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    <h2 class="blog-post-title"><a href="https://picturingjordan.com/2016/10/aqaba-dirty-disappointing/">Aqaba is Dirty and Disappointing</a></h2>
    <p class="blog-post-meta"><time datetime="2016-10-05T10:46:23&#43;03:00">Wed Oct 05, 2016</time> by Alan Orth in 

<i class="fa fa-tag" aria-hidden="true"></i>&nbsp;<a href="/tags/red-sea" rel="tag">Red Sea</a>, <a href="/tags/aqaba" rel="tag">Aqaba</a>

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        <h4>A picturesque view where you can&#39;t see the trash on the beach</h4>
        
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<p>I&rsquo;m struggling to find words to describe my trip to Jordan&rsquo;s coastal city Aqaba. Initially, the contrast between dry desert, rocky mountains, and the turquoise water of the Red Sea is visually striking — imagine Matt Damon in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(film)"><em>The Martian</em></a>, but where he goes snorkeling on a coral reef instead of growing potatoes.</p>

<p></p>

<p>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.</p>

  

  
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