‘Vast, echoing, and God-like’ are the famous words that Lawrence of Arabia used to describe Wadi Rum in Jordan. One of the most magnificent vast desert landscapes, enormous red, pink and sandy brown sandstone cliffs rise from the desert floor, Wadi Rum, the largest of Jordan’s many valleys, is also known as وادي القمر (Valley of the Moon). Camels and colossal red dunes dot the horizon. In a protected overhang, we came upon the traditional, long, black Bedouin tent, woven from goat hair. Never to miss a personal experience, I of course, wanted to take tea and barter with the Bedouin shop keeper. Heated by an open fire pit, it’s a bit smoky but intriguing, sharing tea is an accepted form of hospitality.

Drinking un-bottled water is potentially tricky in any foreign country; I mentally debate, is the water boiled, will I offend if I don’t partake? Taking the proffered tea, I rest it on a stone wall to explore his tent shop.  Bedouin tea ingredients are typically water, black tea, and sugar. The Bedouins also add cardamom spice to their coffee, which creates a unique taste.

I’m as fascinated by the tent as I am the contents, absorbing the scene, I’m captivated by every detail; the length of the tent, the low roof with gaps between the textile walls, the bed of colorful raised blankets at one end, the open fire pit in the center and his array of goods lining an entire side of the tent.  Traditional black goat hair tents, known as Beit al-Sha’ar (House of Hair) in Arabic or Siyah Chador in Persian, are nomadic dwellings used for centuries across the Middle East and North Africa. These structures are highly valued for their unique ability to adapt to extreme desert climates through natural physics. Climate Adaptation: In summer, the loose weave allows hot air to escape while drawing in cooler breezes. In winter, the black fibers absorb solar heat to keep the interior warm. Self-Sealing Waterproofing: When it rains, the goat hair fibers absorb moisture and swell, closing the gaps in the weave to create a waterproof barrier. Pest Protection: The spiky nature of the coarse goat hair prevents snakes, scorpions, and other crawling insects from entering the tent. Mobility: A standard tent can be dismantled, rolled, and loaded onto a camel in roughly 90 to 120 minutes.

A mound of my collections is ready for negotiation…who knew the soft green scarf is a higher quality material than the brown scarf I rejected, higher quality scarf is more expensive, of course! What will fit in my already bulging luggage? I would purchase the tent if I could figure out how to transport it home!  What about the little goats running freely outside?!

I mentioned that the little hand painted bowls look like they are from Turkey, he assures me everything is local. Organized Virgo girls always carry a pocket full of local cash which aids negotiation; the olive-green scarf decorated with camels and small hand painted bowls are prized possessions. A day later, my suitcase reeks of smoke, the lovely scarf is permeated with the smell of the smoky tent, plastic bags capture it until I get home.

The whiff of the Beaudoin tent will accompany me for two more weeks. The experience is still etched into my memory.

The word Bedouin comes from the Arabic badawī, meaning “desert dweller”.

شكرا\يسلم إيديك šukran/yeslmu ideyk Thank you for the memory!