Jordan

View from the plane when landing in Amman

 Outside the window, the heat haze glimmered in sunset. We landed at dusk. Inside the airport, the call to prayer rose and fell in haunting melancholy. The sacred music gave a different atmosphere to the banality of getting dinars from the ATM, purchasing a visa and getting through passport control. In the waiting area, a line of drivers waited for travelers. One man held a sign for "Mr. Erin Blake". He was quite surprised to discover that "Mr. Blake" was a female!

Roman Theater

Since I had arrived a day earlier than my tour group, I explored Amman on my own the next day. The hotel staff were very helpful in providing a map, writing in Arabic where I wanted to go to show the bus driver, getting me on the appropriate bus and giving me the correct change to pay for the bus. On the bus, the young man that I sat next to finally asked where I was trying to go. Then, he rang the "stop" button for me when we arrived at the Roman Theater. It is a large theater left over from the 2nd century AD. 

Citadel -- these are fragments of a colossal statue

Just up the hill from the theater, I visited the Citadel. [The hotel concierge said that it was easy to walk up the hill from the Theater to the Citadel. However, for solo female travelers, I would recommend a taxi instead of attempting to find the way up. I drew a bit of uncomfortable attention both going up and coming back down from the Citadel.] The Citadel was my favorite site that I visited in Amman. The site has been in use since 5500 BC! It was originally called "Rabbath-Ammon" (of the Ammonites). It was subsequently ruled by the Persians, Greeks, Nabateans (of Petra), Romans, Byzantines, and various Islamic dynasties, the last being the Ottomans. There are archaeological remains from the Romans, Byzantines and the Umayyads at the Citadel. It really is a great way to see how cities are used and reused. Entrance to the Citadel (only 2 dinars) includes entrance to the Jordan Archaeological Museum within the Citadel site. It was such a treat to see all the artifacts from the different periods and read up on the history. The entire site and museum have descriptions in English. While guides will try to sell their services at the entrance, you can learn just as much by doing a self tour and reading all the information. A great feature throughout the site is maps of the Amman skyline with information on significant buildings. Well worth the visit!

The Treasury at Petra

The next day, our tour guide picked us up for the main attraction, Petra! According to UNESCO, the Nabatean's built Petra in the 6th century BC. Our guide told us that the Nabateans came from Yemen on the Frankincense Road. There was even a vendor selling frankincense and myrrh. The Nabateans left a variety of tombs cut into the rock at Petra. We passed many tombs before walking through the Siq, or the main passageway into Petra. It is a natural gorge through soaring rock walls. On some of the walls are carved statues. The most impressive were the remains of a man leading a camel, all life size. Near the end of the Siq, we had our first glimpse of the famous Treasury. It is carved completely in the Greek style during the 1st century AD. There were many rumors about the Treasury, including that a pharaoh buried his treasure inside (hence the name). Yet, this was simply a very ornate tomb. We couldn't go inside; but, the outside was spectacular. Past the Treasury, we walked on to the stairway up to the High Place. It was quite a hike up the never ending stairs. But, we were accompanied by men on donkeys offering "taxi, taxi". Spaced along the stairs, vendors offered us food, drink and souvenirs. Finally, we made it to the top and the beautiful views of the valley on the other side, as well as overlooking Petra. 

Looking over the Promised Land from Mt. Nebo

 The next morning, we had only a few hours to visit a few more sites in Jordan. Our first stop was a Byzantine church in Madaba. In the floor of the church, there is a map of the Holy Land dating from the 6th century AD! It's not completely preserved but impressive, none the less. Then, we drove up to Mount Nebo, where Moses looked into the Promised Land. It was so amazing to be standing on the mountain that Moses stood on! Although, the Promised Land didn't look quite as impressive as I had pictured it. On Mount Nebo, more mosaics have been uncovered from the 6th century AD from the Byzantines.