Our first two nights were spent in Amman. The day after we arrived, we drove up to Um Qais, a small city that overlooks the Jordan Valley, the Golan Heights, and the Sea of Galilee (now called Lake Tiberius).
We went to Jerash next, a Greco-Roman site that has been preserved and has to be the most amazing archaeological site we've seen yet!
Our guide there was an archaeologist on the digs and showed us how the columns were balanced to "sway."
Ha-ha! The "band" played Amazing Grace and Yankee Doodle Dandy (when told we were Americans!)
Cory was getting sick, so the hotel sent him up a "get-well" fruit and vegetable tray. This hotel (Amman Mariott) was the BEST for customer service we have ever seen! Each day at breakfast, they brought us containers and told us to load up with snacks for our sight-seeing trips!!
The next day we visited the Citadel, the Roman Theater, and Umayyad Palace.
We also saw the remains of the Temple of Hercules.
We spent that afternoon swimming in the Dead Sea and taking a mud bath.
If you look closely at Heather and Cory, it looks as if they are "sitting" up. The Dead Sea is so salty that it's almost like floating above the water!!
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth and was quite warm! The flowers were beautiful. Here, we're looking across the sea to Jericho.
We packed up the next day and drove to Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptized. We got to touch the water and look across into Israel, where there was a group singing hymns. It was quite eye-opening to see the difference in the Jordan and the Israel sides. Both sides had armed guards.
We drove down the "King's Way" an ancient route of traders, armies, and pilgrims from centuries ago. We went through the Christian city of Madaba, the "City of Mosaics." Queen Rania has set up the Jordan River Foundation to help support the arts, particularly through the work of women and children. We took a look at some of the mosaics. The work is amazingly intricate and time-consuming. In the picture below, you're looking at the back of the work. When completed, it will be turned over to the smooth side.
Then we visited Mt. Nebo. This is where Moses (Deuteronomy 34) climbed the holy mountain at the end of his life to see the promised land.
We arrived at Petra that night, ready for an early morning the next day!
After an early breakfast, we headed to Petra. The first part was a short horse ride.
Then we walked through the "Siq" (long narrow fissure between 2 overhanging cliffs) for that famous first view of the Treasury. (Watch Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail!)
We had all day to explore the Red Rose City. We also hiked up to the Monastery ~ killer view AND killer climb!
And explaining to the little gypsy boy that I don't have any more money to buy postcards.....I spent it all on jewelry--ha-ha!!
Our last night in Petra, there was an amazing sunset: over the mountain it looked just like a volcano!
The next day we took a 4 x 4 ride through Wadi Rum and shared a cup of tea in a traditional Bedouin tent. I'm glad I re-watched Lawrence of Arabia before we came, because some of the views were familiar.
Then we drove to Aqaba, where Jordan, Egypt, and Israel all look across the water. This was our first view from the hotel of the Red Sea, and you can see the view looking across at Egypt.
Cory got to SCUBA, and we got to swim in the Red Sea!
Then, our last day we toured Aqaba--not much to see, but it's a duty-free zone, so our guide thought we would like to buy some things. Then we drove back to Amman to board the plane. I was deathly ill on the way home. First time I've ever had to be sick on an airplane....don't recommend it!! Headed back to school, where I continued to be sick for the next 2 weeks. Just now recovering and doing the blog :)
Abu Dhabi Time