Middle East
Jordan, Fall 2016; Fall 2019
My brief, four-day whirlwind tour of the Kingdom of Jordan included a swim in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth; a camel and sunset tour of Wadi Rum, a breathtaking desert landscape that creates a sense of traversing another planet; walking the ruins of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, a city carved into the side of canyon walls; and brief stops a several holy sites. As luck would have it, I was able to return to Petra in 2019, to explore more sites that I ran out of time to see in 2016.
Abandon, and mostly forgotten for many centuries, the ancient city of Petra was once of the greatest city-states of the ancient era. Petra served as one of the vital links along the major trade routes of the ancient world, connecting the major civilizations of the east, to those of the west. Literally carved into the tall, steep canyon walls, Petra captured the imagination of ancient travelers, as well as tourists today.
I visited several holy places, including the Jordan River, St. George Church, and Mt. Nebo. I made a stop along the Jordan River, where Jesus Christ received his baptism over 2,000 years ago. There are now two spots to visit. Over the many centuries, the river has change course, so tourists and pilgrims first visit the original spot, which is about 200-300ft from the current river bank. Then, I walked down to the present-day river bank, and joined many others in putting my hand in the Jordan River. Along the bank, on both the Jordan and Israeli side, pilgrims come in large numbers to be baptized in the water, and singing prayers.
Trekking through the Wadi Rum on camel back, guided by the Bedouin handler, felt like a step back in time, and beholding the other-worldly landscape, felt like a place not of this world. What struck me during the camel trek, was the stillness and silence of the place. Gazing off into the quiet distance, I could only imagine the awe and trepidation weary travelers, crossing the famed Silk Roads, felt while making their way through these sands.
No trip to Jordan would be complete without a visit to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on land, and the saltiest water on earth. Due to the high salinity, the characteristics of the water include an oily texture, almost like baby-oil; the smell, while not unbearable, does have a somewhat pungent quality to it. The Dead Sea is also famous for the ability to float effortlessly on the water, practically skimming the surface. As it turned out, the Dead Sea does not require any effort to float; I quickly learned however, that it does require great effort to put your feet back down on the bottom to get out of the water, due to one’s extremely high buoyancy.
Jordan, Fall 2016; Fall 2019
My brief, four-day whirlwind tour of the Kingdom of Jordan included a swim in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth; a camel and sunset tour of Wadi Rum, a breathtaking desert landscape that creates a sense of traversing another planet; walking the ruins of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, a city carved into the side of canyon walls; and brief stops a several holy sites. As luck would have it, I was able to return to Petra in 2019, to explore more sites that I ran out of time to see in 2016.
Abandon, and mostly forgotten for many centuries, the ancient city of Petra was once of the greatest city-states of the ancient era. Petra served as one of the vital links along the major trade routes of the ancient world, connecting the major civilizations of the east, to those of the west. Literally carved into the tall, steep canyon walls, Petra captured the imagination of ancient travelers, as well as tourists today.
I visited several holy places, including the Jordan River, St. George Church, and Mt. Nebo. I made a stop along the Jordan River, where Jesus Christ received his baptism over 2,000 years ago. There are now two spots to visit. Over the many centuries, the river has change course, so tourists and pilgrims first visit the original spot, which is about 200-300ft from the current river bank. Then, I walked down to the present-day river bank, and joined many others in putting my hand in the Jordan River. Along the bank, on both the Jordan and Israeli side, pilgrims come in large numbers to be baptized in the water, and singing prayers.
Trekking through the Wadi Rum on camel back, guided by the Bedouin handler, felt like a step back in time, and beholding the other-worldly landscape, felt like a place not of this world. What struck me during the camel trek, was the stillness and silence of the place. Gazing off into the quiet distance, I could only imagine the awe and trepidation weary travelers, crossing the famed Silk Roads, felt while making their way through these sands.
No trip to Jordan would be complete without a visit to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on land, and the saltiest water on earth. Due to the high salinity, the characteristics of the water include an oily texture, almost like baby-oil; the smell, while not unbearable, does have a somewhat pungent quality to it. The Dead Sea is also famous for the ability to float effortlessly on the water, practically skimming the surface. As it turned out, the Dead Sea does not require any effort to float; I quickly learned however, that it does require great effort to put your feet back down on the bottom to get out of the water, due to one’s extremely high buoyancy.
