We began at an outlook point over the beach. This picture is taken from the top of the northern end of the site, looking southward. What the arch in the distance hides is another arch just on the other side:
Here I am with the beach and the arch in the distance below:
Then, we drove down to the parking area above the beach. Although I have no pictures of the amenities at this beach, there are a couple of cafés, a restaurant, a small hotel, and a youth hostel. They are painted an earthy pink and they are wedged into the side of the slopes leading down to the beach. There is also a bedouin-style tent set up further down the beach which they call the "Bedouin Café Tent" where people can get a drink and a place in the shade.
My pictures on the beach begin on the northern end. This part of the beach is mostly used by fishermen using unusually long fishing poles and families with small tents. On this end, the beach has smooth stones scattered throughout the sand. Enjoy these spectacular images:
To help give you a perspective of the dimension of these cliff walls, here is a picture of Khalil standing on a ledge of the same cliff wall:
When I pivoted and put the northern end of the beach behind me, this was the view looking south. The restaurant, cafés, hotel and youth hostel are on the left, just outside of the picture. Notice there are people on the beach, they're just really far away. Seeing them should help give you a perspective of the immensity of the slope, cliffs, arch, and beach:
My children, Amina and Khalil, decided to take a camel ride down the beach to the first arch.
I walked the length of the beach to the first arch. The water was clean and clear, and a bit cold. The sand was clean, fine, and smooth. As I approached this first natural arch, I noticed another tiny archway on the far right end, so I got this picture of it:
[I will insert video here as soon as I get to a location with higher internet speeds.]
Even this next picture cannot capture the immensity of this inward sloping cliff. It was truly a wonder to behold. I couldn't get all of it in this picture, but up close, it appears much bigger than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. I stood near it and underneath it for a long time, just meditating on its beauty, God's skill in crafting such an awe-inspiring wonder, and feeling immense gratitude for my life, the people in it, the chance I have had to come here and really get to know this land and these people. Enjoy the view:
As I passed to the other side of the arch, Amina and Khalil were there already. Their camel and his driver were resting in the shade under the arch and I was able to capture this picture. I love this picture, in part because it captures the serenity and peace of the moment:
Now on the other side of the arch, I tried to get a picture of the little arch, but from this side, with the curve of the beach, it is hidden from view. This picture is of the section of rock just to the left of the arch, as I am facing north. It is still amazing and beautiful:
And now comes the second wonder; that which was hidden from our view even as we approached the first arch --- the second arch which stood just about 100 yards beyond the first arch:
As I walked underneath and passed beyond the second arch, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I felt spiritually uplifted, powerfully connected to the earth, and I wished I could share this site with everyone I love. So, I asked Saïd to take my picture. I hope you have loved reading this blog posting as much as I have enjoyed sharing it with you. Thank you, Fund for Teachers, for making this experience possible.
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