The Middle East is getting closer
I will make a reservation right away that I was a little worried about the trip, apparently inspired by the earlier danger of which, as it seemed to me, fanned this country. But I can say with confidence that Jordan is a very interesting, absolutely safe, very hospitable country! The fact that tourism is not quite developed in the country, like Turkey, for example, has its own charm. Rest is good for those who are tired of the hustle and bustle and a large number of tourists who want relaxation and a measured relaxing holiday.
We went to the Kingdom of Jordan from the company Taiki tour with the organization of recreation at the highest level. At the exit from the airport, we were met by a personal driver in a comfortable car, who accompanied us almost everywhere we visited. The route chosen is not quite standard: 2 nights in Amman, then moving to the Dead Sea and, after 5 days of relaxation, 2 days in Petra.
We arrived in Amman, the capital of Jordan, in the evening and stayed at the Ibis hotel.
The hotel is new with nice rooms and excellent breakfasts. Across the road is a shopping center with cafes and various shops. In it you can meet local women, both fully dressed in dark clothes with narrow slits for the eyes, and women in quite ordinary clothes, since the custom of covering the face with a dark veil in cities is falling out of use. Tourists are almost invisible, but no one pays attention to you.
The first thing we managed to visit in Amman is the Ancient Citadel. It offers magnificent views of the modern city against the backdrop of Byzantine churches and the Umayyad palace, covered with luxurious stone carvings, seemingly endless. From the hill you can see the Roman amphitheater, located at the foot of the Citadel and perfectly preserved to this day. By the way, it is still used today for cultural events.
Next, we move to the Jordanian border at Umm Qais, where from the hills there is an amazing view of the northern part of the Jordan Valley, Lake Tiberias (Sea of Galilee).
We also visited the Ajlun fortress with a panorama of up to 100 km. The interior of the castle is full of randomly arranged corridors and flights of stairs. Interesting are the "holes of death" located on the walls of the castle, from which boiling oil or tar was poured onto the heads of the conquerors (and maybe something else that was at hand).
In the afternoon we hurry to Jerash, which is located in a valley surrounded by wooded hills and fertile valleys. The most preserved ancient Roman city, which is definitely worth seeing. Remember, Jordan is not only Petra!
The next morning we headed towards the Dead Sea. You just need to see, feel and ...be surprised!
The first thing you notice is that bodies of indeterminate sex roam along the shore, thickly smeared with healing mud, and hotel vacationers lie on the water like floats. "Dead" due to the huge concentration of salt - 30 percent, which is seven times saltier than ocean water. Naturally, there are no plants or animals in such a brine, except perhaps some bacteria. The Dead Sea is 409 meters below the generally accepted sea level and its level is decreasing every year. The reason is simple - drying.
Here we stayed at the Holiday inn Dead sea resort 5 * with a large and clean beach, top-level service. Breakfast and dinner are good, you can find dishes for every taste. The quality of the services offered is a bit pricey, but you always spend more than usual on vacation. The trip was in early December, the sea was stormy, however, it was only 1 day. Therefore, in order not to waste the day, lying only in the sun, we decided to visit a few more attractions.
As always, the car was served quickly and we are already heading to Bethany (other names are Bethany, Wadi Harrar, Baptism site) - a holy place for all Christians on the banks of the Jordan River - the place of the Baptism of Jesus Christ. Which, due to the change in the course of the river over the past 2 thousand years, is located at some distance from the current shore. The Jordan River is a strip of muddy water, no more than ten meters wide, separating two states, so you won’t be able to walk there yourself.
After lunch we get to the city of mosaics Madaba, where in the Greek temple of St. George there is a well-known mosaic map of the Middle East. The map is considered the oldest map in the world that has survived to this day. Erecting the foundation on the ruins of an ancient Byzantine church, the builders stumbled upon a mosaic floor - a map, the drawing of which is the oldest guide to biblical places in Greek. 6th century AD.
A third of the mosaic has survived to this day. . Also in this church is a Christian shrine - the miraculous icon of the Virgin "Three Hands". In Madaba, you can visit a traditional mosaic factory and see how the masters make their masterpieces. Very nice, but very expensive.
A few more tens of kilometers from Madaba and we are in the mountains of the Moab desert. The concept of "mountains" is another biblical hyperbole that exalts high hills with gentle slopes. The main mountain is the Sky (with an emphasis on the second syllable). From its summit, God showed the prophet Moses the Promised Land, but forbade him to enter there. In the region of this mountain there is a still unknown tomb of the Prophet Moses.
To the best of soaking up under the December sun, our path lay along the shore of the Dead Sea in the direction of the castles of the early 12th century crusaders Al-Karak and Al-Shobak.
I will not describe and will only say that Al-Shobak is known for its endless dungeons, which are described even in adventure novels. All along the way, along the coastline, there are towers with machine gunners who guard the peace of Jordan.
In the evening, having arrived in the town of Wadi Musa, near which Petra is located, and settling in a hotel near the entrance, we, walking around the town, met a local resident who kindly invited us to see Little Petra, which is not far away, but it is dangerous during the rains - along the aisle the stream of water rushes rapidly and people do not have time to get out. Without hesitation, we agreed, because I don’t see a better pastime for myself. And of course, Petra itself, number one on any tourist itinerary in Jordan, is a world famous city carved into the pink rock by the ancient people of the Nabataeans.
The legends about the ancient city lost among the rocks and sands excite the imagination. As it turned out later, Petra was considered in vain as a lost city, it was not lost anywhere, and it is unlikely that its inhabitants had reason to hide from the world in such a strange way. The fact is that by accident, or perhaps intentionally, Muslim geographers did not quite accurately put its location on the map.
The richest history, the unique play of colors of natural stone, human art and the destructive work of nature. One of the seven wonders of the world. This creation is truly one of the greatest on earth… You understand it only when you stand next to it… Not a single photo can convey the size and feelings. . You can only experience it!
It is best to visit Petra from the very opening - from 6 in the morning, because there are not just a lot of tourists in Petra, but a lot.
On a wide road, looking at the surroundings and the tombs carved from stone, we reached the As-Sig gorge, which is a delightful natural structure: a huge rock split so evenly, as if it had been cut with a giant knife, the pink color of the stone and bizarre natural drawings on it make this gorge fantastically beautiful. And now, when, it would seem, the brain is already overwhelmed with delight and it is no longer possible to surprise with anything, a view of al-Khazneh (Treasury), a treasury in a giant niche in the rocks, opened from the gorge. Many do not risk climbing the stairs and inspecting the al Deir monastery, but this is certainly not us. In December, rains and fogs are common here, so we did not dare to sit on a donkey, which so skillfully raises tired tourists and children to the top.
But even after the rain, the steps dry out quickly enough and on the way back Petra is already in a completely different form in the backlight of the setting sun, there were no tourists, and we were able to enjoy the presence in this amazing place to the fullest. In addition, at the top we saw a chic temple, it is there that you understand the majesty of this place and never cease to admire the incredible work that people spent on building such treasures of mankind. I understand that these are tombs, but they look like huge palaces, which are also carved into the rock, when you go inside, your head is spinning from bizarre drawings consisting of stone veins. This is a truly mysterious city hidden from view in the very center of the holy land!
Jordan will forever remain in my heart, because it is a country not only of pink rocks, coffee with cardamom, but also of men with blue eyes.
