picturingjordan.com/content/posts/aqaba-dirty-disappointing/index.md

+++
date = "2016-10-05T10:46:23+03:00"
title = "Aqaba is Dirty and Disappointing"
slug = "aqaba-dirty-disappointing"
categories = ["Travel"]
tags = ["Red Sea", "Aqaba"]
images = ["/2016/10/IMG_20161002_131313.jpg"]
description = "After a few days in Aqaba you'll be wishing you were stranded on Mars."
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{{< figure src="/2016/10/IMG_20161002_131313.jpg" title="A picturesque view where you can't see the trash on the beach" alt="A picturesque view where you can't see the trash on the beach" >}}

I'm struggling to find words to describe my trip to Jordan's southern city by the sea. Initially, the contrast between dry desert, rocky mountains, and the turquoise water of the Red Sea is visually striking — imagine Matt Damon in [*The Martian*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(film)), but where he goes snorkeling on a coral reef instead of growing potatoes.

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If that sounds too good to be true, it is! Sadly, I found Aqaba to be dirty — used diapers on the beach, locals arrogantly throwing trash on the street, trash floating around the reef, etc — and full of obnoxious, poorly behaved tourists.