We went to Jordan for ten days and saw some amazing things. We rented a car, and Charles drove all over the country, from top to bottom. It is, though, a small country. We were at times 50 km from Syria in the north, and just across the border from Saudi Arabia. We could see Israel from the Dead Sea and from Aqaba in the south. However, you wouldn't really know that there was bombing in Gaza or Syria as all was calm in Jordan, where there were lots of European and Russian tourists.
We only had one flat tire, we didn't lose our passports or get sick, we managed to feed ourselves and we saw pretty much everything we wanted to see. G and H complained before we left, but they had a good time.
First, we went to Jerash, a Roman city north of Amman. We sat in the theatre and walked down the main street below.
Near Jerash, was Ajloun, a castle of the Muslims who were fighting the Crusaders.
The next day, we went to Mt Nebo where you could see Jerusalem, Jericho and the Dead Sea.
As we went south, the landscape was less green. This is Henry at the Dead Sea. It was dead.
At the Dead Sea, we stayed at a hotel that had a beach and pots of mud shoveled out of the sea. People were instructed to swim first, and yes, you could not swim, you just floated! Then put on the mud, let it dry and swim again. We were so soft!
This is the hotel lobby, with its picture of King Abdullah.
A view from the hotel of the beach and the floating.
As we drove south to Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, we went to Karak and Shoubak castles, which are Crusader castles. This is Shoubak, which I preferred as it was in barren landscape and you could just walk around and explore, as G is doing below.
Finally, we got to Petra and stayed the night. The next morning, we got up early and walked through the Siq (about a kilometer) to see the Treasury (below).
We also climbed to the top of a big hill to see the Monestary. We had to stop to have a lemon-mint and tea up there. Altogether, we walked 10 km in Petra.
So, there was some sitting down!
The Treasury again.
We were tired after Petra, but the next day we had 24 hours in Wadi Rum, the desert in south Jordan, where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed and were the Bedouin still live.
This is our lunch, cooked by Alaa, one of our guides. Alena was an American and she stayed with us in the Jeep, or went hiking with us. Everyone was very kind.
This is where we slept! In a cave on the ground, with a fire. We had chicken for dinner and Arabic bread for breakfast.
The next morning, we took a camel ride back to Rum village.
Then, an hour south to Aqaba, the seaside resort of Jordan on the Red Sea. Right next to it is Eilat in Israel. And you can see Egypt as well.
View of Egypt.
And swam at the hotel.
And took a glass-bottomed boat ride to see coral reefs.
Here is G getting ready to snorkel, which she did very well at.
The sea was a beautiful colour and you could see the reef.
We only had one flat tire, we didn't lose our passports or get sick, we managed to feed ourselves and we saw pretty much everything we wanted to see. G and H complained before we left, but they had a good time.
First, we went to Jerash, a Roman city north of Amman. We sat in the theatre and walked down the main street below.
Near Jerash, was Ajloun, a castle of the Muslims who were fighting the Crusaders.
The next day, we went to Mt Nebo where you could see Jerusalem, Jericho and the Dead Sea.
This whole area near Amman in the north was green and had olive groves and grape vines. The fresh green almonds were being sold along the roadsides.
As we went south, the landscape was less green. This is Henry at the Dead Sea. It was dead.
At the Dead Sea, we stayed at a hotel that had a beach and pots of mud shoveled out of the sea. People were instructed to swim first, and yes, you could not swim, you just floated! Then put on the mud, let it dry and swim again. We were so soft!
This is the hotel lobby, with its picture of King Abdullah.
A view from the hotel of the beach and the floating.
As we drove south to Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, we went to Karak and Shoubak castles, which are Crusader castles. This is Shoubak, which I preferred as it was in barren landscape and you could just walk around and explore, as G is doing below.
Finally, we got to Petra and stayed the night. The next morning, we got up early and walked through the Siq (about a kilometer) to see the Treasury (below).
We also climbed to the top of a big hill to see the Monestary. We had to stop to have a lemon-mint and tea up there. Altogether, we walked 10 km in Petra.
So, there was some sitting down!
Some men were dressed as Nabateans maybe.
The Treasury again.
We were tired after Petra, but the next day we had 24 hours in Wadi Rum, the desert in south Jordan, where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed and were the Bedouin still live.
This is our lunch, cooked by Alaa, one of our guides. Alena was an American and she stayed with us in the Jeep, or went hiking with us. Everyone was very kind.
This is where we slept! In a cave on the ground, with a fire. We had chicken for dinner and Arabic bread for breakfast.
The next morning, we took a camel ride back to Rum village.
Then, an hour south to Aqaba, the seaside resort of Jordan on the Red Sea. Right next to it is Eilat in Israel. And you can see Egypt as well.
View of Egypt.
We had tea and lemon-mints again and bought pasteries in town.
And swam at the hotel.
And took a glass-bottomed boat ride to see coral reefs.
Here is G getting ready to snorkel, which she did very well at.
The sea was a beautiful colour and you could see the reef.
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