2023 Jordan Adventures
Eight of us continued our Intrepid tour of Egypt and Jordan by flying from Cairo to Aman Jordan where our Intrepid rep processed through immigration and got us to our shuttle bus to our meeting point the Signature hotel our Jordan Intrepid crew now included eight from our Egypt
Group Matt from Australia Dan cascia and Andrea from Canada dorston and Sabine from Germany Nick from the UK and me joining us were Lynn from Belgium Morgan from the US and Sandra and Daniela from Germany our Intrepid guide was thra Musa Musa walked with us to the rainbow
Street area to the rooftop jabal restaurant for some great food and views of the City Afterwards we stopped at this tasty pastry Bakery just a short distance from a demonstration over the war between is is and Hamas Musa adeptly guided us way from this and other demonstrations during our stay in Jordan Musa informed Andrea that her planned continuation of her Intrepid tour to Israel was canceled because of
The war Musa observed that the security around King abdullah’s Palace had significantly increased as he was one of the negotiators between Israel and Thomas the following morning our Drive South to akaba on the Red Sea was about 4 and 1/2 hours passing through some very dry desolate and hilly Areas 1965 King Hussein swapped 12 kilm of Coastline and Southern border from akba for 3,700 square miles of Jordanian desert with Saudi Arabia today that Red Sea coastline is dotted with beautiful Resorts that are popular tourist destinations and we visited one the akaba fort was built in 1510 and
Became widely known as a major victory over the Ottomans during the Arab Revolt of 1917 where TE Lawrence was one of the leaders in this raid that ousted the Turks from Jordan oh is that the one they do the right not as this is the expanded Red Sea port
That only became VI viable after the land Swap Each club resort we enjoyed a tasty lunch followed by swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters of the Red [Applause] Sea this was by far the clearest water I have ever snorkel in compared to places in southeast East Asia Mexico Greece turkey and Hawaii just look at the videos I took using my GoPro 10 camera some of the coral varieties I think I saw include stag horn brain
Stony soft fire leaf curtain cauliflower and Mountain I don’t want we then drove about an hour and a half to W rum just as the sun was setting we transferred to four-wheel vehicles with deflated tires to across the desert through our wum Muhammad mutlak desert camp we spent two nights in the desert camp where we hiked and explored this unique
Desert W rum has been the backdrop to several movies including Lawrence of Arabia Star Wars Dune Mission to Mars Martian and more recently John Wick chapter 4 you can Google to see more movies that were shot there here are the dining room and cabin accommodations our cabin window looks
Out to the Seven Pillars of wisdom rock formation during our walk about in The W rum desert we saw several other bwian desert camps like ours that have been set up for tourists to enjoy the otherworldly desert with its beauty and Solitude maybe less than maybe 50k from
Here the border with Saudi Arabia do you want to go Saudi Arabia not the ancient one yeah iures we came across numerous wind and weather carved formations and began to see that Musa our guide really liked to take group shots at many of the scenic places we would visit during our Jordan Intrepid
Adventure I are you okay I’m just we came to a caravan of hobbled Dromedary camels that were Grazing In this part of the desert we could hardly see the sparse vegetation that they were grazing on I named this C buddy of mine Joe Camel after the popular Camel cigarette ads
In the sky cloud God the blue color it’s amazing this is the beau Musa showed us this water cach which was one of several found around the W rum protected area this one is currently empty our betan driver made us coffee and served as cookies using a small fire to heat the
Water the um fru Rock Bridge was the first of three rock bridges we would see this one has been used as a backdrop to some of the movies I have list after our walkabout and coffee break our betan driver took us to other Scenic spots including a big rock outcropping
We climbed the other two rock bridges and the alhassani sand dunes the alhassani s Dunes I followed Sabine and Thorston for a plung step run back down the sand dunes this is like we then drove to the entrance of the AL kazali sik named for a narrow Canyon passage where Musa got
Another group shot and we walked along with many others up the seek until it became a rock Climb speech speech spe we stopped at the smallest Rock Bridge called Little Rock Bridge where Musa had me try on a Palestinian kfia headscarf at a nearby gift and coffee shop originally worn on the head like I’m doing it has now become a symbol of support for Palestine and worn over the
Shoulders we are now at the largest Rock Bridge called Verda Rock Bridge which is the largest and is perched about 260 ft above the surrounding Rock to reach the top requires using both hands and feet to climb up the Steep route we all chose to view this Rock Bridge from the
Bottom after returning to our desert camp we went to a nearby Rock outcropping to view the sunset after dinner we enjoyed sitting around the campfire until the smoke seemed to chase us no matter where we sat but while there I saw a shooting star and marveled at the sky filled milky
Way in the morning we left our desert camp but only after Musa got us another group shot that included the betwin Camp staff and drivers as well as a Musa selfie hey Raja what’s the name they that and the shalot shalot okay what was sharing sleepy car with Five
Guys five random not even any at the rum Village we transferred back to our minibus and made a stop at the train station that was featured in The Lawrence of Arabia movie today you can book a tour on the train where a Lawrence of Arabia and betwin attack the train you are riding
On in this 1919 photo TE Lawrence is the third person from the right at the Paris peace conference from W rum we drove North about 2 hours to Petra where we explored this amazing UNESCO heritage site for two days for our first afternoon Musa our guide walked us through the entire area
And gave us a bit of historical information the the following day we were on our own to explore some of the other sites we first passed by thean block area sandone this is like God’s guarding the entrance of the religious City guys or we can see also it’s a funeral
Monument we are in front of the oblisk Tomb carved by the nabatian Although our admission pass would have allowed us to ride a donkey down to the entrance of the canyon area we chose to walk we arrived at the mile long seek which was a narrow Gorge formed by the
Movement of tectonic plates and not a river like many canyons are formed these contains minerals the main components with the establishment of the heritage site by 1985 the bins who lived in and around the 800 register sites were moved to a nearby location with a provision that
They would hold all of the con concessions within the Heritage area these concessions include the donkey and camel Wranglers the golf cart drivers the restaurant and food vendors and the tourist trinket vendors You want to right get it price again as we walked through the narrow SI passageway we were a struck when we got our first glimpse of the treasury that had been carved into the mountains well at the treasury the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas encroached when a Palestinian protester
With a flag was disrupting the area in response the camel drivers began beating him up until the police took the protester away the camel drivers were worried that these kinds of protests would drive tourists away and jeopardize their livelihoods once again Musa provided us with a great
Group shot with the treasury as a backdrop I really want to take a c take camera like you good you have many things for the street of facades is lined with nabatian tombs carved into the mountain face she was the wife of the king when her husband died the king and she became
The queen and even you can see the picture of the queen and the King on the coin the original colon Street was created by the nabatian and later embellished during the Roman era around 106 ad again the nabatian were the original theater Builders over 2,000 years ago
That had seating for 3,000 people and was later expanded by the Romans beginning in 106 ad to hold over 8500 people like the or the one or Oriental one is that Joe Camel again the many tombs all along the aluba mountain are called The Royal tombs because they are the most elaborate and
Largest tomb found in Petra from the loc also in front of the treasury they discovered three Tes in 2003 of course this is it could be a street or pav because I saw pavement guys in some places along the colon Street we came to the nyum with its pistachio tree some 450
Years old this was a public water fountain this Monument was the most important temple in Petra built around 30 BC and dedicated to dusara and other lesser Gods by the nabatian it’s one of the few freestanding temples and is about 75 ft High on the second day just
Before entering the narrow Petra Matt and I watched these petorian guards go through their [Applause] paces this is the start of the one M trail that led us up to the monastery that was built in the 3rd Century BC as a nabatian tomb it got its name from the Christian
Crosses carved on the inside walls and was used as a church during the Byzantine era Matt and I climbed up over 800 steps that were carved into the rocksy we passed several betterin guided donkey trains ridden by adventurous Riders too Steep and slippery for me’s going in the
Sh I had told these two veteran vendors that I would stop on the way back down to look at their stuff and they held me to my promise I bought a camel figurine from each of them Matt and I finally got to the monastery and met up with several other
Intrepid crew members Sabine and Thorston who were heading down and Dan Sandra Daniela Morgan Lynn and Nick were taking a break at the monastery Cafe and exploring the surroundings the monastery was similar to the treasury but far bigger at 164 ft wide and 148 ft High there were far
Fewer tourists here since the 1 mile climb and 800 steps dissuaded m well I wish people weren’t in it and it was just a but I’m just going to run up to that VI uh s me the photo no I’m going down it is it’s the same sample from without me but it’s
Geer we stopped at the Petra Byzantine church built around the end of the fifth centur the building was destroyed by fires and earthquakes in the following Century this awning cover protects the beautiful Byzantine mosaics after a day of hiking three of us Andrea Casia and me went for a Turkish bath and
Massage which was wonderful it included a steam room a soapy rub down and rigorous massage I felt like a limp rag Musa then took our group to the my mom’s recipe restaurant for dinner nice to meet you welcome to yeah don’t burn him on the way in the fellow
Cooking the Peter bread gave me and Nick samples as we made our way up to the rooftop and another Musa group shot and then they like they back they go behind the scenes we headed north from Petra to end up in madaa after first visiting the kak
Crusader Castle swimming at at the Dead Sea spa resort and touring Mount Nebo where Moses saw the promised land after a 2 and a half hour drive we entered the carak Crusader Castle across a bridge that spanned a dry moat Crusaders controlled the carak castle in most of the 12th century until
They were defeated by the Muslims in 1188 ad with help from the mamluks a mercenary Army also filled with slaves the high mountain position ample water sources and thick castle walls rebuked several sieges over the years and these are the presences to the left hand side you can go inside and return
Back cha Castle in 1935 they used this is the prison the crops in the the planes actually as we mentioned and they store their food from a height of 3,000 ft above sea level we drove about an hour to the Dead Sea spa resort some 1,312 ft below sea level
After swimming in the Dead Sea we enjoyed the spas in biting pools and slides from the dressing rooms we passed several of these signs that showed how much water loss has occurred from evaporation along the shore we saw these sea salt crystals that Gourmet Cooks would Delight in having
Before we swam the staff warned us not to put our heads underwater since the salt water was so toxic and corrosive we enjoyed lathering up on the Dead Sea mud which we later showered off in the nearby freshwater showers okay yeah no we enjoyed taking pictures of each
Other floating high with ease while reading the book oh [Applause] see I don’t think I think you have to like go in the restaurant and down oh after showering off the Dead Sea mud and saltwater we enjoyed lounging at the big pool and some of us enjoyed the water slide whoa
It all the way is that better yeah after dressing we drove just over an hour to Mount Nebo where Moses saw the promised land and this is a good indication guys at the bottom of the Valley can you see big tree e calopus tree over there the
Big tree oh yeah yes this is what we call it Moses spring Jerusalem oppos to the Dead Sea from the other side sometimes early in the morning you could see the houses Jerusalem oppos to the Dead Sea from the other side sometimes early in the morning you could see the houses
Jalem the sea from theem sea the inclusion of the serpent on the cross with Jesus is a symbol of when Moses lifted a serpent in the desert so shall man be lifted up in spirit the Moses Memorial Church has several beautiful mosaics on the floor and walls as well as the round stained
Glass window this church map shows how close we are to the other holy s of Jericho and Jerusalem all circled in blue after a short ride to mataba we checked into the salom hotel we then walked over to the Byzantine St George Church where we saw some remarkable
Mosaics of the 4th Century which included a mosaic map of Jerusalem and the holy lands the following morning we drove nor North about an hour to gerash pass Aman and by the Palestine refugee camps established in 1947 in 1967 the problem is going on even nowadays in
Yes the 2.2 million in Gaza 70% they are refugees in their land also uh these are the Palestinians the war in 1947 1967 we started our tour of jash at Hadrian’s gate which included another Musa group shot jash is the site of one of the best preserved Roman cities in the world that
Existed over 2,000 years ago after passing through the gate we came to the massive Hippodrome that was used for Roman games and the nor have different fun this is the place fighting fighting the animals or fighting the Gladiators which is but the theater religious function or political function actually like the nor theater
But this is the place comp this is amazing SP and why no we came to the Forum which served as a gathering and Marketplace and another opportunity for group shots including a Musa selfie they come with the carts guys look here there’s two sidewalks and
These are the shops to the right and to the left guys this is the food market the M it’s dated back to the butcher tabletop is missing but you can imagine where it was by looking at the vertical legs this is the food market the M back
To 160 ad from this is the source for public water used in the nearby Marketplace and Residences across the way the name carto Maximus was a reference to the roadway which is the Heart of the City the Temple of emis was dedicated to the goddess of hunting and
Fertility and she was the daughter of Zeus and cor you can see the hydraulic so they use it to cut the stones also there’s aoir the north theater was built around 165 ad and enlarged in 235 and most likely was used for government meetings rather than entertainment unless you think government meetings are
Entertainment the South theater was built between 81 and 96 ad and could hold 5,000 Spectators the Acoustics are good and put to the test with bag Pipers playing for tips [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] Here for our last night on the tour of Jordan Musa treated us to dinner at the foler and bar restaurant in addition to group photo shots inside and outside the restaurant we enjoyed plate after plate of delicious mzes including babaan hummus Falafel shrimp Kofa vegetables and other tasty Delights The restaurant owners joined us in our last group shot the following morning I headed to the airport in a taxi with a few others for my Turkish airflight to Istanbul at 300 p.m. I arrived in Istanbul at 6:00 p.m. and my flight to Seattle was not until 2:00 p.m. the following day a
20-hour layover this was the only flight immediately available after I decided to leave 7 days earlier than planned because of the turbulent situation in the Middle East airport hotel cost was over $320 but I found these sleep pods where I could comfortably sleep overnight for just under $100 I passed the time by having some turkey coffee along with a mango drink and a mushroom omelette I found a comfortable Lounge area where I could read watch the
Flights and watch people go By I arrived on a rare Blue Sky day with a great view of mountainer while I waited for the light rail that would take me Home it was another great Intrepid tour made especially enjoyable by the people from all over the world that joined me and our friendly and knowledgeable guide the a Musa
This is a continuation of my Intrepid Tour of Egypt and Jordan. Our plane from Cairo landed at Amman, Jordan where we had dinner at a rooftop restaurant. The following day we drove south to Aqaba on the Red Sea where we enjoyed swimming and snorkeling in the crystal clear waters.
As the sun set we entered the Wadi Rum Protected area to our desert camp. The following two days we explored this otherworldly area that has been featured in several movies like Laurence of Arabia and science fiction movies like Star Wars.
We then went to Petra and spent two days exploring this UNESCO Heritage Site including the Treasury and the Monastery.
We continued north to visit the Kerak Crusader Castle followed by swimming at the Dead Sea Spa Resort where we floated in the sea and lathered ourselves with Dead Sea mud, After rinsing off we enjoyed their swimming pools and water slides.
From there we visited Mt. Nebo where Moses saw the Promised Land, and the Byzantine Moses Memorial Church filled with well preserved Byzantine mosaics.
While in Madaba, we visited St. George’s Church that was also filled with Byzantine mosaics with one depicting the Holy Lands.
We spent the following day visiting Jerash which is the site of one of the best preserved Roman cities in the world that exist over 2,000 years ago
After passing through the gate we came to the massive Hippodrome that was used for Roman games.
We then came to the Forum which served as a gathering and market place, and saw the North and South Theaters, the Forum, and other Temples dedicated to various Roman gods.
That night we had a farewell dinner where we feasted on mezzes that just keep coming at the Fokar & Bhar Restaurant. In the morning, we all headed to the Queen Alia Airport for our individual journeys elsewhere.