DRIVE TO AMMAN - DAY 13 - FINAL DAY We left Petra and drove up the King’s Highway before merging on the Desert Highway to make our trip north to Amman, the capital of Jordan and prepare for the transfer to the Queen Alia International Airport. The highways followed the oldest continually used trading route in the world. Some interesting sites were seen along the route, but the overwhelming vistas were desert. About half way through the ride, we took a pit stop at the MidWay Castle, a restaurant and souvenir shop. As we approached Amman, our tour guide Madji explained quite a bit about Jordan’s role in the Mid-East political, economic and geographic situations, both currently and historically. Tour Director Matt, the best ever, commented on the Tauck experience and summarized the events of our ... read more

DRIVE TO PETRA - DAY 11 We left the Movenpick Resort and Spa on the Dead Sea and began the drive to the Movenpick Resort Petra. The bus stopped along the way at Mount Nebo, known as Pisgah in the Bible. On a clear day, Jericho, the Dead Sea, the Jordan River, Jerusalem and Amman can be seen. Construction prevented us from entering the Memorial Church of Moses, but we were able to see some of the 6th century mosaics, remarkably well preserved considering the age. There was a small museum and a great view from the mountain. This is where tradition has identified as the place Moses died and was buried, but it has been a site of pilgrimages for centuries. Jewish, Christian and Muslim faiths all recognize Moses as a prophet, so many visitors ... read more

MASADA, JERICHO, AND JORDAN I started out this morning checking out from the David Citadel Hotel and busing to Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built by King Herod between 36 and 31 BC. It is in the West Bank Territory. The fortress became a mighty stronghold of Jewish Zealots who fled Jerusalem rather than submit to Roman rule during the First Jewish-Roman War in the 1st century AD. The logistics of King Herod’s palace and fortress on top of a mountain in the eastern fringe of the Judean Desert near the shore of the Dead Sea were overwhelming, but he did it. I got to the top and return by cable car, but all the construction materials had to by taken up by donkey or humans. Water supply was the biggest challenge which Herod figured ... read more

OLD CITY JERUSALEM, TEMPLE MOUNT, CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHER AND MORE - DAY 7 Big day, early start to try to get ahead of the expected crowds. Our bus driver, Joseph, has been excellent the whole trip. I don’t know how he handles all situations with high skill and no apparent stress, but he does. We have two tour guides again today to keep our groups at an average of 16 to allow easier communication in the larger crowds. Our first stop was at the Temple Mount where Abraham was to kill his son but his son was saved by God’s directive. It was also the site of the two Temples and is now the holiest Islamic site in Jerusalem which makes the challenge of keeping peaceful relations between all the religious groups in Jerusalem ... read more

AKKO AND DRIVE TO JERUSALEM - DAY5 I awoke this morning and saw a cruise ship come into port. I found out two were coming to Haifa today and 50 bus loads of visitors were going to Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee today. I’m glad we went yesterday! The ride to Akko was short and easy but the traffic coming into Haifa was seriously backed up at the start of the work day. Akko is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world dating back to the era of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose. Our first stop was a visit to the Jezzar Pasha Mosque. An excellent example of Ottoman architecture, the mosque is named for Ahmed al-Jezzar Pasha, who defeated Napoleon at the 1799 French siege of Akko. We then took a walking ... read more