Jordan is a very different country from Egypt and we thoroughly enjoyed our 4 days here as well. Petra is of course, one of the wonders of the world - the "Rose-Red City, Half as Old as Time!"
The ancient Nabateans carved the city out of the red rock cliffs in a narrow canyon, accessibly only by a narrow slot canyon which was ultimately defensible. We spent an entire day exploring and hiking, some of us going clear up to the Monastery and to the "End of the World" view. What a hike.
Then for our last night we continued to the Dead Sea to the Holiday Inn Resort. This is not a typical Holiday Inn, but is a fabulous luxury resort. We had all afternoon and all the next morning to enjoy floating in the Dead Sea, covering ourselves with Dead Sea black mud, and swimming in the hotel's numerous pools.
The last day we drove through endless plantations and greenhouses in the Jordan River Valley before climbing the Jordan Mountains up to the ancient Roman city of Jerash. This is the largest and best-preserved Roman city in the entire Middle East.
In the evening we toured Amman and wandered the streets before heading to the airport for flights at 2:45 in the morning!
The ancient Nabateans carved the city out of the red rock cliffs in a narrow canyon, accessibly only by a narrow slot canyon which was ultimately defensible. We spent an entire day exploring and hiking, some of us going clear up to the Monastery and to the "End of the World" view. What a hike.
Then for our last night we continued to the Dead Sea to the Holiday Inn Resort. This is not a typical Holiday Inn, but is a fabulous luxury resort. We had all afternoon and all the next morning to enjoy floating in the Dead Sea, covering ourselves with Dead Sea black mud, and swimming in the hotel's numerous pools.
The last day we drove through endless plantations and greenhouses in the Jordan River Valley before climbing the Jordan Mountains up to the ancient Roman city of Jerash. This is the largest and best-preserved Roman city in the entire Middle East.
In the evening we toured Amman and wandered the streets before heading to the airport for flights at 2:45 in the morning!
The view coming into Wadi Musa (Petra). Wadi Musa means "Valley of Moses"
Our lovely hotel for 2 nights.
Starting our walk down into Petra
Allen in the slot canyon, or 'Siq'.
The group meanders and takes lots of photos.
Get just the right angle, Sam!
Leora on the red rocks
Elephant Rock and two Bedouin Army soldiers
The Siq narrows
Kara and Wendi at the spring
First glimpse of the famed Treasury
And there it is in full splendor!
Fern and Barb at the Treasury
Treasury up close
Chloe framed in a natural arch
Camels love drinking from plastic bottles, right Shelley?
The Theater
Natural colors in a Petra cave
The Royal Tombs
The steps leading to the long hike up to the Monastery, over 900 steps
Looking back into Petra
We made it! The Monastery was worth the hike.
An arch through an arch.
End of the World view
The Monastery
The hardy hikers who made it to the Monastery
Cindy and Allen make it back down
The Royal Tombs in afternoon light
The Treasury in late afternoon light
Dinner at a local Petra restaurant
Full moon rises over Wadi Musa
Heading for the Dead Sea - Shawbak Castle
Bedouin with his herd of sheep
Rugged, hostile landscape leading to the Dead Sea
Khaled, our private police escort, accompanied us everywhere.
early spring flowers
First view of the Dead Sea
View from our room at the Holiday Inn Dead Sea Resort
Lobby of the Holiday Inn Resort
Our beach at the Dead Sea
Enjoying the mud and the water
Ken and Kristi take full advantage of the healthful mud!
Sam, the (black) thinker
Barb pulls Fern ashore by her toes
Alan helps Ruth wash the mud out of her eyes and hair.
Sunset over the resort
Dinner overlooking the Dead Sea and our hotel
Dead Sea produce
Endless greenhouses
The green Jordanian Mountains
Cherries in blossom
Jerash
Hadrian's Gate in Jerash
Jerash
Main Street of Jerash
Riding the animals in the ancient butcher shop
The Theater in Jerash
The girls enjoying the show!
Kara and her police friends
Jabok River, where Jacob wrestled with the angel
Shopping for sweets in Amman
Said and Jack make Shewarmas for us in Amman.
Haircut high above the streets of Amman
Farewell sunset
