Before starting our desert excursion, a few more pictures of our accomdations at Shali Lodge. Our room was not in the main building but in a newer, rooms only building a short walk away. The building has thick mud brick walls that are supposed to keep the interior warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I think it probably works fairly well however our room was a bit warm on the third night. The finishings and furnishings are very crude but effective.
Our breakfast and general meeting place was in the main building.
We're off for our desert excursion. First stop is a hot spring. The temperature of the spring water is probably about 130 degrees. I know I couldn't keep my foot in for very long. Here are Granny and our guide Khalid looking at the bubbling spring.
Next stop was some Roman ruins. Here again, the walls are thick mud brick. Apparently they made olive oil here as there was an old press for the olives.
We also stopped at a cold spring where we had a short swim. The water at the cold spring wasn't nearly as cold as the Florida spring water. It was comfortable swimming and very clear. The bottom of the spring could be seen easily and it was probably 20 feet deep. Then it was off to lunch. Stuffed pigeon in the middle of the desert.
After lunch it was off to the desert. Lock in the 4 wheel drive and away we go.
The vastness of the desert is undescribable. It's like being in the middle of nowhere.
A number of areas in the desert contain fossils from days when water covered the desert. On the left, Granny is pointing to the fossil of a clam shell. It's very small - right at the tip of Granny's finger. On the right is a closeup picture of this fossil.
Khalid fishing in a desert lake
One of the many limestone? outcroppings
Our driver, Ahmed, making sunset tea
