Jordan_2019

|---| Jordan Tower Hotel, Amman, 22JOD/n (~28€), 1st night.

Saturday 05/Oct/2019 - Day 1.
Downtown Amman.
Amman : 4M inhabitants, that is 40% of the 10M Jordans.

Breakfast Lemon-Lime-Mint smoothie.

Old downtown.
The citadel (left of the picture) overlooks the old city.

Amman's Roman theatre,
boasting 6000 seats.

Citadel, Roman Temple of Hercule, 160 AD.

Citadel, Umayyad palace, 7th century.

Rain...

|---| Jordan Tower Hotel, Amman, 22JOD/n (~28€), 2nd night.

Sunday 06/Oct/2019 - Day 2.
Desert castles.

"For most visitors, the main reason to head east is to explore Jordan’s 'Desert Castles', a group of early-Islamic buildings dotted around the desert. Most date from the seventh century, when the Umayyad dynasty was ruling from Damascus: bedouin at heart, the Umayyad caliphs seem to have needed an escape from the pressures of city life, and so built a network of hunting lodges, caravanserais and farmhouses to serve as rural retreats..." (from 'The Rough Guide').

Qasr el Kharaneh.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_Al-Kharanah

"Standing foursquare, it looks like a fortress built for defensive purposes, with round corner towers, arrow slits in the wall and a single, defendable entrance.
However, on closer examination, you’ll find that Kharana’s towers are solid (and thus unmannable) and that only 3m-tall giants with extra-long arms could fire anything out of the arrow slits. Rather, it seems most likely that Kharana – positioned at the meeting point of many desert tracks – was a kind of rural conference centre, used by the Umayyad caliphs as a comfortable and accessible place to meet with local bedouin leaders, or even as a site where the bedouin themselves could meet on neutral ground to iron out tribal differences.
It was probably built in the late seventh century; a few lines of graffiti in an upper room were written on November 24, 710.
Marvellously cool and perfectly still inside, Kharana is one of Jordan’s most atmospheric and beautiful ancient buildings..." (From 'The Rough Guide').

Qasr el Kharaneh, a caravanserais.

Qasr Amra.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_Amra

"Qusayr is the diminutive of qasr, meaning 'little castle', here a small bath-house.
Amra was where the Umayyad caliphs came to let their hair down, far from prying eyes in Damascus. Probably built between 711 and 715 by Caliph Walid I, it is unmissable for the frescoes covering its interior walls. Joyously human, vivid and detailed, they stand in stark contrast to the windswept emptiness of the desert, and feature an earthly paradise of luscious fruits and vines, naked women, cupids, musicians, hunters and the kings of conquered lands.
The first Islamic edict ordering the destruction of images came from one of Walid’s successors, when Amra’s frescoes were just five years old, but for some reason they were overlooked and have managed to survive 1300 years of fire and graffiti." (from The Rough Guide).

Unesco World Heritage site.

These beautiful frescoes indeed survived the Moslim iconoclasm and today's grafitis.

Qasr el Azraq.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qasr_Azraq

"The strategic significance of the castle comes from the nearby oasis, the only water source in a vast desert region. The Romans were the first to make military use of the site.
During the Arab Revolt, T.E. Lawrence based his operations here in the winter 1917–18."
(from Wikipedia).

A one ton heavy stone door,
however quite easy to move thanks to the use of palm tree oil.

Inner Courtyard.

T.E. Lawrence's headquarters were located in the square tower.
The final attack on Damascus, which saw the collapse of Ottoman power, was launched from here.

All rooms have a stone ceiling.

Syria to the North, Iraq to the East,
Saudi Arabia to the South... probably better to make a U-turn here.

Azraq Wetlands.
An oasis recreated by replacing dried-oud springs with underground-pumped water.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azraq_Wetland_Reserve

Nowadays just an artificial lake... supplied from pumping underground water.

The artificial lake suggests on how this area looked until 1993.

An ecological disaster ! The panel reads :
"The area in front of you is all that remains of the once-vibrant pond of Ein al Soda.
This spring once once pumped milions of water to the wetland, giving it its natural vitality and opulence.
However, after twenty years of water pumping, in 1993 this spring dried up.
The surrounding water flats have been almost totally-devoid of life ever since."
The left hand side picture was taken in 1966. Now it is a desert.

|---| Jordan Tower Hotel, Amman, 22JOD/n (~28€), 3rd night.

Monday 07/Oct/2019 - Day 3.
Amman to Madaba journey.

Bus from Amman (North bus station)
to Madaba, 1h, 1.25JOD.

Bus halted for ID inspection.

Madaba.

The town of Madaba (60k inhabitants) is best known for its Byzantine mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of the Holy Land.
Hundreds of other mosaics from the 5th through the 7th centuries are scattered throughout Madaba.

Saint George church.

Saint George church (Greek Orthodox).

The 6th century "Madaba Map on the church floor.
The mosaic map depicts hills and valleys, villages and towns in Palestine and the Nile Delta.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madaba_Map

Madaba Map detail : Jericho.

Madaba Map detail : Jerusalem.

Saint John the Baptist church.

Saint John the Baptist church (Roman),
Patron of Madaba and Jordan.

One more beautiful Byzantine mosaic.

Bell tower.

View of Madaba from the bell tower.

Archaeological park.

Aphrodite mozaic.
Aphrodite sits on a throne next to Adonis.

Hotel for the next two nights.

|---| Rumman Hotel, Madaba, 22.50JOD/n (~28€), 1st night.

Tuesday 08/Oct/2019 - Day 4.

Mount Nebo (Moses mountain).
"After 40 years of wandering in the desert, Moses died on Mount Nebo, in sight of the Promised Land".
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nebo

Monolith of the 2000 Jubilee,
by Vincenzo Bianchi.

The Brazen Serpent cross
by Giovanni Fantoni,
at the place where Moses died.

Moses view on the "Promised Land"

The Basilica of Moses.

The beautiful Byzantine mosaic in the basilica,
6th century.

Bethany (Jesus Baptism site).

The place where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist and Christianity started, a pilgrimage site throughout the history.

Inscribed as a World Heritage site, it includes churches, a monastery, baptismal pools, hermit cells, a pilgrim's station, the cave where John the Baptist lived and the spring that was called John the Baptist spring.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al-Maghtas

Excavation of the historical baptism site.

The above panel, justifying the historical location, reads as follows :

"Churches built in the memory of the baptism of Jesus.

To start with it is of utmost importance to note that the river Jordan

arrived at this point at the time Jesus was baptized and when at

this point. Today the river is further away.

It is at this point where John who lived east of the river Jordan

opposite Jericho met Jesus and baptized Him.

Five uniquely designed churches and a unique cruciform baptitery

that used the water of the Jordan were carefully described by

pilgrims to be built ,from the 5th up to the 12th centuries at the place

where Jesus was baptized.

To our excitement, the discoveries fully matched with the

description of the pilgrims who visited the site following the trail of

the Prophets. But our question was; 'Why did early Christians insist

to build churches at the point where there is no community to serve ?

In the middle of the wilderness at a point where earthquakes or

floods caused the destruction of one church after the other?'

The answer was clear !

Depending on the bible, the mosaic map of the Holy Land, pilgrims'

accounts and the archaeological discoveries, we see the

determination of believers to build memorials, just east of the

Jordan river, where Jesus was baptized and Christianity started".

Saint Michael.

Jordan River (Jordan bank)
baptism of Pakistani Christians.

Baptism of Korean Christians
(Israeli bank)

Baptism of Russian Christians
(Israeli bank).

Feet in the Jordan River.

Dead Sea.
Earth's lowest elevation on land : 430m below 'sea level'.
One of the worlds' salthiest bodies of wateer : ten times saltier than the oceans.
Indeed a dying sea, it's water level shrinking one meter per year !
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea

An affordable Dead Sea resort : 'Amman Beach Torism Resort'.

Reading while floating.

Hammamat Ma'in hot Spring.
At 220m below sea level, a relaxing hot-spring-resort with a hot-water-waterfall !
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma'in_Hot_Springs

Oasis with the hot spring.

The hot water waterfall.

Water temperature in October... 60°C,
220m below sea level.

A massive natural massage.

Behind the waterfall there is a jaccuzi-like cave.

An extremely hot jacuzzi.

|---| Rumman Hotel, Madaba, 22.50JOD/n (~28€), 2nd night.

Wednesday 09/Oct/2019 - Day 5.
Madaba to Dana journey.

Dropped in the middle of nowhere,
after a seven hours journey,
three busses and a hitchhiked car.

Reached Dana village.

Hike for tomorrow : "Wadi Dana Trail",
day after tomorrow : "Wadi Ghaweir".

An oasis.

Sunset over the canyon.

- Bus from Madaba to Amman, 1h.
- Bus from Amman to At-Tafila, 3h30.
- Bus from At-Tafila to Rashadiah 0h40.
- Hitchhike from Rashadiah to Dana.

|---| Dana Moon Hotel, Dana Biosphere Reserve, 25JOD/n (~32€), 1st night.

Thursday 10/Oct/2019 - Day 6.
1st Dana hike : Wadi Dana trail.

"Passing through sandstone gorges, to learn more about the 3 different biogeological zones of Dana and if you are lucky enough you may see some of the endangered animals such as the Nubian Ibex. This trail leads downhill to Feyan, where visitors can arrange for return transportation" (Explore Dana brochure).

"Ce long parcours à travers le majestueux Wadi Dana est le plus prisé de la réserve et pourtant, vous pourriez bien l'avoir pour vous seul. Facile à suivre, cet itinéraire de 16km (6 heures) emprunte une route désaffectée et traverse de pâtures bédouines. Au début du parcours, une descente ininterrompue de 1h mettra vos orteils, vos mollets et vos genoux à rude épreuve" (LP).

Start of the steep 1h descent.

Some rock formations look scary.

Day destination : The remote ecolodge.

Bedouin sheppard.

Return road (a 2h20 ride !!! 45JOD/3p).

Dana by night.

|---| Dana Moon Hotel, Dana Biosphere Reserve, 25JOD/n (~32€), 2nd night.

Friday 11/Oct/2019 - Day 7.
2nd Dana hike : Wadi Ghweir Trail.

"The trail stretches along the gravel bed of the Wadi, alongside a flowing stream, to the entrance to Wadi (river bed) Ghweir. Very similar to the famous siq (canyon) in Petra, the trail leads through magnificent sceneries of different stone formations and many unique plants and trees on both side of the river. The scenery is so breathtaking it has been known to cause visitors to forget about everything else - including how long they have been hiking !" (Explore Dana brochure).

"Ce parcours exigeant de 16km longe des lits de rivière, traverse une gorge et une vallée de palmiers. Randonnée de 6-7 heures" (LP).

"Le Wadi Ghweir compte parmi les treks les plus difficiles et les plus spectaculaires : il requiert de l'endurance et une insensibilité au vertige. Il suit un étroit défilé creusé dans le grès, offre de vues superbes sur la montagne et la visite de ruines d'époque byzantine" (Guide Bleu).

Entrance of the kilometers long slot canyon.

Scary natural sculptures.

Often the canyon is just one person wide,
while the walls raise to 30m high.

A hanging boulder.

Hanging gardens.

End of the gorge.

Beautiful fossils.

Natural coloured boulders.

Trash, left by locals ?

|---| Valentine Inn, Wadi Musa, 30.30JOD/n ~39€ incl breakfast, 1st night.

Saturday 12/Oct/2019 - Day 8.
Petra, day 1.

Petra, capital of the Nabataeans.

Al-Khazna (The Treasury).
The Siq opens up onto Petra's most magnificent facade, the Treasury. It is almost 40m high and intricately decorated with Corinthian capitals, friezes, figures and more.
The Treasury is crowned by a funerary urn, which according to local legend conceals a Pharaoh's treasure. The Treasury was probably constructed in the 1st century BC.
(Petra Archaeological Park brochure).

Early morning,
After walking 20 minutes through the Siq (canyon),
a first glimpse on Al-Khazneh (Treasury).

Early morning,
first view of Al-Khazneh (Treasury).

After a rude climb to this lookout,
happy awaiting the sunrise.

10:00 AM, best enlightened.

The Treasury observed from the
Al-Khubtha Trail.

The theatre, accomodating 4000 spectators,
observed from the Al-Khubtha Trail.

The Royal Tombs.

The Urn Tomb,
Constructed around 70AD.

The Urn Tomb,
in 446 adapted to serve as a Byzantine church.

|---| Valentine Inn, Wadi Musa, 30.30JOD/n ~39€ incl breakfast, 2nd night.

Sunday 13/Oct/2019 - Day 9.
Petra, day 2.

Little Petra.

Entrance to the Little Petra site.

Ceiling.

Petra - Wadi al Farasa trail.

At the summit, the place of sacrifice.

|---| Valentine Inn, Wadi Musa, 30.30JOD/n ~39€ incl breakfast, 3rd night.

Monday 14/Oct/2019 - Day 10.
Petra, day 3.

The Petra Museum.

Petra - Ad-Deir trail (Monastery).

The "Cave Bar", oldest tavern of the world,
one of the few places to find beer in Jordan.

Ordered one pint of beer, got two
(1 liter) as it was happy hour.

|---| Valentine Inn, Wadi Musa, 50JOD ~64€/n incl breakfast, 4th night.

Tuesday 15/Oct/2019 - Day 11.
Wadi Rum desert.

Petra to Rum bus,
at a coffee stop along the road.

Rum.

Desert view, from Lawrence Spring.

Wadi Rum desert.

Wadi Rum desert,
the "Big Bridge".

|---| Seven Pillars Desert Camp, Rum, 40JOD incl half board and tour.

Wednesday 16/Oct/2019 - Day 12.
Rum to Aqaba journey.

Dropped at a bus stop along the highway,
a local bus for Aqaba arrived 20 minutes later.

A popular tool,
avoiding annoying beeps in Jordan cars.

View from the hotel room
Sinai (Egypt) and Eilat (Israel)
at the other side of the Red Sea.

Aqaba beach.

Aqaba, Al Sharif Al Houssein mosque.

Possibly the ruins of the oldest purpose-built church known in the world, a monumental mud brick structure from around 300AD.

|---| Mass Paradise Hotel 2, Aqaba, 29.75JOD/n, 1st night.

Thursday 17/Oct/2019 - Day 13.
Scuba diving.

Aqaba, "Almarsa Dive" resort.
A 45 minutes Dive lost here 25JOD.

"Japanese Garden" dive.

(not my picture).

"Sunken Plane" dive.

Changes to the next day's plans...

Cancelled the Moses Mountain pilgrimage
(Saint Katherine, Sinai desert, Egypt)
for security reasons.

|---| Mass Paradise Hotel 2, Aqaba, 29.75JOD/n, 2nd night.

Friday 18/Oct/2019 - Day 14.
Aqaba to Kerak journey.

Halong Bay looking landscape.

Shaubak Castle.

Shaubak, crusaders' citadel.

Shaubak, crusaders' church.

|---| Al-Mujeb Hotel, Kerak, 30JOD/n incl breakfast.

Saturday 19/Oct/2019 - Day 15.

Kerak Castle - the 'Crac des Moabites'.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerak_Castle

Kerak's crusader castle.

Just like in Catania, clever guys
keep parking space for tourists.

Castle entrance.

Underground passages and storage rooms.

Lot's Cave.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot_(biblical_person)

How the site might have looked.

Ruins of the Byzantine church
(with a beautiful mozaic), next to Lot's cave.

Death Sea (again).

Dead Sea.

Shrunk waterbottle,
at the deepest point on earth.

Lot's wife, transformed into
a salt rock, for having looked backwards.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lot's wife

Wadi Mujib wet canyon.
Get an idea of the size, zooming in
on the hikers at the picture center.

Roundabout.

Tonight a familiar pilgrim bedroom.

|---| Pilgrim's Guest House, Madaba, 24JOD/n incl breakfast.

Sunday 20/Oct/2019 - Day 16.
Umm er Rasas.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umm_ar-Rasas

Stylite monk tower.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylite

Stylite monk tower.

Wadi al Mujib - Jordan's Great Canyon.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_Mujib

View from the Northern lookout,
looking East.

View from the Northern lookout,
looking West.
Here the canyon is 4km wide and 1000m deep !

Bedouin stalls at the Northern lookout.

Fortress of Mukawer.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machaerus

Mount of Herod the Great's castle,

where St John the Baptist became beheaded.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beheading_of_John_the_Baptist

Ruins of Herod the Great's castle.

Mahamat Ma'In hot water waterfall
(2nd visit).

|---| Rumman Hotel, Medaba, 24JOD/n incl breakfast.

Monday 21/Oct/2019 - Day 17.

Jordan Museum.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Jordan_Museum

Inscription with a two-humped camel carved on a rock.
The scribe knew about the Asian camel, probably along the trade route with India and China.

Aïn Ghazal plaster statue 7500BC.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/'Ain_Ghazal_Statues

Reconstruction of the Mesha stele.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesha_Stele

Dead Sea scroll jar
(photography not allowed, internet picture).

Amman.

Fresh fruit juice stall, 1JOD.

Soap.

|---| Arab Tower Hotel, Amman, 36.50JOD/n incl breakfast.

Tuesday 22/Oct/2019 - Day 18.

Ajloun.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ajloun_Castle

Jerash.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerash

|---| Arab Tower Hotel, Amman, 36.50JOD/n incl breakfast.

Wednesday 23/Oct/2019.
Amman to Home journey.

Must be the right gate for the Rome flight.

- Royal Jordanian flight RJ101 from Amman (AMM) to Rome (FCO), 11:45-14:35, 3h50.
- Transit 0h55.
- Alitalia flight AZ336 from Rome (FCO) to Marseille (MRS), 15:30-16:55, 1h25.

|---| Home.

Map of Jordan.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Jordan_2019

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