Engineering, Protection

July 8, 2007 at 1:49 am · Filed under Amman, Pop Culture

I happened to be just leaving the engagement party taking place at the Orthodox Club by Abdoun Circle when the winners of the New Seven Wonders of the World were announced. It also happened that another public “party” in anticipation of the ballot reading of the New Wonders was also taking place on Abdoun Circle at that exact same time. Needless to stay, I was stuck in traffic for too long a while.

Then, just as I heard the microphones at the public party say announce the Wall of China as one of the winning contenders, I magically got out of the traffic jam, which makes me realize that unlike everyone else, 08/07/07 must be my lucky day, because Petra was announced as a winner a split second later and I could see the whole world turning into chaos on my rearview mirror.

Alas though, thanks to the rare (only?) national example of compete and total unity, Petra has made it into the New Seven Wonders of the World, which UNESCO says reflects “only the opinions of those with access to the internet“. I disagree with UNESCO’s claim, at least on a local level, but Petra is already on UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list, along with Quseir Amra and Um er-Rasas, so now we just have to see whether or not Petra being on the heavily mediatized New Seven Wonders of the World will affect tourism to the city any more than UNESCO’s list.

I guess only time will tell, for now, I will try to go sleep while the Jordanian population is spreading happiness with honking, loud music, and fireworks.

The other winners are:

  • Chichen Itza, Mexico
  • Christ the Redeemer, Brazil
  • Colosseum, Italy
  • Great Wall, China
  • Machu Picchu, Peru
  • Pyramids of Giza, Egypt (honorary)
  • Taj Mahal, India

Historically speaking but from a personal point of view, I think the list is mostly spot on, except perhaps for Christ the Redeemer (I mean, 1931? Come on). Also, a list of wonders isn’t really much of a list without the Acropolis. I mean, seriously, it is one of the most influential buildings in the history of architecture.

Who do you think should have won?






  • Sean

    Just found your blog and I really enjoy it. There is a nice energy to it, please keep sharing your thoughts.

    Sean
    California, USA

  • Wassim

    I think that Luxor timple in Egypt… it’s amazing

  • http://reflectionsallmine.net salam

    I know a lot of people would object to Choosing the statue of Christ. I haven’t been to Brazil, but I would expect the statue to be very imposing, and worthy of being side to side along the other wonders, inspite of its young age. I’ve been to Harisa in Lebanon and seen the statue of Virgin Mary, which does not compare in size to that of Jesus Statue, and I was under such a spiritual spell that I did not imagine existed, especially that I am not what you might call a practicing Christain, but to this day I can not believe how enchanted I was with that scene, and how reverent I felt at that moment. I would expect the statue of Christ to blow me away!! I’m glad it won!

  • http://makkirator.blogspot.com ozz

    Palacio de la Alhambra, Granada

  • http://mindsonbytes.blogspot.com Isam

    the Acropolis , Stonehenge , and Qasr Alhamra … way more worthy than the Redeemer statue and Machu Picchu …

  • http://american-in-jordan.blogspot.com/ Dave

    A lot of worthy candidates, and I guess one chooses based on one’s past experiences. I personally didn’t vote for any of the structures designed after the 18th Century. While they are stunning examples of modern engineering and design in their own right, the key word here is “modern”. I know how they were built.

    I based my votes on the structures that seem impossible for the time in which they were built…the structures that are not just extraordinary, but are ancient marvels.

    I don’t remember my exact votes, but I believe it was something like Petra, the Roman Coliseum, The Great Wall of China, the Pyramids, Hagia Sophia, Acropolis and Angor Wat. That’s not to say that I had a hard time choosing from amongst other great candidates like Alhambra, Machu Pichu, and so on. And I was tempted to vote for both the Easter Island Statues and Stonehenge, simply because they are two examples that make you wonder why they were built in the first place. The wondering mysticism of those two was almost enough to push them into my top seven.

  • Idan

    I cant believe the Christ statue won. They might as well have put the Empire State Building on there.

  • http://www.kinziblogs.wordpress.com kinzi

    I could NOT believe the Eiffel Tower and Sydney Opera house were on the list. Being a follower of Christ, and especially his role as Redeemer, I was pleased it was included. I haven’t seen it personally, but the photos of it from the air as as breath-taking as Salam said.

    Idan, imho, the Empire State Building is just that, a square structure with some nice architectural details – this statue points people to something bigger than what they can create with their own hands…the one who created the hands that create.

  • wa7id

    hello Roba,

    bilbidayih: is it just me or did i just write 6agi3 for word verification? :D
    crazy redhead!

    ok, what i wanted to say: this all sounds political to me. i mean if you just assume that the entire poppulation of jordan have internet, are willing and interested and each one of them voted even twice, not marra, the entire poppulation, including infants and il bado and every last jondi in the army. that would be less than 10 million votes. which is a rediculiously small number compared to any other nation, China, India, and even much smaller countries than that, i think its nearly impossibly statistically for Petra to win, it’s a political gift from the US to support Jordan’s deteriorating economy that was damaged because of the US war on Iraq that Jordan supported. now Jordan is getting paid for it. da iqtira7i fil adiyya y3ni :D

    And, i just dont get it, halla hadol innawar that were celebrating in the streets y3ni o dawashooona bil fireworks, i just dont get it walla, what is it for them y3ni? whats the source of their joy? y3ni whats in it for them? national pride? you never see anyone of them demonstrating against crimes in Iraqi or Palestine do you! they tend to spend more time in dawwar 3abdoun chasing babes. i would dare say all of them have no natioanl or international concerns and no relation to any ham aw wa3i wa7ani, social justice, environmental justice etc, y3ni lets face it those people that were celbrating arent Roba or the rest of the well educated people in the country are they? just the mobs.
    so i still dont get it walla, whats in it for them?

  • HeiGou

    wa7id:”what i wanted to say: this all sounds political to me. … it’s a political gift from the US to support Jordan’s deteriorating economy that was damaged because of the US war on Iraq that Jordan supported. now Jordan is getting paid for it.”

    Sure it is a vast Pentagon-led conspiracy. It couldn’t be because everyone else in the world has some integrity and votes according to what they really think and not according to some insane tribal loyalty, it has to be a Jewish plot!

    Are you pulling my leg or do you really believe this nonsense? If you do believe it, that says something so terrible and tragic about you. Petra is beautiful and most of us have no problems saying so no matter what we think of the War on Terror or the government of Jordan. That is called fairness and common sense.

    wa7id:”you never see anyone of them demonstrating against crimes in Iraqi or Palestine do you!”

    That is true. When Jihadis murder thousands, tens of thousands in Iraq and Palestine, you never ever see Jordanians protest. When Jihadis murder a dozen or so in Jordan they do. But not otherwise. Not when Jordanians try to murder Westerners in the West either. Oh wait, you meant the utterly trivial numbers of people killed in Iraq and Palestine by the West didn’t you? My mistake.

    wa7id:”so i still dont get it walla, whats in it for them?”

    Yes because everyone else in the world has to have an evil and base motive don’t they? Don’t you see how this reflects so badly on you and your character? That you are proclaiming to the world what you are really like through your assumption of what everyone else is like? Are you really such a vile person?

  • http://kekosworld.blogspot.com KeKo

    Hmmm, I agree on Christ the Redeemer, but not on age grounds! I do think the combination of the statue and the nature around it is amazing, but I guess that is out of context here.

    The Acropolis! What is remaining is not that impressive, its magical power is to do with the place it played in history, which I think is a different category as well.

    Otherwise I think the list is spot on, if modern structures aren’t considered. However if pure feats of human achievement is the only measure then the Channel Tunnel and the Delta Works should be there.

  • wa7id

    HeiGou,
    alright let me take a shot of whisky just to overcome the numb feeling coming from your dull full-of-misconceptions, soaked-in-bulshit comment.

    ok i am fine now.

    No actually let me get another one.
    Damn this stuff is good.

    Ok, so Mr. western propaganda let me answer your painfuly stomach upsetting comment:

    who the hell said anything about Jihadis, Jews or your leg for that matter?:)

    Petra is beautiful i went there myself recntly and loved it. my question is legitimate: we are a very small poppulation, ya akhy even if you add to that all the numbers of tourists we get every year assuming all of them will vote to Petra, we are still an extremely small number compared to the numbers of voters in other countries and the numbers of tourists they get.

    thats a logical valid point, give me that much of credit.

    “”" That is true. When Jihadis murder thousands, tens of thousands in Iraq and Palestine, you never ever see Jordanians protest. When Jihadis murder a dozen or so in Jordan they do. But not otherwise. Not when Jordanians try to murder Westerners in the West either. Oh wait, you meant the utterly trivial numbers of people killed in Iraq and Palestine by the West didn’t you? My mistake.”"”

    i seriously cant make my mind, are you being serious or sarcastic? i sriosuly cant tell!

    Terrorists kill civillians, and Jihadis kill the occupiers. and although the occupation forces are reponsible directly for the death and torture of thousands and thousands of innocent civillians, they are also responsible for the blood shed by terrorists, lets remember that we never ever had terrorists before the cocupations came, and that the only reasons they came, is because of the occupation and as a dicret result of it, and a result of the bad policy that was implemented in Iraq and the wrong [intended?] decisions of solvign the Iraqi army and creating a security void, you cant possibly deny that terrorism is a direct result of the occupation itself.

    Jordanians should act when terrorits attack their brothers and sisters anywhere, and so should the world react towards jordanians, we are brothers and sisters, we dont have that mind-your-own-buisness-and-dont-care-about-anything-that-happens-outside-your-town mentality, its an American thingy really. are you American?

    What is it for people that celebrate, no Mr thrid-grade-lecturer i am not thinking of materialistic gains that should exist to motivate any action, i am mr humanity and selflessness myself, i am thinking of their emotional motive, that’s what i am asking about, what moves the mobs? that’s a standing science.

    I am asking a question, and putting on the table legitimate points, in the world of politics today if you ever bother to live in it. I am not accusing the Jews of a concpiracy theory although God knows they do have some, they are not totally innocent you know. I am saying that it’s just a political thing in the world controlled with politics and interests today, we all know that the win of Petra will increase tourisim which will increase national income which is great, but just run your brain and you will see that it’s sort of unlikely that Jordanian votes could get this win on their own, they need a push from upthere, just to fix the damaged economy that was effected by the absence of Iraqi oil aids Jordan used to get from Iraq etc. And I am not questioning the beauty of Petra, not at all. I like Petra actually, i went all the way up the 900 steps too, if you ever go there you would know what i am talking about:)

    and what’s HeiGou? sounds like a perfume name.
    :P

  • wa7id

    alright alrighthere is a good question!
    anybody has an idea how many votes did Petra get?:) i have been trying to look it up but failed miserably! anyone has any figures? :) :) :) so we can compare them to the jordanian poppulation maybe?:)

    It’s funny that i cant find the figures anywhere, makes you wonder ha?

  • http://za3moot.wordpress.com/ yaseen

    The building I live in was a runner up, too bad it lost ;( mean it’s a wonder it’s still standing, and was built only 40 years after Christ the Redeemer

  • HeiGou

    wa7id:”Petra is beautiful i went there myself recntly and loved it. my question is legitimate: we are a very small poppulation, ya akhy even if you add to that all the numbers of tourists we get every year assuming all of them will vote to Petra, we are still an extremely small number compared to the numbers of voters in other countries and the numbers of tourists they get.”

    Just because Jordan has a small population and the number of tourists is not great does not mean that millions of people have not heard of it – and more importantly are not so bigoted they would not vote for it just because it is not in their country. Petra featured, for instance, in the Indiana Jones films. The last one I think. And so would have become well known and famous across the West. Even if no one in the West knew about it anyway.

    wa7id:”thats a logical valid point, give me that much of credit.”

    That’s a logical and valid point if you assume that Petra is obscure and unknown when it isn’t. However even if that point was right, the conclusion that you drew – that it must be some vast American plot – is not valid or at least is so incredible it is not worth considering.

    wa7id:”Terrorists kill civillians, and Jihadis kill the occupiers. and although the occupation forces are reponsible directly for the death and torture of thousands and thousands of innocent civillians, they are also responsible for the blood shed by terrorists, lets remember that we never ever had terrorists before the cocupations came, and that the only reasons they came, is because of the occupation and as a dicret result of it, and a result of the bad policy that was implemented in Iraq and the wrong [intended?] decisions of solvign the Iraqi army and creating a security void, you cant possibly deny that terrorism is a direct result of the occupation itself.”

    Well no. Terrorists do kill civilians, but Iraq is not occupied. American soldiers are there at the request of the Iraqi government and they are trying to build democracy. Those soldiers have not killed or tortured thousands and thousands of innocent civilians. The numbers the Americans have killed are easy to find out and it is nowhere near that number, or at least has not been since the invasion. Nor does it follow that those soldiers are to blame for the terrorists. Only the terrorists are to blame for the people they kill and to say otherwise is to excuse and incite terrorism. There were dozens of terrorists before the Americans came. They just all worked for the government. The Iraqi regime was built on terror – a monopoly of terror. Now it is more of a free market. That is not a good thing but it is only caused by the fact that the Americans do not kill and torture large numbers of people. It may be the result of creating a security void, but that was caused by good intentions – the Americans intended to liberate, not occupy and so thought they would be welcome. They were unprepared for the violence and brutality of Iraqi society. They thought better of the Iraqis than the Iraqis deserved.

    wa7id:”Jordanians should act when terrorits attack their brothers and sisters anywhere, and so should the world react towards jordanians, we are brothers and sisters, we dont have that mind-your-own-buisness-and-dont-care-about-anything-that-happens-outside-your-town mentality, its an American thingy really. are you American?”

    Jordanians do act when Jordanians are killed. They protests over the Hotel suicide bombing. Tell me when they are going to protest over the Jordanian who tried to blow up a London night club. Not any time soon I expect. A lot of Jordanians clearly do have a “we don’t care” attitude to terrorism because they do not protest it or condemn it when it occurs elsewhere. Unlike America.

    What is it for people that celebrate, no Mr thrid-grade-lecturer i am not thinking of materialistic gains that should exist to motivate any action, i am mr humanity and selflessness myself, i am thinking of their emotional motive, that’s what i am asking about, what moves the mobs? that’s a standing science.

    wa7id:”we all know that the win of Petra will increase tourisim which will increase national income which is great, but just run your brain and you will see that it’s sort of unlikely that Jordanian votes could get this win on their own, they need a push from upthere, just to fix the damaged economy that was effected by the absence of Iraqi oil aids Jordan used to get from Iraq etc. ”

    It may increase tourism. But there is still no reason to think there has to be some dark secret behind everything anyone else does – that is reflective of your mentality, not the rest of the world. It is likely that many Westerners have heard of and admire Petra and so voted for it. Notice that the Catholic Church had to complain about a lack of Christian symbols and so mobilised enough people to vote for Christ in Rio. There is no sign that America was in charge whatsoever.

  • http://brite.madebymonkeys.net Brite

    I haven’t been here in a while, but i’m coming back to congratulate you Jordanian folk, Petra is definitely a worthy member of the seven world wonders club!
    I don’t quite agree with the other picks (the Redemptor statue is questionable), and I’d rather see this kind of competition done by UNESCO.

  • G.

    Petra is a wonderful place to visit.Congratulations to Jordan on being one of the winners of the New Seven Wonders of the World !

  • http://21stcenturyshea.blogspot.com/ Peter S

    Wouldn’t it be great if some wiseass at UNESCO had the balls to add something like the following to the list of wonders of the world

    - “The breasts of Annabelle R., sophomore, University of Essex, Great Britain”