Caviar in the…desert?
Seabourn Legend recently completed its transit of the Red Sea bound from the Mediterranean to Asia. One of the most popular ports is Aqaba in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. From Aqaba, guests can join the modern caravan of traffic up the King’s Highway and arrive at the mouth of the narrow, winding Siq (canyon) that leads to the long-lost city of Petra, completely carved from the reddish sandstone of the canyon walls. After viewing some of the many tombs, the Roman Theater, and the many unexplained rooms of the city, guests began the journey back down to Aqaba. A short side trip took them to a sort of modern-day caravanserai, where Seabourn Legend staff had created a surprise Champagne & Caviar station in the midst of the desert. It may have been miles from the nearest beach, but the hospitality, and the spirit, was the same.
The dramatic "treasury" welcomes Seabourn guests to ancient Petra.
Champagne, caviar and fixings in the Jordanian desert
The Petra brigade (L-R) Justin Botes; Daniel Parker; Executive Chef Martin Kitzing; Hotel Manager Guillaume Colas; Maitre d"Hotel Michael Simon; Bromley Smith; Jose Pena Lara
January 3rd, 2012 at 2:21 pm
What was not mentioned was that the location was on top of a desert mountain about 6,000 feet above sea level and rather late in a December day. Accordingly, the winds were high and the temperature was plummeting towards freezing. Note the dress of the crew! Yet they happily waited nearly two hours for us and bravely served us with a smile on their faces just as though we were on an island in the tropics.
Thanks guys, it was great!