Jordan

Jordan, you tiny little country filled with amazingness.  How have you been hiding in that mess of the Middle East and not at the top of everyone's travel list? 

Everything about Jordan was awesome.  Ok, not the stomach bug, but everything ELSE about Jordan was awesome.  I loved the food, the people, the history, the natural beauty, everything.  I did more in Jordan than I thought I physically could, I was frequently surprised by the history, and I had great conversations with our driver, a devout Muslim man with wonderful perspectives into the lives of modern Muslims. 

My week started in Jordan, where I arrived in a nondescript street by bus from Israel.  The driver picked me up- yes, driver.  My friend had a coworker who frequently worked in Jordan and recommended hiring a driver.  It was a great decision- Yousef was more than transportation.  He was interpreter, guide, photographer, food critic, security, everything.  He helped me to get a SIM card for my phone and took me to the hotel and lunch (schwarma!) before getting Julie from the airport.  I was so happy to see my best friend!  No more traveling alone!

Our first night we ate falafel downtown and then walked around through the markets.  We saw the amazing Roman ampitheater and forum.  WOW.  I had no idea the impressive remains that are still scattered around Jordan.  Amman was the historic city of Philadelphia and the degree of preservation on their sites surpassed much of what I've seen in Europe. 

Roman Amphitheater, Amman

Day two we went to the biggest site, Jerash.  It was as good as Pompeii for imagining you actually lived in the city.  You could see the wagon ruts on the road and hear the echo in the theaters.  The massive central plaza with its huge colanade was as impressive today as it must have been in Rome.  Walking the streets that have been trod for thousands of years was humbling.  Climbing the steps to the Temple of Artemis and seeng the tiny studs of silver that once reflected on the walls was inspiring.  You could easily imagine how glamorous it was in its hayday. 

Jerash

But that wasn't the end- we also went to Umm Quays, a site waaaaay up north near the Lebanese/Syrian/Israeli border.  The museum there had beautifully preserved mosaics from the houses, and the view of the surrounding countryside showed by the temples and later churches there lasted so long.  Our final stop was Pellas, one of the oldest sites in Jordan.  Near the Jordan river, the remains are more simple but have yeilded more information about life and trade in the region than any of the other.  They dated from prehistoric occupation to Ottoman construction. 

On the third day, we headed south.  On the way to the Dead Sea we stopped in the city of Madaba, famous for its many preserved floor mosaics.  I love mosaics.  I love that they use patterns and themes still sold in rugs and tiles today.  Go to Pottery Barn or Home Depot and you'll find designs the same as on the ancient floors.  We saw beautiful florals, animals, myths, and even a map in churchs and museums throughout the city.  The colors were a little muted but still more lively than you usually think of ruins.

We stayed in a resort on the Dead Sea for one night, just to get a taste.  It really is a beautiful body of water and I can imagine the ancient traveler's disappointment when they found a rancid, salty, chemically tainted lake instead of refreshing drinkable water is appears to be.  You really do float!  It's hard to roll over even.  You can't even touch the bottom if you want to.  It also stings a lot if you get it in your eyes.  I don't recommend that.  The hotel had mud pits you could coat yourself with, since the mud is supposed to be restorative.  I did not like the mud. 

After a good night's sleep, it was on to Petra.  We stopped at Karnak castle on the way.  Built by Crusaders and later occupied by Ottoman rulers, the castle was pretty much in ruins- and we got to climb all over it!  Part of me feels guilty, like I was contributing to the erosion of a site.  The child in me was in heaven!  Duck through dark doorways, peer into mostly caved-in rooms looking for treasure, climb crumbling stairs until you emerge into sunlight on what was once a roof- then walk along a thin embankment to read an even higher point- SO MUCH FUN.  It was one of those "Americans wouldn't let you do this" kind of thing.   Did I learn much?  Well, even in daylight, castles were pretty dark.

We got to Petra at sunset so didn't get to go in until morning.  We stayed just outside the park in Wadi Musa.  The hotel was... fine.  Worn but convenient.  In the morning, we went early into the park to beat the bus rush.  We walked through the Siq to the Treasury, the famous Indiana Jones temple moment.  It's actually a mausoleum but whatever.  It was awesome.  Minus the bedouins trying to sell you donkey rides and the smell of camel poop. 

We decided to climb to the high sacred place, and man.  That was a lot of stairs.  It was exhausting.  And then we had to get down.  It took hours, and it was hot, and I think I might have died out there a few times.  Seriously, this was pushing the limits of what I can do physically.  I'm not in great shape.  But I did it!  And it was worth the sore muscles and sunburn.  We had lunch and then trudged out of the park to rest.  We returned that night for Petra at night, seeing the Siq and Treasury all lit up while Bedouin played music and told stories.  It was fine, but cold, and sitting on the group with tired muscles was unfun. 

Treasury at Petra

On the second day in Petra, I wasn't feeling great.  Julie wanted to do another climb and I just couldn't muster the energy, so she went while I chilled in Petra city. Then we did the Royal Tombs, another series of rock cut mausoleums dating from Roman times. 

Wadi Rum was our last destination- we went by taxi from Wadi Musa to the entrance and then were picked up by a guide.  Riding in the back of a pickup with benches on the sides, we rode through the desert.  The rock formations were beautiful.  There were several arches, massive boulders, a balancing rock (they called it a mushroom), and huge cliffs.  We climbed and scrambled up several, through a siq and onto an arch.  Sore muscles ached, I was braver than I could have imagined and jumped between boulders hundreds of feet off the ground.  I'm not sure where the courage came from! 

We stayed the night in the desert, at the RumStars camp.  Dinner had been cooked underground and was delicious.  We played cards and Uno with people from Italy, France, and Malaysia in the longhouse style tent with a fire in the middle.  We didn't see stars, but the huge full moon made it hard to mind.  After breakfast in the morning with yummy homebread crepe-like bread, they drove us back.

Sadly, our driver was late for pick up but he did get us back to Amman to see the Citadel and have dinner on Rainbow St at a place recommended by the Italians in our camping group. One last meal of falafel and hummus.  The next day Julie flew home and I left for Egypt.

Overall things in Jordan were fantastic.  It was a little more expensive than I'd anticipated but well worth the money for what we got.  I'm going to be advocating for people to visit for a long time.  If you're curious about the Middle East at all, go to Jordan. 

Making Tea in Wadi Rum