The Middle East, Land of Turmoil January, 2024
[Applause] welcome to photos and travel a show that introduces you to fascinating places around the world please welcome our host and tour guide Jonathan van Bilson hello and welcome to this episode of photos and travel where we bring the world to your doorstep today we’re traveling into the Middle East to visit
One of the new Seven Wonders of the World the ancient city of Petra in the second half we’ll hop across the border and spend some time in Jerusalem and the surrounding area the Cradle of love religion we’ll begin our journey right after these messages at Voss your independent grer it’s all about Hometown
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Value in Port Perry to discover a world of expertise friendly staff and everything you need for your pets pet value your pet your Store welcome back as I mentioned we’re going to start our truck today in Petra the ancient city which dates back to 300 BCE I’d spent a few days in am man the capital of Jordan and thoroughly enjoyed my visit today I was eager to leave the large city behind and head South At Last I make my way south to Petra and after a 2 and 1 half hour drive through the desert I was glad to check into the moven pic hotel located directly across the street from the archaeological site known as Petra I entered the site when a it opened the next morning at 7:30 and decided to walk rather than engage a touristy horse donkey or Camel fortunately it was fairly empty as the cruise ship crowds from the Gulf of akabo would not arrive until noon many people think Petra is the new beginning of a civilization but in actual fact it is the end the people who originally lived here were Nomads known as the
Nabateans they traveled across the Arabian Desert living in tents their ancestors today still live here and are known as the Bedwin the naans traded along the Silk Road and decided to settle in this well protected Valley as early as 300 BCE their ability to work with water was amazing and they carved troughs in the walls channeling water from Mountain runoffs into into huge sisters after a 2 km walk Jamal and I
Arrived at the unbelievably spectacular treasury Building the structure is believed to have been the mausoleum of a naban king in the 1 Century CE it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in both Jordan and the entire Region most of the temples in Petra were carved from the top down scaffolding was erected to support the workers as they carve the intricate facades as debris from the sculpting fell to the ground it gave them a platform on which to stand and finish the Work climbing the surrounding rocks is not for the faint at heart and I was concerned about completing the 7 kmet Trek especially into 40° heat once I made it to the top and saw the views I knew I had to complete the journey in 1812 the City of Petra was
Rediscovered by Swiss Explorer Johan Burkhart as Western Europe continued to explore the Middle East tourism became more common and by the 1920s a small hotel had opened near Petra tourism started to change the economy and social structure of the bedwin people who live nearby they are
Now the Guardians of the site and are the only ones allowed to conduct Commerce the naans began to replace their tents with caves which they carved from the soft Sandstone as time went on they became more elaborate as they wanted to show Caravan Travelers how successful they were the caves are not very deep and recently the inhabitants have been relocated to the Village of Petra today the caves are used only to give transport animals a bit of Shade the naans flourished for 400 years but in 106 CE lost their independence to the Roman Empire who changed the name from naatia to Arabia petrea Petra’s importance declined as sea trade routs emerged and after an earthquake in 363 CE many structures were destroyed the Ampitheater seen here
Dates back to the 1st Century CE this Monument was originally built by the naans but after the Romans took over Petra they extended the floor level and added seating making it capable of Hosting 8 8500 Spectators more than the great theater in am man the population of Petra during its
Heyday Peak at 20,000 inhabitants but after the Roman annexation the decline in Overland trading and the massive earthquake the city was taken over by byzantines who introduced Christianity and built elaborate churches adorned with spectacular mosaics as seen here By the beginning of the 8th Century CE Petra was largely abandoned and no longer a significant location commercially politically or culturally although no longer an important city Petra had been noted by historians and archaeologists for its unique architecture as well as specific Innovations made by the nabian bedwin that esta estblished the City moving along the Main Avenue I Came Upon a series of tombs located high up in the mountains the most famous and biggest is the tomb of onu that dates back to the 1st Century ad the strenuous climb was worth the effort as the tombs are still in good
Shape it certainly makes you appreciate the craftsmanship possessed by the neans at the time cutting such huge rocks and giving them the shape of buildings with rud access is truly Amazing The View certainly makes you appreciate the vastness and desolation of the surrounding area continuing my journey I was surprised to see a hotel located at the foot of the steps leading to the famous monastery I decided to rest for a bit as the temperatures were taking their toll
And I was about to embark on the most difficult part of the journey the 850 steps leading to the monastery Jamal led the way and I did my best to keep up the steps are heun out of the rocks and are not very even it
Took a good hour to make my way to the top thank goodness the downward Trek Back would be Easier I was passed by donkeys carrying tourists a practice which is questionable the cost of the ride is about $20 and in some cases there’s a charge for Disembarking it is still a fair distance to walk once you’re off the Donkeys at long last I made it to the top and the view of the monastery facade was spectacular the mon Monastery probably originally served a complex religious purpose and it was possibly repurposed as a church in the Byzantine period scholars believe that the flat area in front of the monastery was leveled
Through Human Action in order to make the area suitable for social Gatherings or religious occasions the rocks and Cliffs of the surrounding area are Steep and the view is breathtaking after a lengthy visit exploring the area around the monastery I began my departure back down the stairs and through the valley to the
Entrance of Petra even though the valley is only 7 km long the constant detours to visit sites turned my adventure into 30,000 steps or 21 km and lasted nearly 10 hours it was an unforgettable experience and I felt fortunate to have done it as most tourists do not Venture far past the treasury
Building I stopped for a rest when when I arrived at the treasury building and was surprised at how many vacationers were now there I’m glad I started the day early otherwise I don’t think I would have been able to see it all I can’t get over the beauty of this
Place and to think it was built by people who just a century before wandered the desert I have learned about and witnessed the Ingenuity of the naban people and it was their Mastery of water that allowed them to thrive and create the ancient wonder of the world that is Petra
I continued my truck into the Jordanian desert to explore the area known as W rum we dropped off our car and hired a four-wheel drive vehicle with a driver as a desert landscape is a difficult one to navigate the naan people who originally lived here were Nomads traveling across
The Arabian Desert and living in tents today the desert is still traveled but by their cousins the bedwin the English word for bedwin comes from the Arabic badawi which means desert dweller they are traditionally divided into tribes and historically share a common culture of hering camels and
Goats at the start of my desert Adventure the roads were in good shape but soon they simply vanished and we were surrounded by desert the import of exotic goods from Africa and India and then selling them to the Greeks and Romans was most profitable and every year the naans
Traded the equivalent of $80 million us the most popular product was frankincense and as the profits grew their desire to settle grew with it I decided to take leave of the vehicle and try my luck at exploring the desert on foot needless to say it was quite hot
And my adventure soon continued in the truck A question that has baffled archaeologists for years was how did they survive in such dry area with no rivers to give them any water it seems they dug sisters into sandstone and channeled water from Mountain runoffs into it the same practice They carried on in Petra this gave them enough water to
Survive and farm as well Jamal showed me how easy it was to climb the Rocks but my fear of heights kept me a safe distance Back we continued on through the desert to a camp similar to the ones made by the nomads for centuries this particular one was of interest because of its connection with British officer TE Lawrence who passed through here several times during the Arab Revolt of 1917 and
18 he even left his mark on the face of one of the rocks I took a break while Jamal was brought up to speed by his friends of the latest news and events an ancient form of social media several Star Wars movies were filmed in this region mainly because of its resemblance to distant planets or at least our perception of them
Greek texts explain that somewhere in these mountains is the treasury of the naans with silver worth over 10 million us it has not been found and no doubt many are looking for its secret hiding place wow that was an amazing visit I can’t recall the last time I walked so
Much and in so much heat after these messages we’ll continue our Middle East Adventure not all Canadians have the time nor desire to manage their finances and often that respons responsibilities up to financial professionals our goal is to help Canadian families achieve a happy and successful financial future
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Port Perry wearables Tes hoodies blankets and more all from PP print more than just Printing welcome back the Cradle of religion for Muslims Christians and the Jewish people lies in Jerusalem and in this segment we’re going to explore the old city the ruins beneath and today’s modern Metropolis There are four main entrances to the old city of Jerusalem the main one is the Jaffa gate which was built by Sultan sulan the magnificent in 1538 to find your way through old Jerusalem’s intricate Maze of shops and outdoor markets in search of memorable souvenirs at reasonable prices is an
Uneasy task requiring Insider knowledge a guide certainly comes in handy The four sections of the old city are home to Armenians Jews Muslims and Christians the entrance to the Muslim quter is heavily guarded but once inside it’s very safe to wander around the narrow streets and enjoy the shops While most residents of Jerusalem in the 19th century prefer to live near
Members of their own Community today there are Muslims living in the Jewish quarter and Jews living in the Muslim Important the Western Wall or Wailing Wall is known in Islam as the Burak wall it was originally erected as part of the expansion of the second Jewish temple begun by Herod the Great the Western Wall is considered holy due to its connection to the Temple mount the wall is the holiest place
Where Jews are permitted to pray though the holiest site in the Jewish faith lies behind it in the Muslim quarter Under the Dome of the Rock there is a much publicized practice of placing slips of paper containing written prayers into the crevices of the wall twice a year the notes are
Collected and buried on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives the area where people can pray is divided to separate men and women to conform with various elements of halaka the collective body of Jewish religious laws derived from the Torah halaka is based on the biblical Commandments the Via doar Roa is
Believed to be the actual path Jesus walked to Mount Calvary the 14 Stations of the Cross also known as the way of Sorrows refers to a series of events depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion the object of the stations is to help the Christian faithful make a spiritual pilgrimage through
Contemplation of The Passion of Christ there are numerous places such as this one claiming to be part of the original root however none have ever been authenticated the last four Stations of the Via doosa representing the final episodes of the passion of Jesus are actually inside the Church of the Holy
Seiler a major christian pilgrimage destination since its Creation in the 4th century The Church of the Holy Seiler lies deep within the Christian quarter of the old city of Jerusalem the entrance Courtyard is always filled with worshippers wishing to enter the church contains according to Traditions dating back to at least the 4th Century the two holiest sites in Christianity the site where Jesus was
Crucified at a place known as Calvary and Jesus’s empty tomb where he is said to have been buried and Resurrected this Stone where Jesus was laying in preparation for his burial is accessible although its authenticity is questioned by Scholars several processions take place daily around the chapel where the burial
Place has been deemed to exist lineups to enter the tomb can be as long as 2 hours but for devout Christians it’s well worth the wait this the m of Calvary and a site of the crucifixion is located at the other end of the church the modern city of Jerusalem is
The capital of Israel Jerusalem’s history dates back 5,000 years according to the Bible King David conquered the city from the jebusites and established it as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel around 1000 BCE located a short drive from the old city of Jerusalem is the Garden of
Gethsemane where according to the four gospels of the New Testament Jesus underwent the agony and was arrested the night before his crucifixion built in 1924 on the traditional site of the Garden of Gethsemane the Basilica of the agony enshrines a section of Bedrock identified as the place where Jesus
Prayed alone in the garden on the night of his arrest there are several small Olive grows on Church proper property and are identified as part of the biblical Gethsemane in 2012 carbon dating revealed some of the trees in the garden date back more than 1,000 years Palestine is a small region of
Land that has played a prominent role in the ancient and modern history of the Middle East the history of Palestine has been marked by frequent political conflict and violent land seizures because of its importance to several major world Rel religions and because Palestine sits at a valuable Geographic Crossroads between Africa and
Asia today Palestine theoretically includes the West Bank a territory that sits between modern day Israel and Jordan and the Gaza Strip which borders modern day Israel and Egypt however control over this region is a complex and evolving situation there is no International consensus concerning the borders and many areas claimed by Palestinians have
Been occupied ifed by Israelis for years tourism certainly plays a major part in the administration of the baptismal site from renting robes to securing seats and bleachers Christians line up to undergo a baptism ritual in the same river John the Baptist christened Christ of course the actual
Location of the famous event is a mystery but as my guide explained John the Baptist lived here as did Christ and this is after all the river Jord albe it much narrower than I Imagined Jordan claims ownership of the baptismal site but you can see here tourism in Israel certainly dominates the sparse Jordanian platform across the river Israel has about 750,000 tourists who visit this site annually compared with Jordan’s 250,000 the Dead Sea is one of the most amazing
Natural wonders I’ve ever seen it is a Salt Lake bordered by Jordan to the East and Israel in the West Bank to the West it lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and its main tributary is the Jordan River its surface and Shores are 430 M or 1,400 ft below sea level Earth’s lowest
Elevation on land my next stop in Palestine is the ancient town of Jericho where for 6 days Joshua marched his troops around the city blowing Ram’s horns on the seventh day the noise caused the wall to collapse today the walls are gone but it did not stop mayor my guy from driving
Around the traffic circle seventh time honking the car’s horn it was also my opportunity to meet one of the local residents in this self-proclaimed oldest city in the world Currently the area around Jericho is the center of much controversy as excavations have discovered 20 different civilizations dating back 11,000 years but none represented the Israelites it is for this reason many Christian tour groups are now avoiding the city the Christian gospels state that Jesus passed through Jericho and healed
Blind Beggars and inspired a local tax collector to repent of his dishonest practices One of the most historic locations on Earth is Kuman and the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered the scrolls are ancient Jewish religious manuscripts that were found in The Kuman caves by a young Shepherd who found a clay pot after throwing pebbles into one of the caves researchers have assembled
A collection of 981 different manuscripts discovered in 1946 and 1956 from 11 different caves scholarly consensus dates these Scrolls from the last three centuries BCE and the 1st Century CE the texts have historical religious and linguistic significance because they include the second oldest known surviving manuscripts of Works later included in the Hebrew
Bible the mountain where the Fortress of Mada sits is accessible by cable car there’s also a path but I left that for the younger generation Herod the Great built two palaces for himself on the mountain and fortified Mada between 37 and 31 BCE according to Titus Josephus a first
Century historian the siege of msada by Roman troops from 73 to 74 CE at the end of the first Jewish Roman war ended in the mass suicide of 960 zakari Rebels who were hiding there Josephus was born in Jerusalem and affected to the Roman side when things
Were going badly for the Jews his Jewish War’s manuscripts were flowery although questionably accurate some say he never set foot in Mada the ramps built by the Roman soldiers over the course of a year are still visible and you can imagine imagine the shock when they finally breached the walls and found all the inhabitants had committed Suicide my last stop in this visit to Israel is the little town of Bethlehem although with 30,000 people it’s not so little the main reason people visit Bethlehem is of of course to see the birthplace of Christ after a short walk through Nativity Square you enter the Church of
The Nativity a beautiful Basilica and the oldest complete Church in the Christian world it was built by the emperor Justinian in the 6th century and replaced the original Church of Constantine the Great built over the cave venerated as Christ’s birthplace and dedicated in ad. 339 for many centuries houses would have
Caves underneath where livestock and supplies were stored when Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem there was little hotel space available because of the senses that was taking place they were offered shelter in one of the caves beneath the Houses access is very difficult as The Architects of the church wanted to deter looters and Vandals because Bethlehem is nowhere near as busy as Jerusalem strolling through the old city is very enjoyable especially considering I was hungry and there was lots of food to be had I’m really glad I chose Bethlehem
For my final stop in Israel as it certainly has a historic element Second To None Jerusalem Bethlehem and Petra are amazing places to visit the history is boundless and the Archaeology is older than most places on Earth for photos and travel I’m Jonathan van Bilson been my
Pleasure to be your tour guide today and I look forward to seeing you next time if you like this program please click the Subscribe button and you’ll never miss an Episode H At the standard Newspaper.com travel article look for your next copy in your mailbox
Since the beginning of time, the Middle East has witnessed turmoil, amid history and beauty. In this episode, Jonathan van Bilsen explores the ancient wonders of Petra, the bustling old city of Jerusalem as well as the birthplace of Christianity, Bethlehem.
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