Jordan - part 1
Jerash, Al-Maghtas and the Dead Sea
I will start, I think, with a little back story. My friend, Sam (a geography teacher), mentioned how much she loved Petra and dreamed of going to Jordan. I told her that it was my dream too. She then rang me a couple of weeks later and called my bluff. Did I want to go on a trip to Jordan? With the minutest of pauses I said 'Absolutely!'
We fly out a day earlier than the tour suggests, the flights are awkward and we decide that a day of simply chilling is a good way to start any trip. Having never done anything like this before I followed the advice given by the travel company meticulously. Jordan is a mainly Muslim country and I wanted to be careful and conservative with my clothing and not cause offence. So, I’ve no shorts or dresses with me, no simple cover for my swimsuit instead, I have with me some unflattering cropped trousers and t-shirt which are recommended swimwear! All of which was totally unnecessary. Jordanians are a very welcoming and accepting of tourists and their dress.
It is the evening of our first day that we meet the rest of the group, we're a group of 16. Mainly women travelling in ones and twos. We're a completely international group. 9 English, 3 Kiwis, 2 Americans and 2 Aussie's. I am not as fit as I would like to be, so I am pleased that there are other people my age. Our CEO (or guide) Fawaz is welcoming and obviously knowledgeable. There is a lot on the itinerary, so much to see and a lot to share. So much, in fact, I have decided to split the blogs about Jordan into four; Petra and little Petra, Wadi Rum, another will be Mount Nebo, mosaics, St George’s church and Karak castle and I will start with Jerash, Al-Maghtas and the Dead Sea.
L-R Me, Sam, Cato, Sarah Jane, Tess, Lisa, Maddy, Rachel, Jennie, Sarah, Mandy, Sadie, Harry, Tryphina, Jeeandy, Emily and Fawaz
I would also at this point like to thank the Christmas Sausage group (you had to be there) Me - (Photographer extraordinaire and intrepid trekker) , Sam - (The Rock goddess and good friend) , Cato – (the most awe-inspired), Sarah Jane – (most economically glamorous watermelon carver) Tess –(bravery in high places, living life on the edge), Lisa – (group mum), Maddy – (most enthusiastic and best positive attitude), Rachel – (most independent leader of the pack, and best barterer), Jennie- (intrepid explorer), Sarah – (most co-ordinated traveller) , Mandy –(best carer), Sadie- (cat whisperer), Harry – (trivia king) Tryphina- (best Southern Spirit), Jeeandy - ( best sacrifice and all round American hero) Emily – (Miss Congeniality) and last but by no means least Fawaz, (best and bravest monster killer). Some of the mobile photographs are curtesy of them.
Hadrian’s Gate
We start early the next day. 7:30am, we climb onto a small air-conditioned bus and head towards the Roman ruins of Jerash. It takes about an hour including a quick stop by the tourist police. Fawaz our guide and CEO spends the whole-time kneeling in his seat so that he can turn to face us and talk to us about Jordan.
The ruins are extensive one of the world’s largest and most well-preserved. Inhabited since the Bronze Age, Jerash flourished during the Greek, Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine periods until the mid-eighth century, when in 749 the Galilee earthquake destroyed large parts of it.
We go through Hadrian’s gate, walk along paved and colonnaded streets to stand in the Hippodrome (where you can really imagine Ben Hur flying around with his chariot and four white horses) and shout in the amphitheater (There’s a spot in the amphitheater, a paving stone in the centre, that gives perfect pitch to the whole theater. Did Roman narrators stand there and tell magnificent stories?). There's an Arab piper and a couple of drummers in the amphitheater, as soon as they spot us they are play Scotland the brave. There are also souvenir stalls everywhere and eager salesmen of ‘authentic’ Roman coins and of course headscarves (which are free with a donation). It's only 9:30am and the temperature is already 31 degrees. We move from shade to shade where possible. At the furthest and highest point, we're at Artemis's temple where even we can make the world move. A tall standing pillar rocks just a little to fairly gentlest of touches. Did that minutest of movements allow it to survive the earthquake?
Back on the air-conditioned bus and we're heading for the dead sea and Christ's baptismal place. We stop for lunch - a shawarma chicken wrap with garlic mayo, absolutely delicious. We eat on the bus.
We stop for a group photo at 0m, at a sign which shows how the level of the Dead Sea is so low.
We can see Jerico across the border in Israel and this area is patrolled by soldiers. Fawaz describes Jordan as the Switzerland of the Arabic world.
We drop half the people at a hotel/spa by the Dead Sea (a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and the West Bank and Israel to the west). It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River. We head off for the river Jordan itself and Jesus’s baptismal place, Al-Maghtas. It’s another 30 mins in the cool bus. Al-Maghtas is the area where John the baptist lived east of the river Jordan (opposite Jericho), the archaeological site of Bethany, (thought to be the site of John the Baptist's settlement) and where Jesus was baptized. Today the river has migrated further away. Fairly recently rediscovered, the site is an important archaeological find, numerous sites are being uncovered including Roman and Byzantine Baptismal pools, ancient churches, and caves.
There is a little shade as we walk but that soon disappears. The temperature reaches 42 degrees but with no breeze it feels like 48, according to my phone. (Even the wildlife seems to be suffering.) Built on the place of pilgrimages the baptism took place is a tributary to the Jordan, as the river Jordan itself which would have been too high and too fast to stand in. It is very interesting, but the heat makes it difficult to enjoy it properly.
When Pope John Paul II visited, he asked that this area remain a simple homage to the Baptism, and they have certainly respected this. It is simply beautiful. We head further out to the edge of the Jordan. A simple shade and steps down to the river. Opposite is the West Bank of Palestine, with huge gaudy temple and stage. There are soldiers nonchalantly relaxing all around, this side and that…. just in case. When we head back, we step into the Greek orthodox church which is gorgeous with a delicious colour blue on the walls and incredible paintings & mosaics and best of all -cool!
The journey back to the bus seems to have less shade and it's great to be back in the cool bus and we can relax a little before heading to the dead sea. Fawaz is keen to point out that Jordan is suffering in a ‘hot’ wave and he is also not used to temperatures like these. Emily had asked us all to contribute a song before we got off the bus and she now plays the playlist. It’s a great mix.
Images of the Dead Sea
We arrive at the spa hotel where we dropped the others off earlier. The reception is not as cool as I'd hoped and from there it just gets hotter. The Dead Sea is around -450m below sea level, making the shores the lowest land-based elevation on Earth. Pressure and oxygen levels are high. The temperature is definitely around the 50+ degree mark. As we head down to the shores of the Dead Sea we pass the hotel guests holidaying by the pools, further down there are abandoned parasols surrounded by trees and gardens which stand close to signs which say that ‘The Dead Sea level receded quickly, the water level was here in 2000’. Followed by more signs for 2008, 2010. The sea is still very far away.
We change in the small room that is the changing room, and the sea is still a short walk from there. On the shore are huge trays of mud taken from the very shores of the sea. Dead Sea mud is some of the most mineral-rich mud on Earth making it well known for therapeutic, detoxifying, and healing properties.
We cover ourselves in mud and head into the water. I was hoping that the sea water would be cool, instead it's almost as hot as bath water. At 9 times saltier than the ocean, it has a density of 1.24kg/litre making floating really easy. Trying to regain your feet, however, is more difficult. Fawaz was strict about not getting any of the salty water in your eyes or mouth because it will burn, so when I am flailing like an upside-down turtle, I am very pleased to be rescued by Jeeandy.
Those 5 mins are sufficient and once Sam is out of the water too, we start heading up. First to hot, hot hose water to clean off any remaining clay, then to hot changing room and follow the unshaded path back up towards to hotel swimming pools. Tried a shower further up by the pools, which was also hot. A new different hot changing room. And a final hot trek, no shade, to hot reception. I have to be honest. I really struggled with the heat, the pressure and the oxygen fatigue. But I made it, with some help from my friends carrying cameras and my backpack for me.
Mandy, one of the Aussie ladies, a nurse at home and always on duty, had some dyralites sachets, which helped, as did the cool coach and I slept most of the way back to the hotel.
I am pleased that I did it. I wish I could have stayed longer and enjoyed the sea like my companions. It was on the bucket list. I have a picture to prove that I did it. I would recommend that you do it if you ever get the chance, my only advice being, go at a slightly cooler time of year and not during a ‘hot’ wave!
Please join me next week for part 2.
