Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan.

Due to lack of public transportation, we hired a car and driver to take us to Dana Village from Madaba. Luckily, Helen from the UK was going there too, so we shared the fare with her.

KARAK CASTLE

We stopped at Karak Castle, which features in the Old Testament and on Madaba's mosaic map as a natural defensive stronghold. In 1142 the Crusaders build the fortress. Prisoners were thrown from the walls with their heads encased in boxes in the hope that this would prevent them from losing consciousness before hitting the rocks below.

DANA VILLAGE

Dana village is clinging to the edge of the cliff below King's Highway, and at the edge of the 320 square kilometre Dana Biosphere Reserve. It reminded us a lot of Maccu Picchu.

Dana was a farming community, but was abandoned in the middle of last century as people moved to the new town Qudisyyeh to work at the cement plant, which opened there. A group of twelve women from Amman 'discovered' Dana in the early 1990s, and embarked on a project to renovate and revitalize the fabric of the village. Electricity, telephones and water supply were extended to the village and 65 cottages renovated. People started drifting back to Dana, which now has several basic hotels, and has become the focus for sustained projects of renovation and redevelopment. Dana is now an example of sustainable tourism in the Middle East. Many of the ruins still need to be turned into houses, but they are slowly getting there with funding from USAID.

We did think the driver had taken the wrong turn, when we first arrived and saw all the ruins, but no, this was Dana.

We had chose to stay at Dana Hotel, which is run by the 'Sons of Dana and Qadisyyeh Tourism Co-operative', as profits go to support local families being able to send their children to university. The rooms were very basic, the water was hot, and the food was great.

The first night we noticed that our dinner was being cooked in a hole in the ground. Basically, a fire is lit, goes to coal, food is put in, the top is put on, and whole thing is covered carefully with a mountain of sand. Presto, an hour or two later, your whole meal emerges! It was delicious! We would see this repeated in our desert trek at Wadi Rum about 4 days later.

The breakfast at Dana was typical Jordanian fare, but the fresh homemade pita was particularly good. We always ate the hummus, cheese, and vegetables but neither one of us knew what the "soup" was on the far left side of the tray, and we were both too chicken to try it!!!

HIKE

We stayed at Dana a second day to do a hike, which was on the outskirts of the reserve, because only RSCN guides are allowed in the biosphere.  No matter, the 3 of us (Helen) headed down the valley to the canyon floor.

It was good to have a guide as we navigated several tricky shortcuts. We really enjoyed viewing the natural colours of the rocks. Dorte got a little too enthusiastic, and decided to go native, and apply some face paint from rubbing different colours off the rock.

It was quite hot that day, so at some point we took a break. Our guide made us a cup of Arabic tea, which is often referred to jokingly, as bedouin whiskey! It is basically tea with sugar.

Around noon it became to hot to hike, so we headed back to the hotel.

Wadi Mujib Canyon Hike in a Life Jacket

We hired a car and a driver one day to do a hike in the Wadi Mujib Biosphere Reserve.  It was quite a long drive, as it was halfway between Madaba and Karak. The Wadi Mujib is a series of canyons, made by rainfall in the highlands that flows to the Dead Sea and cutting through 1200 meters of altitude from the desert plateau down to the Dead Sea. It is often called Jordan's Grand Canyon, which is a well earned name.Note: The arabic word wadi refers to either a valley or a watercourse (often refers to dry or seasonal waterbeds).

We elected to do the Siq Trail, the only trail that does not require a guide. It is about a two hour return hike in water all the way through the Mujib gorge past towering sandstone cliffs and over waterfalls, with wading and/or swimming required. Life jackets are mandatory. It was strange hiking in a life jacket.

The hike was fun and largely uneventful, until the last waterfall, which had a combination of strong current and deep water over rocks!  On the way back, Dorte and the camera went under here! Dorte was happy to be wearing a life vest, which largely protected her from the impact against the rocks. The waterproof bag saved the camera! Dorte found it a little bit scary!

We had to use the ropes to get up over the waterfall; it required all of our strength, and we were happy to see the final waterfall and the halfway point of the hike. 

We really enjoyed this day, and it was amazing doing all the hike in water. It reminded Andy of his childhood in Newfoundland, where he mostly played outdoors and often hiked through streams/canyons/cliffs and waterfalls to get to that secret fishing spot!

Mount Nebo, Bethany and the Dead Sea

We took the public bus from Amman to Madaba, and it was an interesting experience. The hotel manager wrote instructions in Arabic for us to show the taxi driver, so he could take us to the bus station. When we reached the bus station we saw that all bus signs were in Arabic, and the taxi driver had to circle the station several times before he found the right bus for us! We quickly realized we would have had no chance on our own! We hoped it was the right bus! For even though we had yet another note from the hotel manager with the name 'Madaba' in Arabic written on it, we were not sure.

Anyways, it was the right bus. There are no official bus stops, so you either tell the driver when you want to get off, or if you want to get on, you just wave at curb side. It took quite a while to get out off Amman due to traffic and many stops along the way. Madaba is only located about 30 km south west of Amman, but the trip took about 1.5 hours, and took us along fields of wheat and many green houses. The bus ride cost about 1.25 JD each (about 2 Cdn).The bus system in Jordan is cheap, because it is heavily subsidized by the government.

We got off at the bus station in Madaba, and took a taxi the short distance to Mariam Hotel again with help from our hotel manager in Amman.

MADABA

Madaba is an easy-going market town, and it was a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of Amman. Madaba is mostly known for its fine Byzantine mosaics. We visited St. George's Church, and saw what is left of the remarkable mosaic map of the Holy Land. The map was laid some time between 542 and 570 AD. The original map comprised over 2 million pieces and was 15.6 meters long and 6 m wide. Combined with evidence from the biblical text, pilgrims' and historians' accounts and archeological works, this map played an important role in history, leading to the re-discovery of many lost sites.

We also visited the Archeological Park, where we saw more beautiful mosaics, and what is left of the Church of the Virgin, which was constructed in the late 6th century.

The Madaba Art Gallery displays works by local artists as well as Jordanian painters, so we popped in to take a look. Some of the artists are really talented.

Due to lack of public transportation, we hired a car and a driver to take us on a day trip to Mt. Nebo, Bethany and the Dead Sea (CAD$52), and the driver would wait for 1 hour at each site.

STORIA

But first we stopped at La Storia, which comprises of an interactive journey through The Bible, Islamic holy sites, Bedouin and rural life style. This is Noah's Arch.

La Storia is in the process of making a three million stone mosaic portrait of the Kings Way, Jordan, and our names are now part of this piece of art in Jordan.

MT. NEBO

Mt. Nebo is one of the holist sites in Jordan for Jews, Christians and Muslims. This is where Moses finally saw the Promised Land, which God had forbidden him to enter, after having led the Jews through the wilderness for forty years. Moses died here, and was buried somewhere on the mountain.

From the viewpoint we could the the north shore of the Dead Sea, and Jericho and the towers on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem. Amazing view.

On the way to Bethany, on a slightly uphill part of the road, the driver suddenly took his foot of the speeder and hit the brake. When he took his foot off the break, the car started driving up the hill without him touching the speeder. Amazing. When he asked us how this could be, Andy new it was due to a magnetic field, as there is a similar one in New Brunswick, Canada, called Magnetic Hill, just outside of Moncton.

BETHANY 

It is almost the lowest place on earth at over 350 m below sea level; the air is thick, hot and heavy. Bethany is really close to the heavily guarded Israeli border, so we had to be taken by bus to the site, and were not allowed to walk around without a guide. It is believed at John the Baptist lived here, and where he most likely baptized Jesus Christ in the early 1st century A.D.  Note: The River Jordan used to run through the baptism site, but no longer, due to the water demands of both Israel and Jordan.

We also visited the baptism place in the River Jordan (see below), one of the world's great rivers, with its huge religious and historical significance. The river is only 3 meters wide here, the Jordan/Israel boarder runs right through the middle of the river, and on the opposite side is the Israeli-occupied West Bank, and their baptism site. In the second picture below, note the baptism in progress, as there are 4 girls being baptized!

Bethany has been the focus of spirituality since Old Testament times: Judaism, Christianity and Islam all recall events which took place here. And many different religions have churches here for the pilgrims to visit.

 

A fascinating place.

THE DEAD SEA

The Dead Sea is located 400 meters below sea level, and is the lowest point on earth. The high salt content (over 30 per cent), kills all marine life, and as there is no outflow, millions of litres of water evaporates every day  leaving salt on the beach, and a thick atmospheric haze, which dampens sound and filters UVB sun rays allowing tanning but not burning. A magnificent place.

Swimming, or rather floating, in the Dead Sea was a memorable experience, quite unlike anything else. It would be quite easy to sit for an hour, and read a newspaper!

Well back at the hotel, and tired after all the impressions of the day, it was time to have a nice meal and a bottle of Mt. Nebo wine, which tasted okay. We have been spoiled earlier in our trip by having both Italian and French wine!

What a wonderful day!

Amman and Jerash - Northern Jordan

JORDAN

Jordan has around 6.7 million inhabitants, and well over 90 percent are Muslim Arabs, with a small minority df Christian Arabs. Jordan is somewhat of a constitutional monarchy, but with a King, who still has much power. Jordan's per capita GDP is under US$6,000. There is no oil, and key economic sectors are phosphate and potash production, and tourism. Jordanian workers are entitled to a minimum wage of US$265 per month. The Jordanians are highly educated with just over 2.5 per cent of the population enrolled at university (comparable to the UK), but there is very few jobs available. Jordan has taken a lot of Palestinian refugees since the foundation of the State of Israel in 1948, and these Palestinians dominate the private-sector business, which is why there is only few jobs for the Jordanians in this sector. Recently, Jordan has also taken refugees from Iraq and Syria, muddying the issue still further.

AMMAN

We arrived at the airport at midnight, and took a taxi the 50 minutes to Jordan Tower Hotel. When we reached Amman a lot of people were in the streets despite the late hour. The streets were full of garbage, and it seemed like a poor area, but it turned out that this is the way downtown looks!

We were staying in downtown, which is very different from the downtowns we have experienced elsewhere on this trip. The street life is overwhelming; loud with traffic and voices, Arabic music blaring from shop fronts, people selling clothes, coffee, cigarettes or trinkets on the streets, and then add 35 degrees C to the mix. Apart from a few Roman ruins and a couple of museums there is not much to see. 

We set out to find the Jordan Museum, but after having asked a couple of places where they could speak and read English, we gave up, as they didn't know where it was located! So we took a taxi to West Amman, the new and wealthy part of town (West Amman) to experience the contrast.

Guess what this shop is selling.....

Did you get it right?

No peeking!

Seriously no peeking!!

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It was luxury to have a coffee here at this 'oasis' away from the hustle and bustle of downtown.

We also had lunch and our favourite drink here in West Amman, fresh lemon juice with mint. It is so refreshing and a wonderful change from bottled water.

In our experience around 80 perccent of the women wear the hijab (either wearing the all black clothing or cover their hair with a scarf and the arm and legs with a long sleeved jersey and slacks).

JERASH - The Grandeur of Imperial Rome

Jordan is 80 percent desert, so public transportation is scarce. We were lucky to share a car and driver with an Italian couple to go to Jerash located 50 km north of Amman. The rolling hills of northern Jordan hold some of the nicest countryside in Jordan, with lots of olive and fig trees, patches of pine forrest and fields of wheat. This is the most densely populated part of the country.

Jerash is one of the best-preserved Roman cities in the eastern Mediterranean, and a huge site. Jerash was founded around 170 BC, and has a long and colourful history taking in emporors, invading armies, and, like much of Jordan, modern reinvention after centuries of abandonment.

Hadrian's Arch was built to honour the visit of the Emperor Hadrian to Jerash in 130 AD. The 11 meter high triple-arched gateway, which probably had wooden doors, is impressive.

The Oval Plaza is one of the most impressive pieces of Roman urban design.

The South Theatre is the most magnificent of all Jerash's monuments. It was built in the 90s AD to seat over 3,000 people. If you stand on a certain stone in the center of the orchestra below the stage and say something, people on the top row can hear it due the great acoustics. 

Most of the columns were beautifully decorated at the top.

We spent two hours walking among the ruins, and time flew by as there was so much to see. While washing the dust and heat down with a coke, Andy asked for assistance figuring out where our hotel in Amman was located from some of the locals. 

It was a lousy map, and the guys had trouble finding it even when borrowing Andy's glasses!

AJLOUN CASTLE

We also visited Ajloun Castle, which location offers bird's eye views over the surrounding countryside and the three wadis (valleys) leading to Jordan Valley. The castle is said to be a former monastery home to a monk called Ajloun. By 1184, in the midst of the Crusades, the monastery has fallen to a ruin and an Arab general built a fortress on the ruins.

We had dinner at Jafra, which main room is huge and a bit misty from all the water pipe smoking, but the atmosphere and the food was great. 

This bill was around CAD$34 for a lentil soup, bread and hummus, one grilled chicken, 2 lemon/mint drinks and a tea - no alcohol (you can only get it at a few restaurants). It is not cheap to travel in Jordan, but not as expensive as Europe; the Jordanian Dinar is almost on par with the Euro. A 1.5 liter bottle of water is CAD$1.4.

Ready to explore more of Jordan?, Okey, Yallah (let's go)!