and I didn’t get a great view…

This guy, however, got a much better view from his aerial perch.

If you are up for the challenge and don’t mind your lungs collapsing, you can attempt to climb up to the Monastery. This site is some 800+ stairs up a mountainside. Again, you can sit as a donkey carries you up, but you won’t have the same sense of satisfaction at the top. Instead, head off towards the stairs carved into rock and navigate the (often slippery) path upwards.

As you climb, you will pass numerous mini souvenir stands selling miscellaneous tchotchkes. Even stranger than their location is the fact that NONE of them sold water- the ONLY thing I wanted to buy as my body burned. Finally, some 800 stairs later, you reach the summit and the majestic view of the Monastery.

What a view. You can’t help but feel, however, that the Monastery looks an awful lot like a less-ornate version of the Treasury. Hmm…maybe those suckers who stayed behind weren’t missing out like you thought. Still, you will get some fantastic views of the surrounding cliffs and the satisfaction of completing a heart-thumping, sweat-filled hike up an exhausting cliff.

No trip would be complete without a few souvenirs. If you didn’t purchase anything from the cliffside vendors on the Monastery climb, there are many more opportunities throughout Petra. One of my favorites is Flintstones Bedouin Accessories & More. I doubt this store is Hanna-Barbera approved, but Petra does evoke images of Bedrock.

Alright- you’ve seen the sights, hiked some mountains and purchased some memories. Time to head back. Are you sure you don’t want a donkey ride back to the entrance? Happy hour! Half price! No? Ok.

The nice thing about heading out the way you came in is that you get to catch up with anything you missed the first time. Snap some more pictures along the hike back.

The day in Petra winds to a close, but this trip easily provides a lifetime of memories. If you’re one of the lucky ones with time on your side, spend the night in a Wadi Rum camp and then head down to Aqaba for a few more days of fun in the sun. If not, you have plenty of time to reminisce during your long ride home.

Posted in Photologue, World, Travel, Art, Pics | No Comments »

March 12, 2009 by traveler.

Back in January, I posted an article about some unusual chocolate bars from 3400 Phinney. I thought it would be a one-time event, but my hook-up began stocking other varieties of 3400 Phinney chocolate bars. With great apprehension, I decided to accept the challenge and venture out once more into the vast chocolate wilderness. With the abject failure of the Coconut Curry chocolate bar, I decided to play it a bit safer in selecting flavors for this batch.

Hazelnut Crunch
If you are a fan of Nutella, I bet your ears just perked up. This chocolate bar will surprise you, however, because it doesn’t use hazelnut cream like you might expect. I completely anticipated some velvety, rich hazelnut flavor blended into the chocolate, but that wouldn’t be a 3400 Phinney creation. This bar differentiates itself by adding large slivers of actual hazelnut nestled into the milk chocolate. This gives the bar a nice nutty taste (imagine that!) - FAR from what hazelnut/chocolate lovers would expect. The slivers also impart a salty finish, giving the bar a nice blend of salty and sweet in every bite. If you like hazelnut, this bar will expand your ideas of what a hazelnut chocolate bar can be. Despite your initial reservations, however, this might turn into your favorite hazelnut chocolate treat!

Vanilla
Simple, elegant vanilla. This bar is exactly what you anticipate, and it does not let you down. You may wonder what the ’spin’ will be on this flavor, but there is no real trick, no surprise. The only twist to this flavor is that the chocolate bar’s simplicity really allows the ingredients to breathe and the quality to shine through. Besides, after choking down bites of Coconut Curry, sometimes you just need to tuck into an uncomplicated Vanilla flavor.

Stay tuned for more unusual chocolate treats- I have more flavors yet to review.

Posted in Weird, Junk, Food, Pics | No Comments »

March 11, 2009 by traveler.

Like ‘The Dude’ in The Big Lebowski, I hate the Eagles. I know, I know, “Hotel California” is something you’re supposed to love, like Citizen Kane. But I just can’t bring myself to enjoy that song. Too earnest, too slow. However, I recently caught something in The Big Lebowski that I hadn’t noticed before. A Spanish-style version of the song, which actually got the toes tapping. The Gipsy Kings version refreshes like a cool mojito under the hot sun. Finally I can enjoy “Hotel California”- it just took a different artist to get my attention.

Below is an iTunes iMix featuring both versions of the song. See which you prefer.

Such a lovely place, indeed!

Posted in Apple, Movies, Music | No Comments »