Blogs from Amman, North, Jordan, Middle East - page 3

The Dead Sea This morning after breakfast, the group headed to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel to the west. It is one of the world’s first health resorts and has been the supplier of a variety of products including asphalt for Egyptian Mummification, Potash for fertilizers, cosmetics and herbal supplements. Because the salt is so dense, people can float above the water. However, because of its harsh mineral content, plants and animals cannot flourish. Sadly, the Sea is shrinking at an alarming rate above 3 feet per year. The Sea was so salty that the cuts Renata and I got while we were in Egypt in Dahab from our snorkeling adventure at the Red Sea started to burn. It was not the most comfortable ... read more

Early morning arrival in Doha, Qatar airport after a 15 hour flight where we managed to get some sleep thanks to new travel pillows just purchased from Kathmandu. I'm not sure why I never tried them before as it's the first time I woke up without a stiff neck after a long flight. Food was good on Qatar and the hostesses were very nice and accommodating. 3 hour wait in Doha went quick while we had coffee in an Illy cafe and had free wi-fi. Plane took off on time for the 3 hour flight to Amman, our final destination. There was a money changer just before you get to Passport Control where you buy your visa but there is also an ATM where I managed to successfully withdraw cash using our Citibank Debit card. Also ... read more

Skipping ahead in the journey sequence. I'm now hopelessly behind schedule because of so many days without internet. The current hotel is one more nail in that coffin. I cannot catch up.... but I also can't wait to talk about the most amazing fabulous surprise I had at my hotel in Amman, Jordan. So I'll jump ahead to that story. Four days ago. Most of that day was spent on the onward journey, at airports, flying from Luxor to Cairo then Cairo to Amman. I was sorry to leave Egypt. I wrote my love letter while waiting at the airport in Cairo. Then I set my eyes on Jordan and the adventures waiting there. Largely unplanned, without the rigorous schedule of sightseeing I'd set myself for Egypt, Jordan would just unfold So I'm at the hotel ... read more

Jordan is a land rich in epic scenery, world heritage sites, and natural wonders. It is also a spiritual heartland; a land blessed with a rich religious history. It is a land that inspired prophets and formed the spiritual backdrop for God’s covenants. Over the next four days, we will visit sites where modern day miracles happened, trek along pilgrimage routes mentioned in the Old Testament, take in views of the Promised Land revealed to Moses, visit the site where John baptized Jesus, see where Elijah ascended into heaven on a Chariot of Fire, and stop to enjoy the tranquil scenery where Jacob wrestled with an angel. Remarkably, the landscape in Jordan has changed little in the last 2,000 years. Today we ventured north of Jordan’s capital to Anjara, Jerash, Tell Mar Elias & the Jabbok ... read more

Remember in Monday's blog (All about Amman) I told you about the photographer who took photos of us during our tour of the Citadel? Well, he emailed us the photos today, and they are a hoot. He had us posing in pretty funny ways. All these photos were taken at the Citadel in Amman. We all had scarves with us, so the photographer (Nidal) tied them around our heads in Bedouin fashion. Some of the photos are pretty funny. No using them as blackmail in the future!... read more