Petra, Jordan

Photos do not do this newly crowned modern 7^th wonder of the world justice. Ever since we saw an exhibition in Vancouver featuring the ancient Nabatean civilization and Petra’s rise to power, we have longed to visit and experience this once great city. The ruins did not disappoint. It took 2 days of grueling hiking to see all of Petra’s sights. It is that massive. We arose at 530am our first day in attempt to be the first people at the gate. A little behind schedule, we weren’t the first ones into the site but we still were able to travel through the fantastic Al-Siq (canyon) and catch that first breathtaking and memorable glimpse of the Treasury in tranquil solitude. We continue on through the site past massive ornately carved tombs and a Roman theatre with seats for 7000. A hike up to the Place of High Sacrifice provided stunning panoramic views of the entire site. In ancient past, animals were sacrificed on the alter high above the city and blood collected in a basin below to be used in Nabatean ritual. We followed the trail down the back side of the mountain, past countless tombs and temples before embarking on the 2 km trek up to the Monastery, another breath taking, exquisitely carved tomb chiseled into the side of the mountain. A 12km walk back to our hotel ended this long but unforgettable day. With really really really sore achy muscles we started later the 2^nd day and missed the crowded Al-Siq by taking a back route to Petra through an ancient Nabatean tunnel and waterway. Much of the same (hiking and taking in the sights) ensued revealing more and more of Petra’s hidden treasures. With much of the main attractions seen we could pay much more attention to other details namely the magnificent colors of rock that Petra is made of. Although it sounds as though we placed Petra on pedestal tourism has created a dark and sad side to Petra. Unfortunately the tales of animal abuse are true as seen first hand by yours truly. With heavy hearts and teary eyes (Anelia) we had to watch as a uncooperative horse pulling a buggy (as well as a obese driver and obese tourist) was whipped countless times in the belly by a six foot piece of electrical cable. Anelia noticed that the horse was bleeding from its left foreleg which was probably why the horse was acting up. Without pause, the driver beat the horse into submission. In addition to this, Petra was the only sight where we ran into children peddling cheap necklaces and stones to tourists as their parents watched keenly, occasionally barking orders from their kiosks. Although the visitor center has pamphlets discouraging tourists from purchasing from these poor kids, very few tourists take the time to find and read them. As a result the child labor continues unchecked. The final straw leaving a sour taste in our mouths was the amount of animal (camel, donkey, horse) feces on the walkways by the end of the day. The smell and sight was almost unbearable at times!

Like we said ealier, The ruins did not disappoint. Unfortunately, mass tourism has brought problems to Petra, which tarnishes the sight. It was a couple of days filled with highs and lows.

pic 1.a- True colors of Petra
pic 1.b - The street of the Facades and theatre
pic 2 - the back route (waterway) into Petra
pic 3 - the Treasury
pic 4 - Tombs from above (can you spot Jeff?)
pic 5 - the Monastery
pic 6 - First sighting of the Treasury
pic 7 - Al-Siq, the gateway to Petra

Wadi Rum, Jordan

We're back!  After a little time in Syria we are finally able to update the blog.  Unfortunately blog spots are Syria are not allowed and therefor blocked from public access.  But, we have left Syria and are on are way to Israel so the blog continues!

70% of Jordan is desert, the most spectacular of which is known as Wadi Rum.  After some diving in near by Aqaba on the Red Sea (no pics) we headed to Wadi Rum for something quite the opposite.  We organized a guide (Mehdi was his name) who took us deep into Wadi Rum for some old fashioned Bedouin camping.  Ok, so we chickened out a little and slept in a tent instead of around the campfire but it was darn cold and windy.  The desert was incredible, miles of sand and shrub interrupted by giant boulders and mountains jutting out of the sand with spectacular wind shaped formations.  The first day we spent hiking up through a fantastic gorge with amazing views followed by a 4X4 tour into the desert.   Just before the end of the climb through the gorge we came across a 5 foot snake about the thickness of the circumference of a quarter and beautifully colored black and white.  We were told we were very fortunate to see this rare and poisonous snake as many guides can spend many  years in the desert and never see one let alone one that large.  It was remarkable how quickly it moved through sand and climbed the rocks.  The second day was spent mostly leisurely strolling through the desert.  Well, I guess it wasn’t so leisurely as it was painstaking.  The deep sand made it nearly impossible to make any headway and the combination of hot, hot sun and biting winter wind made it difficult to decide if we were too hot or too cold.  The jeep picked us up again and we drove further into the desert looking for a good place to camp.  At one point during our hunt the 4X4 came to a stop and Mehdi and his father (our guides) could be heard heatedly debating (what we could only assume was) about where we should camp.  At this point another truck pulled into view on the road ahead of us.  Mehdi’s father got out and said hello as the truck filled with 3 men pulled up, each man toting an AK-47.  “Ummm”:, I said to Anelia, “looks like this is it, I wonder who gets a better price, me or you?”  Of course we were just joking around (Mehdi would never do that to us).  The men were a Saudi Border patrol just passing through to visit friends in Wadi Rum.  We spent the night at the base of the tallest mountain in Jordan (of which we forget the name.)  The next day we climbed the mountain to the summit for spectacular views of the desert as well as a view of the border to Saudi Arabia.  The tour was completed with Anelia and Jeff’s first camel ride, which took us back to the village of Wadi Rum.  One of the most amazing things about the tour was the food.  Mehdi prepared and cooked everything in the desert and it was absolutely delicious.  (“a tasty meatball” says Anelia).  Mehdi said we would make good Bedouins and gave us Arabic names.  Sagar (for Jeff, the name of a very famous and important bird of prey in Jordan, we think a falcon pronounced with a rolled rrr at the end) and Zahra (for Anelia meaning “flower” in Arabic, also pronounced with a rolled r)  In the end, Anelia and Jeff were sad to leave but happy about there incredible experience in the desert of Wadi Rum.

 

Dana Nature Reserve, Jordan

The village of Dana next to the reserve sits perched on the rocky hillside of a great valley that stretches for 14 km out to the desert next to the dead sea.  The town is mostly abandoned now with just three hotels, one restaurant, a small grocery/mini-mart and a new visitor center still operational.  From the visitor center there is a breathtaking view of the valley.  We opted to stay at the Dana hotel, a clean if not a little rustic hotel run by a co-operative known as “the Son’s of Dana”, which runs as an “eco-tourism” outfit and provided us with a guide to hike the maze like rocky formations of the Dana reserve. Unfortunately, our simple camera can't capture the true colors of the rock.  Our guide was absolutely fantastic and the hike was incredible.  We scrambled up through tight crevices and past ancient graveyards to high outcroppings for stunning views of the reserve.  On top of one of these outcroppings our guide stopped to make tea (which is often had 3 or more times a day in Jordan).  The tea, we both had to admit, was probably the most delicious cup we had ever had.  It was so good we had to mention it in the blog.  We returned from the hike to excellent food and live music.  It was a great experience.  The next day we made a detour to Shobuk (another of the ancient Crusader castles forming the line from Turkey to the Red Sea) before returning to Amman.  The castle actually held out longer than its more famous neighbour Castle Karak during the defeat of the Crusaders by the Islamic armies.  Much of the castle now lies in ruin and is slowly being rebuilt.  

Karak, Jordan

We took the kings highway from Madaba down through the Wadi Mujib valley (see sunset pic) to Karak.  Upon arrival in Karak we were ushered into a parking space by an enthusiastic man and two youth.  The man welcomed us with a hugd smile and proceeded to give us the low down on all the accommodation, telling us not only where the hotels were but what price we should get.  In the end we stayed in the nicest hotel in Karak (which was actually just o.k.) for just about half the price.  In the morning we headed to the Castle.

Castle Karak was the keystone of the Crusaders defence along the eastern side of the Dead Sea. It was one of several castles that made a line protecting the trade routes up to Jerusalem. The castles stretched from Turkey all the way to Aquba at the top of the Red Sea.  Although many castles were built by the Crusaders to protect these routes, Karak became one of the most famous, as it was the site of many battles between the Muslim armies and Crusaders.  Karak castle was built high on a hill with a view for miles in all direction to monitor any movement in the area.  Crusaders defended the castle through numerous sieges before it finally fell to the Muslim Armies of Salah ad-Din after an 8 month siege near the end of the Crusades.  The castle was of such strategic importance to both sides that during an attempted peace treaty in which the Crusaders were offered the return of to holy city of Jerusalem (and other cities), the Crusaders refused the offer unless Caslte Karak was also returned to their control.  The negotiations fell apart from there, followed by several more years of war. 

Madaba, Jordan

Hello to you all, whomever that may be!  Our southern tour from Amman began with a trip to the near by metroplois of Madaba.  Upon arrival we checked out the local hotels to find a place to hole up for the night.  The first hotel on the list was the Madaba Inn Hotel,  a little run down on the exterior but brightly lit inside and when Jeff ran in to check prices the lady told him "seventeen".

"Seventeen!?" said Jeff, looking around the lobby that seemed nice but was difficult to see as it was busy with the comings and goings of a tourist bus loading up.

"yes, seventeen," said the lady.  

Having stayed in a dodgy hotel in Amman for sixteen, Jeff thought this looked promising at the price of seventeen.  A few more hotels checked and we returned to the Madaba Inn Hotel to take the room.  Anelia went in to "make the papers" (a term used by the Boorman clan which means to check in to the hotel)while Jeff unpacked the car.  A different clerk was on duty.  She asked the usual necessary questions when checking in to a hotel that is only charging seventeen.

Anelia:  "Is there hot water"

Desk Clerk: "Yes"

Anelia: "Is ther always hot water"

Desk Clerk: "Yes" (giving a odd look to Anelia)

Anelia: "Internet?" (expecting the answer to be no)

DK:"of course"

Anelia "Wireless?"

DK: "always wireless" (another weird look)

Anelia: "Is breakfast included?"

Dk: "yes"

Anelia: "what is it, the usual bread and cheese?"

DK: "uh, its a buffet" (a really weird look)

Anelia:"and its seventeen"

DK: "yes seventeen"

Anelia returns to the car after viewing the room.  It is unbelievable!  And to think we were paying sixteen in Amman for a pile of feces hotel.  With great excitement we unpacked and lugged in our luggage.  It was at this point that we truly looked around the lobby and realized something was amiss.  The lobby wasn't nice, it was really nice, and after sharing a look we finally saw the posted prices: double bed 70JD.  70 Jordanian Dinars which works out to about 110$ Canadain.  No wonder the weird looks from the desk clerk during the five minute interrogation.  "I don't think this place is seventeen" says Anelia.  This place is a 3 star hotel, far above the cost of seventeen dinar hotel.  It was at this point the desk clerk also realized our error and said "no, no seventy, seventy," with his think Jordanian accent.  We began the slow, embarrassing retreat back to the car when the desk clerk stopped us.  "I will give you the room for 50."  So... we stayed in our second three star hotel of the trip and had a great nights sleep.

Madaba is home to a vast collection of preserved Mosaics dating back to the sixth century A.D.  Many of these byzantine mosaics were massive, covering every room of churches, palaces and other buildings of the wealthy or holy.  Some are in immaculate condition.  One of the most incredible mosaics is found in St. George Church.  The mosaic is a map of the middle east that with great detail pinpoints many holy and important sites of the time with amazing geographical accuracy.  It is estimated that the map was at least six years in the making.  Several mosaics later and all mosaic't out (no clue on spelling that) we left the town of Madaba on through the desert to Karak. 

The Road to Madaba, Jordan

Making full use of our newly rented hot-rod we took the long route on the way to Madaba. First stop was the supposed baptism site our none other than Jesus Christ.  With great skepticism we joined all the other tourists on the shuttle to take us to the site.  Most interesting was the explanation of the archeological data and historical references which lead many (including the pope) to believe that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the area .  They even had Anelia and I considering the possibility that this was truly the site of the baptism.  

We moved on towards Madaba, stopping off at Mukawir.  This was the desert castle of King Herod who ironically enough was the man to order the beheading of St. John the Baptist who had baptized Jesus in the Jordan not so long ago.  Not much is left of the great castle but the views out over the desert from its high perch were stunning.

Our final stop before Madaba was the hot springs of Hammat Ma'in.  The springs lie in a lush canyon cutting through the desolate desert on its way to the Dead Sea.  The springs consist of three main waterfalls.  Hammat Ma'in resort connects swimmers with a natural experience of the springs with pools that have been constructed around the base of the two smaller waterfalls.  Bathers can enjoy two temperatures of water, the very hot 45 degree Celsius pool or the blistering 65 degree pool.  The spa also has a Roman bath and sauna (a little dodgy and not recommended)  An evening in the pools soothed all our aches and pains and ended the day beautifully.

pic 1 -  Hammat Ma'in springs  pic 2 -   Mukawir, castle of Herod the Great  pic 3 - Anelia dips her toe in the river Jordan   pic 4 - View from kings highway

Desert Castles, Jordan

For ease of transportation, Jeff and Anelia rent yet another super-car and astonishingly enough manage to navigate their way out of Amman (the capital) and into the eastern desert (okay, okay, we had to ask for directions 3 times and it took us over an hour). The most interesting thing about traffic in Amman is that rules are somewhat obeyed until you reach one of the many traffic circles and then all hell breaks loose. It's every car for itself and you better be ready to use the horn, break and the defibrillator for your passengers (ie: Anelia).  Also a point of interest is the presence of traffic police at these circles who seem to stand idly by while chaos ensues. Nevertheless, we made it through without a scratch.

The desert castles of East Jordan are made fascinating by their remote locations deep in the heart of the bleak desert.  With the rocks and sand stretching in all directions it's had to imagine anyone living in these conditions. The highlight of the tour was Castle Azraq where T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) made his headquarters during the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans during World War 1. The castle actually dates back to 300 AD and was used by many empires and kingdoms as a strong point in the Eastern deserts.

The "Super-Kia" then raced us home, stopping to pick up a couple of hitch-hikers looking for a ride to Amman.  This turned out to be a very good thing. Having made dinner arrangements with a Jordanian family living in Amman the previous day, it was becoming apparent that we would never be able to find our way through the labyrinth of Amman in time to make our date.  Of course, in typical Jordanian hospitality, one of the hitch hikers not only directed us to the right area of town but drove around with us asking directions until we arrived safe and sound at our destination.  The man then took a cab back to his home and refused any compensation for his efforts.  Dinner with the family was terrific and a great way to experience Jordanian culture. Anelia was a little worried when we first arrived as she was quickly escorted into a separate room away from Jeff to "mingle" with the non-english speaking mother while Jeff whooped it up with 6 good-hearted men, 3 of whom spoke some if not fluent English. Of course, Anelia was stuck answering questions about religion, marriage and children as best she could in what could only be best described as a game of charades.  The meal was fabulous and after many thwarted attempts to retire for the evening, we finally managed to say farewell.  We navigated the streets once again (stopping for directions only 3 times. Yes, we had a map) and made it unscathed to our hotel.  It was an unforgettable experience. Thank you Mohammed and family.

Dead Sea, Jordan

Every trip to Jordan must include a visit to float in the Dead Sea!  The Dead Sea lies 1000 meters below sea level and a salt content so high that it is almost completely devoid of life (just some micro-organisms).  You have probably heard that due to the salinity you will float, but nothing will prepare you for that sensation nor the effortlessness with which you do.  There is nothing quite like it. For the complete experience and a few extra bucks you can cover yourself in mud from the deeps of the Dead Sea.  The mud is said to be excellent for the skin.  Jeff abstained from the mud pack but Anelia slathered it on and had to admit her skin afterwards felt soft and smooth. 

Getting to the dead sea is a little difficult (buses only run by necessity) and getting back to Amman is even trickier.  We ended up hitching a ride with an Australian who had hired a driver for the day.  On the return trip we made a stop at Mt. Nebo, where legend has it the prophet Musa (also known as Moses) stood and looked out over the land, declaring it "the Promised Land".  He soon after died (at age 120) and was buried on the mountain.   

pic 1 - the Dead Sea mudpack    2 - Anelia had Mt. Nebo (pics a little out of order)   3 - Jeff floats with ease   4 - the beach   5 - look at all that salt!

No wonder Jesus walked on water!

Jaresh, Jordan

Wow, we have sure see a lot of ruins hey?  You'd think we would get tired of them.  It's true, it happens, but then you visit a site like Jaresh and get to gaze in wonderment and awe at the beauty and majesty of the cities of ancient times.  Jaresh ranks up there as one of the most amazing ruins we have seen.  The current area of excavation is huge!  The uncovered and preserved structures by archeologists make up under 10% of the city with the remaining 90% still yet to be discovered.  The thriving metropolis was originally a Roman city by the name of Geresa, home to 15,000 citizens.  The city began its rise to power during the time of Alexander the Great and reached it height in the 3rd century AD.  Jaresh had two roman theaters and a hippodrome where every day charioteers would race for glory and wealth.   It was inconceivable trying to imagine the size and incredible wealth of the city.  To top off the tour we took in a re-enactment of a Roman legion in action, followed by gladiators and chariot races in the Hippodrome. 

Amman, Jordan

What an incredible place!  Ever since we landed in Amman we have been blown away but the friendliness of the people and their willingness to help out.  When we tried to board the plane in Athens were initially unable to check in. We were told that in order to get in to Jordan you had to have verification of a mode of travel out of the country or at lest be able to show that you have the money to leave.  We were also told that we would probably be delayed at the airport in Amman and even possibly denied entry.  After some discussion (and  a little bit of freaking out) we were finally able to check in and board the plane.  We arrived in Amman and had no problem at the airport.  There were no questions asked and no hassle.  The only thing we heard over and over again was "Please, welcome to Jordan" or "Hello, you are welcome here".  Even in the streets, people would honk and holler out the car windows "Welcome to Jordan!". 

We checked in to our hotel, a rather dodgy establishment, and the next day was spent touring the city.  It is surreal to be in a place with such ancient and important history.  The middle east has been a land of empire's and great civilizations for thousands of years and it remains a place full of culture and tradition.  Anelia was a little worried as many of the women in Amman wear the full covering garments but no one seemed to mind our western clothes. 

Our tour took us to the Citadel of Amman with the ancient ruins of an Umayyad place.   From there we had a stunning view of Amman including the Ancient and almost completely intact Roman Theatre and the worlds tallest flag pole. (130m tall)  O.k. so the flag pole isn't exactly world history but it is hard to miss.  We had lunch at the legendary Hashem Restaurant which ,rumour has it, is almost as old as the city of Amman.  There are only 5 things on the menu, Falafel, Chips, Hummus and two other dips who's names are unknown.  All are delicious.  Pita (which is delivered hot and fresh every few hours from the bakery across the street) is free.  It was so good we went back the next day.  We retired to our dodgy hotel and after a cold shower (which we were promised hot water for) we slipped into our sleeping bags (as the sheets looked like they hadn't been changed or washed in a while) and called it a day.  Oh, forgot to mention about the meat shops.  Lamb anyone?

pic 1 - temple of hercules at Umayyad palace     2 - Roman theatre    3 - Lunch at Hashem   4 - Worlds tallest flag-pole

5 - some tasty meat choices (that's brains on the lower shelf but you can't make it out)