One of the main attractions in Jordan is the existence of many landmarks related to Bible.Thousands of visitors come every year to this country in order to put their feet inside the river where Jesus Christ was supposedly baptized, to visit the cave where Lot took refuge after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, or to sight the castle where King Herod governed. In our last day of our trip, we decided to contact a local guide, Ammar, with who toured part of these historical sites.
Out starting point was the city of Madaba, half an hour away from Amman, famous for the Orthodox church of Saint George. This sanctuary hosts a great Mosaic of 6th century, on the ground right in front of the main altar, with a map of the Holy Land, including locations such as Jerusalem, Jericho or Bethlehem. Madaba is also known because of its artisan workshops where they make precious mosaics. We bought one representing the Tree of Life, main symbol of the city, as a souvenir from this trip.
Near Madaba is the Mount Nebo, other of the key places in the biblical story well worth visiting. From the top, about 800 meters above sea level, the prophet Moses saw for the first time Canaan, the Promised Land, during his exodus from Egypt. On a clear day, it is possible to see Jerusalem and Jericho. Here there is a small church, the Basilica of Moses, built during Byzantine period, with interesting mosaics inside.
To finish the day, Ammar drove us to the banks of Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth (422 meters below sea level), right on the border between Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Its main characteristic is that, due to the high concentration of salt, is almost impossible to dive so you can float without effort. It is recommended to be careful with the water, not letting it go to your eyes or mouth, and not spending too much time inside the sea due to risk of dehydration.
It is possible that, if you go with a guide, you can reach a kind of private resort, where you have to pay an entrance ticket of 20 JD for person. If you don’t have intention to stay too long, apart from a short bath and a couple of photos, and you don’t mind to wait till the hotel in Amman (or wherever you stay) for having a shower, it is better to look for any public beach (really close to this resort) where you can go for free.
Almost without realizing, we reached the end of our adventure in Jordan. A marvelous experience which left us more than satisfied. It was also a special trip because it was the first one we did together as a couple, having finally the opportunity to share our time and experiences in this context. I hope we don’t have to wait too long for the next one.
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