Jordan: When we first landed in Jordan, our first impression was how clean the city was compared to Cairo. New buildings were being built, highways were excellent, no trash on the ground. However, once we were in Jordan for a day, we started to catch the underlying feeling that accompanied all the cleanliness. Jordanians will brag that they are the “most free” of the middle eastern countries. Their definition of freedom was quite different from ours. There were cameras everywhere including traffic cameras that would immediately send a ticket to your cell phone, security checks at all hotels and our hotel was “dry” (you can imagine how well that went over with the Americans and Europeans!) The religious groups supposedly “all got along” but special security was hired on major Christian holidays to “avoid issues”. I am guessing that if your neighbors are Iraq, Syria and Yemen, you’ll trade personal freedoms for the illusion of security. As a female, I felt a little piece of myself hacked away each day. I am not used to people not listening to me when I talk and I definitely do not want to be put into the second class citizen line. It was a tough few days for me. The upside was that the sites were really cool.
Our first day, we went to the city of Jerash and the Dead Sea. Jerash was one of Hadrian’s events (of course!) and it was reminiscent of Italian ruins with columns, hippodrome, forums and amphitheaters. It was not crowded so we enjoyed strolling along the promenade and soaking in the history. After Jerash, we drove over to the Dead Sea passing by security checkpoints with pictures of men with guns shooting at each other. Quite the comfort. After surviving the drive, our guide directed us to the changing rooms and then we headed into the sea. It was very difficult to stand upright as the salt water was so buoyant that it kept tipping us over. Swimming was not an option so you just had to float. I also gave myself a mud treatment and we felt very refreshed! The next day, our driver picked us up early for the 3 hour drive to Petra. Petra was a city that was so hidden, it was not discovered by outsiders until the mid 1800s. The man who “discovered” it had to live with the Bedouins for three years to gain their trust so they would show him into the city. As we drove through the countryside, we could not spot Petra at all. It was that well hidden. As you approach, you enter a huge cavern that meanders through the mountain. The only indication of human life were the hundreds of tomb caves that were cut into the rocks. Then, after about one mile, you turn a corner and suddenly, a huge structure carved into the cavern wall appears. It was the Treasury. The facade was featured in Indiana Jones and the Final Crusade as the place where the Holy Grail was kept. Pictures cannot do it justice. We then wandered on down the street where several more buildings were carved including tombs and churches. Most of the site’s purpose was still unknown and since it was a UNESCO site, no more excavations could be done without going through a permit nightmare. Petra was definitely a highlight of our trip and well worth the six hour round trip drive. I was not sad to leave Jordan and I must say that I do not foresee myself returning to a middle eastern country anytime soon. I did not like the way I felt when I was in Jordan so things would have to seriously progress for me to return. On to the main reason for this leg of the journey….the safari!! Lion King here we come! Ratings for Jordan: Overall: 6 Points of interest: 10 Ease of communication: n/a; only our tour guide spoke to us and not often Ease of transportation: 7 (terrible traffic in Amman) Friendly people: 8 for tourist people; n/a for others because no major interactions Food: 6 Cost of living: Food was cheap; housing reportedly was cheap; “sin” items were very expensive Weather: 10 Bill’s favorite thing: Petra; Least favorite: Dry hotel Sally’s favorite thing: Petra; Least favorite: second class citizen status
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AuthorSally Miller Archives
May 2024
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