24 August 28, 2016 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Dubai: September 2nd-4th

Considered one of the greatest comic operas, The Barber of Seville will be performed at the Dubai Opera. The opera was written by Gioachino Rossini, who focused his story on the adventures of handsome young Count Almaviva as he courts the lovely Rosina despite her jealous guardian’s at- tempts to stop him.

Byblos: A jockey competes with September 8th-12th his horse in the The Lebanon Latin Festival takes International Endurance place in Edde Sands with more Race in the Jordanian desert. than 90 artists from around the world. Dance workshops are scheduled in Salsa, Bachata, Kizomba, cha cha cha, hip-hop, Samba, Lambada, Oriental, Dabke and Afro-Cubano. Performances ’s are also on the agenda.

Dubai: breathtaking September 8th-16th The Dubai International Dance Festival is a multi-arts event that has a reputation for attracting Valley of the well-known dance companies, classical dance academies, youth orchestras, bands and music ensembles from around the world. The festival is a catalyst Moon for the creation of new works and creative activities, with an education programme and artistic Roufan Nahhas for various film adaptations ofLaw - rence of Arabia, the true story of collaborations involving organisa- the British archaeologist, military tions throughout the United Arab Wadi Rum officer, and diplomat Thomas -Ed Emirates, the Middle East and the ward Lawrence (1888-1935) who world. n south- Jordan, a de- joined the locals during the Arab sert landscape with bright, revolt against the Ottoman empire. breathtaking shades of red and He made several references to Wadi Marrakech: strange rock formations as seen Rum in his book Seven Pillars of September 16th-18th from space makes Wadi Rum Wisdom. Ilook so alien that it is nicknamed Away from Hollywood glamour The Oasis Music Festival celebrates the Valley of the Moon. and serving as another planet, Wadi electronic music. In its second Granite and sandstone moun- Rum had been a desired destination year, the festival takes place at tains, some as high as 1,700 metres by many. It, however, like many the Source Music Resort in Mar- above sea level with near-vertical sites in Jordan, has seen a drop in rakech and includes three days of slopes, line valleys filled with red the number of visitors. performances from international and orange sand in the area that Wadi Rum visitors totalled 92,033 electronic musicians such as Da- found fame as the home of The in 2014 but amounted to 65,841 in vid August, Omar Souleyman and Martian, Hollywood’s blockbuster 2015; foreign tourists dropped from Prins Thomas. movie starring in the 77,203 in 2014 to 50,927 in 2015. Lo- leading role of an astronaut strand- cal tourists slightly increased from A group of hikers walk down from the peak of Jabel Rum (Mount ed on Mars. 14,830 visitors in 2014 to 14,914 in Rum) in the southern Jordanian desert in an area known as Wadi “There’s no desert like Wadi 2015, according to Ministry of Tour- Rum or the Valley of the Moon, which is listed as a UNESCO world Tangier: Rum,” said banker Adnan ism and Antiquities statistics. heritage protected site. September 22nd-25th Abu Jawad, 39. “With the spectacu- “Unfortunately, it is true. Many lar red sand, it feels that one is on factors are at play, such as political “Tourists visiting Wadi Rum have tourism between Jordan and China The 17th Tangier’s Jazz Festival Mars, not planet Earth.” upheavals around the region or lack a host of sites to enjoy, starting with is a lack of direct flights between hosts renowned international of awareness to the importance of the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, named Amman and Beijing, the language and local jazz artists for one Tourists go to the site, such as littering or insuffi- after the famous book by Lawrence barrier and dietary preferences or of Morocco’s premier cultural cient numbers of restrooms,” said of Arabia, Khazali canyon, a deep, what the official coined tourists’ events. Festival guests have the Wadi Rum to enjoy Mohammed Sabah al-Zalabeh, a narrow crack in the mountain side, “loyalty to Chinese food”. opportunity to attend free street camping under the local tour guide with more than 20 containing many rock inscriptions, Thaer Qandah, 46, an employee performances, free dance courses and jazz concerts. display of the stars years’ experience in Wadi Rum. several rock bridges, Burrah can- who has a strong passion for pho- Zalabeh who had the idea of yon, Siq Um Tawaqi and, of course, tography, said that Wadi Rum and and enjoy the true opening the Sunset Camp, an over- the amazing sand dunes,” Zalabeh the surrounding areas are great for life of . night camp for visitors pointed out. professional-quality shots. Abu Simbel, Egypt: 12km from Rum Village in the heart Wild life flourishes in Wadi Rum “It is truly amazing!” he said. October 22nd of the protected area of the Wadi with hundreds of bird species, in- “The desert and its inhabitants “The mountains are so rocky that Rum desert 20 years ago, said there cluding vultures, harriers and ea- make excellent subjects for photog- Twice a year during the Abu they’re easier to climb and the area are many reasons to visit the wadi. gles, in addition to camels, wolves, raphy. I try to go there whenever I Simbel Sun Festival, people gather is so nice, with its Bedouin inhabit- Tourists go to Wadi Rum to en- foxes, hares, jerboas, wildcats and have the urge to shoot some photos at the Abu Simbel temple, built ants being so friendly to visitors, joy camping under the display of the Sinai agama lizard. There are and I am really proud of one image along the banks of the Nile by plus the hotels, the food and servic- the stars and enjoy the true life of also snakes and scorpions. of a blue lizard that lives there. Pharaoh King Ramses II in the es are clean, affordable and worth Bedouins. Whether visitors take Jordanian tourism officials -at “There are so many ways you can 13th century BC, to see the sunrise every penny you pay,” he said. their own tent with minimum fa- tended May’s World Conference on improve the experience of visitors provide a unique show. The The out-of-this-world valley cut cilities around, or stay at one of the Tourism for Development in Beijing to that area and so far I think they temple is situated so that twice a into the rock with its dusty red en- superior hotel-run campsites with with the hope of luring Chinese are doing a lot of things to make year — during February and Octo- vironment and surrounding deserts full amenities, they can be sure of tourists to the kingdom. In 2015, sure that the tourist comes again or ber — on the anniversaries of the doubled as Mars through the eyes an unforgettable experience. the number of Chinese tourists who at least says a few good words but birth and coronation of Ramses also of The Martian director Ridley Besides the sites to tour, there visited Jordan reached 23,000, a still there is always a place for im- II, the sun lights up an internal Scott in addition to directors Brian are activities such as concerts. figure 16% higher than in 2014. provements and presenting some- chamber. After viewing statues De Palma and Antony Hoffman in Daily activities include a fire lit in Tohama Nabulsi, director of thing new.” of Ramses and Queen Nefertari, Mission to Mars and Red Planet, re- the desert, riding camels, horses media and communications visitors celebrate by enjoying food spectively. or all-terrain vehicles known as at the Jordan Tourism Roufan Nahhas, based in Jordan, as well as the dance and singing Wadi Rum was also the filming lo- quad bikes. An international Board, said that among has been covering cultural issues in programmes arranged by local cation for the Oscar-nominated Jor- hot-air balloon event takes the obstacles that limit Jordan for more than two decades. residents. danian filmTheeb , which featured place each autumn and actual Bedouins. draws thousands of for- Wadi Rum has served as the site eign participants. We welcome submissions of calendar items related to cultural events of interest to travellers in the Middle East and North Africa.

Please send tips to: [email protected] Jacir Eid Al-Hwietat, 15, one of the cast members of the film Theeb, posing for a photo in Wadi Rum, a scenic desert area of southern Jordan.