Jordan has been on the bucket list since our early twenties, and then, of course, Indiana Jones just clinched the deal - Petra was a must see . And here we are, living in the Middle East, and a five day Eid national holiday in hand - the timing was perfect.
We touched down in Amman after a three and a half hour flight on Royal Jordanian Airline. The flight itself was interesting - it was the last day of Ramadan, but considered an international flight. Therefore, a meal was served and we energetically tucked into the delicious offerings (it really was good). The unfortunate pax sitting beside us was decidely Muslim, decked out in his traditional dress. I thought the poor man would pass out - body language spoke volumes -he gave a little groan, closed his eyes and gripped his prayer beads harder. Feeling quite guilty, I gobbled up as quickly as I could, tried to be as surreptitious as I could drinking the water (taking quick slugs when his eyes were closed), and covered the leftovers with my napkin. I think he sighed with relief when we refused drinks. Ahh well, I am sure his self-discipline will be rewarded. Mine, on the other hand, registers very low and I just could not pass up on that meal!
Back to the adventure: We were met at the airport by our guide, Saleh, who was our constant companion on the trip. He handled all the driving, gave us a running commentary on all the sights to see, suggested great dining experiences, battled his way through lineups to buy entrance tickets, and generally "parted the seas" with his Arabic and local knowledge.
Amman is a tre
at - it is known as the "white city" as all the buildings are constructed from limestone. In the old days, it was built on seven hills, but has now sprawled out over 22; with bragging rights on the tallest freestanding flagpole in the world. There are lots of trees and shrubs, and miles of olive groves and fruit orchards on the outskirts. Jordan receives much more rain than Qatar and we were overjoyed to be caught in the first rainfall of the year - and a real deluge it was (not like the pity drizzle we receive in Doha - all 5mm of it annually).
at - it is known as the "white city" as all the buildings are constructed from limestone. In the old days, it was built on seven hills, but has now sprawled out over 22; with bragging rights on the tallest freestanding flagpole in the world. There are lots of trees and shrubs, and miles of olive groves and fruit orchards on the outskirts. Jordan receives much more rain than Qatar and we were overjoyed to be caught in the first rainfall of the year - and a real deluge it was (not like the pity drizzle we receive in Doha - all 5mm of it annually). We managed two days of sightseeing in the city: spent a wonderful morning walking the 
Citadel, situated on the highest hill in Amman and built by the Ummayyad Arabs in AD 720. The Romans left their mark with the Temple of Hercules and there is even a Byzantine Basilica. There were some real treasures in the National Archeological Museum with some examples of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the valley below the Citadel, we explored the Roman Theatre - man, are those seats steep! - there was a nosebleed section even then.
Citadel, situated on the highest hill in Amman and built by the Ummayyad Arabs in AD 720. The Romans left their mark with the Temple of Hercules and there is even a Byzantine Basilica. There were some real treasures in the National Archeological Museum with some examples of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the valley below the Citadel, we explored the Roman Theatre - man, are those seats steep! - there was a nosebleed section even then. Later, we dr
ove to Jerash, to an ancient Roman decapolis with some of the best preserved ruins in the world. It comes complete with Hadrian's Arch, built in AD129. Walking the same ancient, colonnaded cobblestone streets traversed so long ago by trading caravans, and Roman carriages just takes your breathe away. Standing quietly in the hippodrome seems to bring back whispers of a bygone era. And who knew there was a Jordanian Scottish pipe band belting it out in the Roman Theatre to demonstrate the amazing acoustics. On our third day, we began the drive down the King's Highway - a significant roadway that has carried traffic for 3000 years starting with the Israelites journey to the Promised Land. Since then there have been Nabateans, Romans, Crusaders, as well as more modern day Muslim pilgrims heading for Mecca. It is a really picturesque route including the Wadi Mujib valley and the Dana Nature Reserve. As the travel book says: "It's a veritable ride through the centuries, along the spine of history".
Along the way we stopped at Madaba, a city best known for its Byzantine mosaics.
We found St. George's Church, built over a Byzantine church, where a mosaic map of the Holy Land was unearthed in 1884 that dates back to AD 560. We even went to the Mosaic School, and watched as artisans skillfully pieced together beautiful pictures from tiny pieces of rock. Just outside Madaba is Mt. Nebo where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land. From there, we were able to see sweeping views of Gilead, Judah, Jericho and the Negev.We continued our journey south, crossing over to the Dead Sea Highway, viewing some spectacular landscapes along the way, until we finally dropped down to the coast and our first view of the Dead Sea. It is the lowest point on earth at 408m below sea level. And ye
s - the Dead Sea is truly dead. With a 30% salt content, the only living things are the tourists bobbing on the surface. It's more of a lake, about 65km long and 6to 18km wide, with the Jordan river as its water source. Israel is just across the water and the views are fabulous. Swimming in the Dead Sea is a unique experience - no matter what you try to do, your shoulders are always high above the waterline. Floating on your back is the only way to stay comfortable and even then you feel like a cork trying to burst out of a bottle. May be a good place to learn to swim .... you certainly can't drown here.
s - the Dead Sea is truly dead. With a 30% salt content, the only living things are the tourists bobbing on the surface. It's more of a lake, about 65km long and 6to 18km wide, with the Jordan river as its water source. Israel is just across the water and the views are fabulous. Swimming in the Dead Sea is a unique experience - no matter what you try to do, your shoulders are always high above the waterline. Floating on your back is the only way to stay comfortable and even then you feel like a cork trying to burst out of a bottle. May be a good place to learn to swim .... you certainly can't drown here.We relucta
ntly left the Dead Sea behind us, crossing desertscapes and tall mountains to arrive at Shobak Castle, built by the Crusader King Baldwin I in AD 1115, and later occupied by the Mamluks in the 14th century. It's built on a hilltop in a wild, remote part of the land, surrounded by caves carved out of the hillsides where families of old used to live. Quite imposing and worth the visit.
ntly left the Dead Sea behind us, crossing desertscapes and tall mountains to arrive at Shobak Castle, built by the Crusader King Baldwin I in AD 1115, and later occupied by the Mamluks in the 14th century. It's built on a hilltop in a wild, remote part of the land, surrounded by caves carved out of the hillsides where families of old used to live. Quite imposing and worth the visit.Our last stop of the day was the town of Petra, where we stayed at the Movenpick Hotel and ate at Bedouin restaurants. Love the local food - can never get enough hummus, fatoush, and moutabal and some great walks at night around the tourist area. Petra deserves its own blog - suffice to say it was the highlight of our trip.
Our final destination was Wadi Rum, not far from Aqaba on the coast (next on our list). Wadi Rum is of Laurence of Arabia fame. This is in Jordan's far south, peppered with deserts and the Bedouin. It marks the beginning of the Rift Valley that wends its way far down into Africa. H
ere we saw some of the most extraordinary desert scenery ever - dramatic colours ranging from fiery red, fine sand rippled from the wind, to tall black granite mountains called jebels, and yellow desert hills in between. The angle of the sun, the rise of red sand, and some of the highest peaks in Jordan made this a hauntingly beautiful place. Combined with a mood of almost sublime serenity, as if you are caught between times; and suspended in a quiet peaceful ethereal world, we felt like we were the only people there. Highlight of the day: being treated to Bedouin hospitality - local tea served from an open fire in a Bedouin tent. Of course, there was another side to this site - just over the hill 4x4's gunning themselves up a hill, a camel race in one of the valleys, and camel rides available for tourists.
ere we saw some of the most extraordinary desert scenery ever - dramatic colours ranging from fiery red, fine sand rippled from the wind, to tall black granite mountains called jebels, and yellow desert hills in between. The angle of the sun, the rise of red sand, and some of the highest peaks in Jordan made this a hauntingly beautiful place. Combined with a mood of almost sublime serenity, as if you are caught between times; and suspended in a quiet peaceful ethereal world, we felt like we were the only people there. Highlight of the day: being treated to Bedouin hospitality - local tea served from an open fire in a Bedouin tent. Of course, there was another side to this site - just over the hill 4x4's gunning themselves up a hill, a camel race in one of the valleys, and camel rides available for tourists.Last words to 
Laurence of Arabia: "No man can live this life and emerge unchanged. He will carry the imprint of the desert..." He described Wadi Rum as "vast, echoing and God-like."
Laurence of Arabia: "No man can live this life and emerge unchanged. He will carry the imprint of the desert..." He described Wadi Rum as "vast, echoing and God-like."Our trip to Jordan was a resounding success - if we can...we will be back!
No comments:
Post a Comment