Short trip in Jordan by Ursula
October 23rd, 2009 :
After some hesitation, we decided to take an 8 day-tour, just the two of us, to Jordan. Loïc had enjoyed it very much, and with the building going ahead, we would probably not be able to go away next year, apart from checking on the construction in the south of France.
So Michel and I decided on the places we wanted to see and then Michel did the hotel-booking in the internet. He had some trouble finding a room for three nights in Petra and we found out, that end of October was high season. Not ideal, but those were my only possible dates.
We found traveling in Jordan not so easy. Not because of danger, but because of lacking infrastructure. Apart from the big tourist sites with many hotels, there are almost no usable restaurants, not to speak of cafés, but it sure was a change.
Our two full day in Petra with first the usual tour, beautiful, but just too many people and donkeys and camels and horses and artificially installed villages demonstrating life mostly of the Romans, but should have been of Nabateans, included walking up to the monastery.
This is actually breathtaking if you think of those people living in the caves and decorating them so wonderfully in this special valley, protected from the outside world. The second day we went a bit off the beaten track and could enjoy some of the sites from higher view points. I think, we walked about 8 hours that day in beautiful weather, looking into the Jordan valley and Israel, and up and down. We certainly appreciated the warm pool at hour hotel after that.
After that we drove for two nights to the dead sea. You can visit castles of the crusaders, go to mount Nebo and look on the Jordan valley again and of course float in the Dead Sea.
We did all of this and enjoyed a delicious meal at the Italian restaurant of the Marriott, sitting outside, having a local white wine and staring at the lights of Jerusalem.
The next day took us the Jesus' baptize site on the river.Two Russians actually dipped into the river (ugh)to do the same. (The Russians are giving a lot of private money to the Christian sites in Jordan).
We then continued north along the Israeli boarder and up to Syria, with a lot of army check points, to an absolutely gorgeous Roman city, dominating the lake of Tiberiade.
That night we slept in an old beauty, but it had seen better days and the food was in accordance. But we survived.
Our last day took us actually to 280km from Iraq and 50km from Saudi Arabia, it said so on the road sign. But we wanted to see the castles of the desert. They are from the Arabs and are beautiful in a very discreet way. We even had a rainbow and a small sandstorm that day and we spent our last night in Madaba where there is a very good local restaurant, for a last dinner. Amann airport was close to a nightmare, but we made it home safely.
After some hesitation, we decided to take an 8 day-tour, just the two of us, to Jordan. Loïc had enjoyed it very much, and with the building going ahead, we would probably not be able to go away next year, apart from checking on the construction in the south of France.
So Michel and I decided on the places we wanted to see and then Michel did the hotel-booking in the internet. He had some trouble finding a room for three nights in Petra and we found out, that end of October was high season. Not ideal, but those were my only possible dates.
We found traveling in Jordan not so easy. Not because of danger, but because of lacking infrastructure. Apart from the big tourist sites with many hotels, there are almost no usable restaurants, not to speak of cafés, but it sure was a change.
Our two full day in Petra with first the usual tour, beautiful, but just too many people and donkeys and camels and horses and artificially installed villages demonstrating life mostly of the Romans, but should have been of Nabateans, included walking up to the monastery.
This is actually breathtaking if you think of those people living in the caves and decorating them so wonderfully in this special valley, protected from the outside world. The second day we went a bit off the beaten track and could enjoy some of the sites from higher view points. I think, we walked about 8 hours that day in beautiful weather, looking into the Jordan valley and Israel, and up and down. We certainly appreciated the warm pool at hour hotel after that.
After that we drove for two nights to the dead sea. You can visit castles of the crusaders, go to mount Nebo and look on the Jordan valley again and of course float in the Dead Sea.
We did all of this and enjoyed a delicious meal at the Italian restaurant of the Marriott, sitting outside, having a local white wine and staring at the lights of Jerusalem.
The next day took us the Jesus' baptize site on the river.Two Russians actually dipped into the river (ugh)to do the same. (The Russians are giving a lot of private money to the Christian sites in Jordan).
That night we slept in an old beauty, but it had seen better days and the food was in accordance. But we survived.
Our last day took us actually to 280km from Iraq and 50km from Saudi Arabia, it said so on the road sign. But we wanted to see the castles of the desert. They are from the Arabs and are beautiful in a very discreet way. We even had a rainbow and a small sandstorm that day and we spent our last night in Madaba where there is a very good local restaurant, for a last dinner. Amann airport was close to a nightmare, but we made it home safely.
posted by Paul Softer at 16:36
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