Well, the Middle East has thrown up another debacle. I guess there’s always one just around the corner in these parts. I was planning on popping over to Israel but that will have to wait now. They could have at least planned their action a day earlier and saved me £20 on the Lonely Planet!! It will be interesting to see what happens with it all. The interest level over here is predictably high. You walk into any shop and ever single tv has the running news story on it, and we all know how well the media can excite people. Everyone’s relaxed now but who knows. I mean, just tonight I had a car load of “hooligans” hang out the windows and yell, “Good morning to Jordan where you now are!!”. That be fightin’ talk if ever I heard it!
It was time to leave Aqaba this morning and head up the Dead Sea Highway all the way to Amman (it takes about 3hrs if you do it with purpose). Israel is just “there” all the way up, so close you could walk there, and it’s frustrating that the problems over here just never find the right and full solution that’s required. This stretch of land is The Rift Valley and the section just after Aqaba is the very arid Wadi Araba. Beyond that is a sight I think not dissimilar to the Nile. It’s very fertile but only runs a couple of kms either side before the barren desert kicks in. Here you can find the likes of bananas and tomatoes growing (just between you and me, I’m almost tomato and cucumbered out at this stage!). Next we passed Lot’s cave (where he hid having escaped the destruction of Sodom). I often wander how Lot made it into The Bible what with having hung out at Sodom and Gomorrah and then getting it on with his daughters. Weirdo. I guess having connections high up (he was the nephew of Abraham) helps. His two sons/grandsons (not sure what you’d call them!) Moab and Ben-Ammi fathered the two big tribes in the area, the Moabites and Ammonites. Although the two evil cities of Sodom and Gomorrah have never been found (they may have been swallowed up by seismic activity), the cave seems legit with Lot’s name being mentioned on an inscription in the cave.
We passed some big money-earners for Jordan, being potash and magnesium oxide processing plants and by now The Dead Sea was back in sight. Did you know that you never get burnt in the Dead Sea area because the salt haze produces a barrier that blocks UV rays. The water was so blue and being a hot day it was tempting to dive in. You can see all the salt encrusted on the shore and our driver climbed the cliff to bring us rocks of it. Not sure what I’ll do with it, but I guess you pay top dollar for things like that! Next we passed through Wadi Mujib which used to be the border between Moab and Ammon. This area boasts a great nature reserve but we could see but just one gorge from the road.
By lunchtime we were back in Amman and took a quick drive around the very wealthy southern suburbs of the city. You could be in any wealthy suburb in the world here, and they really do have some money to play with. The houses are ENORMOUS! The American Embassy is also in this area and the security is out of this world. I like how they have this massive US flag, but it’s descreetly tucked away between two buildings, not right out in your face. That’s not like them!! 😉 It was at half mast today, so I’m not sure who’s died. Probably all those birds and fish from the oil spill courtesy of BP. Seriously BP and US Government. Must try harder!!!!!!!
After lunch it was onto Jebel al-Qala’a (the citadel). There has been a fortress and market place on this site for thousands of years. It’s the highest of the seven hills of Amman and hence provides superb views of the whole city. The ruins that remain today include those of a Roman temple believed to be for Hercules. There is also the Umayyad Palace with its reconstructed entrance hall and huge cistern. The museum that features is small but fabulous, being crammed full of 100s of artefacts, including some of the original Dead Sea Scrolls (the others being in Israel). The ones in Jordan are written on leather and copper and were found just up the road at Quamran. Amazing. Oh, and you’ll be glad to know that the whole complex was spick and span. Not a black plastic bag in sight!
Next the huge Roman Theatre was in sight. In its heyday it seated 6000 and you can almost feel all those ancient eyes staring down at you as you stand on the stage. The folk museum here is also well put together. Trivia for the day…..during Roman times, Amman was called Philadelphia.
It was then hotel “admin” and food time.
XXX
