Packing again

We leave tomorrow for Israel and it seems that I have a small problem. Yes, all the
crap aka clothing on the bed has to go in my suitcase. Ahmed is coming tonight to take me shopping for yes, another suitcase. Oh by the way, in the newspapers here, if
a story comes from Jerusalem the datline reads,"occuppied Jerusalem."...just thought
you'd like to know!

Marylin and the Senators

Yeah, okay, I forgot who they are but Marylin does look so happy! These two senators are traveling with Obama. We could get photos with them but the secret service wouldn't let us near the candidate! Good grief, there were only the three of us in the lobby because we had a tip to get there early. We arrived at 1:00, they closed the streets and the hotel around 2 but we were safely in the lobby drinking wine and having snacks when they did that. Oh, there were soldiers with AK-47 everywhere and
even some secret service guys, way too exciting. I like the outfits they wear in Jordan cute camis with matching vests and burgundy berets.(Okay uniforms)

Marylin and Suzi in the Kempenski Lobby

We look so fab here, we were going to the 4 Seasons to wait for Senator Obama who is
in town today! He stopped at the 4 Seasons for a short siesta before a press conference and dinner with the king. We got the info from a source at our hotel.
So we had a lovely long lunch with Karen, in the lobby of the hotel! I also had
a mani/pedi in the beauty shop, while we waited. They had 5 filipinas doing nails.
It took 20 minutes as I had two girls working on me at once AND it cost 12JD or about
16USD.

Kempinski Pool

This is the awesome pool at the Kempenski. Where I start my mornings in Jordan.

Kempinski

We are in Amman today, Tuesday. We are homeward bound. We leave here tomorrow, for
two days in Tel Aviv and our flight on Friday. We arrived last night from Sharm. We were picked up at the airport by a driver from the KEMPINSKI. We are BACK. We even
have our same room. Ms. MArylin had actually booked another hotel, the Al Manor, to
stay. HAHAH, as if she wasn't going to stay here. We we were greeted by many welcome
backs, and of course our Kempinski beds.
This morning both the GM and RM of the hotel greeted me. Mohammed brought me my Turkish coffee, just the way I like it before I even ordered. Oh my gawd, if you ever
get the opportunity to stay at a Kempinski take it. These hotels offer service beyond compare, and the best part is we are paying less than we did for other
"5" star hotels in Egypt and Israel. Our rate is $153JD per night. We are on the
Executive floor so we get breakfast and snacks all day, drinks at night and unlimited
computer access from 6am till 11 pm. Yes, its all good.
Today my plan is swim, manicure, swim and then we are going to the Four Seasons for
drinks etc because guess what, Barak Obama is due in town today. He is being adored
over here, unlike other people who think Iraq borders Afganistan.

Sharm

We spent the past week-end in Sharm. Internet connections were pretty non existant and I must admit I was having way tooo much fun and way to busy to try and even find one. If we thought Luxor and Cairo were hot we were wrong. Sharm was even hotter.Thank goodness the red sea is there. We could snorkle right off the beach of
our hotel, The Concorde. Sharm is located at the red sea, in the Sinai Pennisula.
Okay so we HATED our hotel. We knew it was on the beach and big but we couldn't imagine how big until we had to take a BUS to our room. Of course I had a "SUZI" fit and 7 hours later I got another room. I can't explain to you how HOT it is in Sharm.
Walking more than 100 feet, in the sun, is like running a marathon. We spent 3 days
in Sharm. I felt good but still couldn't really eat because of the heat and the fact
that the hotel catered to the "Brits" so you know the food was awful.
We went ATV riding in the Sinai and snorkling off a boat. The water, fish and coral
are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Marylin was stung by a jelly fish and had a tenacle mark from her neck to her chest. Since I was wearning my "rash guard" and shorts I didn't seem to have been stung.

Sinai Sand

These are my feet in the sand of the Sinai Desert. Did the Jews really wander here for 40 years? We were in the desert for an ATV ride. The location was St. Katherine's
perserve. Mt. Sinai, is not called that in Egypt. It is called St. Katherine's as there is a monastary there now. Egypt lost control of the Sinai pennisula in the 1967
war with Israel but regained it after the 1973 war during a settlement brokered by
Anwar Sadat.Marylin rode her own ATV but Ms. Suzi was on the back of one driven by
our guide!