The Roman Theatre at night
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
Shalom and Salaam Aleikum!
After waiting for five hours at the Israeli passport control at the Allenby/King Hussein border crossing, I am in Jerusalem! Most people get through the passport control quickly, but they had some problems with my passport as I had been to Pakistan. I guess some would call that racists, and some others would call that survival. In any event, I am here in the Old City, living in the Muslim Quarter. It is beautiful here! Everything is built from beautiful white stone including the streets. Stumbling through the Old City this afternoon, I came upon the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Completely ignorant, I wandered in and just took some pictures of the sombre place. I looked it up in my guidebook -- it's where some Christians believe Christ was crucified. The Old City is divided into a Christian, Armenian, Muslim, and Jewish Quarter. It's like Berlin during the Cold War! It's not too busy here, but there are a few pilgrims visiting the holy sites.
Monday, May 01, 2006
Dead Sea float
Dead Sea float
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
I took the local bus to Rama today, then I got a ride to Amman Beach, at the Dead Sea. There, they had showers and a "beach" where you could walk into the water and float. It's actually quite amazing; I enjoyed it much more than I expected. I could float in a standing position with the water up to my chest. It was very easy to paddle out; it was like paddling out on a board. The water was nice and warm where I was at. I spent about an hour there, then had to hitchhike back to the bus stop.
I met some Westerners there who were teaching English on the "Peace Boat" out of Japan. They get to go around the world in 3.5 months for free room and board if they teach and help out. Check 'em out.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
Roman gladiators resting
Roman gladiators resting
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
They put on a show at the Hippodrome, and these guys looked the part. For added effect, they played the soundtrack to Gladiator. No, I actually didn't watch the show, as you had to buy tickets, and I enjoying being a cheapass.
The Oval Plaza and the rest of Jerash
The Oval Plaza and the rest of Jerash
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
From the Temple of Zeus, you can look over the Oval Plaza down the Colonnaded road.
The Nymphaeum
The Nymphaeum
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
An ornamental fountain from 191 AD and dedicated to, er, the Nymphs.
Colonnaded street
Colonnaded street
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
There are loads of columns in Jerash. There are ruts still visible in the original road from the wheelcarts.
Oval Plaza
Oval Plaza
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
St. Peter's Square at the Vatican was actually based on this Oval Plaza. Okay, that was a blatant lie. This place is 90 by 80 meters.
Tourists in Jerash
Tourists in Jerash
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Independent travel in Jordan is deceiving. For the past couple days in Amman, I came to the conclusion there were hardly any tourists here. Even the public bus to Jerash, only 50 km north, had only four other tourists. But as soon as we arrived in Jerash, we noted a bunch of tour buses unloading the hordes.
Jerash is an old Roman city that is still being excavated. It only takes about an hour to walk around there, so it actually isn't that large. It is interesting being in the middle east and seeing examples of European and Roman architecture.
Ubiquitous tea vendor
Ubiquitous tea vendor
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Sweet mint tea is available everywhere in Jordan. It ranges from 15 cents to 30 cents a cup.
Grand Husseini Mosque
Grand Husseini Mosque
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This mosque is close to my hotel in downtown Amman.
Vendor of desserts
Vendor of desserts
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
There are great desserts here in Jordan. The far dish has filo pastry topped with pistachio nuts and drizzled (no, drowned) in a corn syrup. The middle pan has pistachio nut on top of something orange, but the bottom layer is like mozzerella cheese. It is actually wonderful, but equally drowned in corn syrup. I don't know what the bottom dish is but it has very delicate strands of filo dough.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Temple of Hercules at the Citadel
Temple of Hercules at the Citadel
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Amman covers 19 hills, but it started on only seven. The one downtown holds the Citadel on its flat top. There are some pretty good views from the top and a museum has some interesting bits including a sample of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In general, the Amman tourist attractions are lackluster, but there are a couple good day trips from Amman.
Roman Amphitheatre
Roman Amphitheatre
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This place dates from the 2nd century, when this was the Roman city of Philadephia. It can seat 6000 and is still used for performances today. It is next to the Odeon and Forum.
Ammonites finishing their Friday midday prayer
Ammonites finishing their Friday midday prayer
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
From Kerak, I took a bus to Ammnan, just over an hour away. It was Friday so almost everything was closed.
There are loads more worshippers on Fridays, the Muslim equivalent of the Christian Sunday. The devout even kneel on mats on the sidewalks, spilling out into the streets. There, they listen to what appears to be a sermon for about an hour. This is just after services had completed.
Evening snack at Tower Castle Hotel
Evening snack at Tower Castle Hotel
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
These guys were great. In Kerak, I stayed at this hotel and in the evening these guys, the workers and manager of the hotel, invited us to join them for some food: pita bread, french fries, and fried gizzards. I also had some mint tea with them. I offered to pay, but they refused. Jordanians are really nice.
Banana plantation, fresh water, and the Dead Sea
Banana plantation, fresh water, and the Dead Sea
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
The Jordanian side of the Dead Sea has a lot of farms. They pump in fresh water for irrigation systems. They even have banana trees, which is strange sight to see in the desert.
The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
The lowest natural point on land, 400 meters below sea level, it's an ear popping bus ride down here. I took a local bus ride down here and then walked a mile to get to the muddy shore. Weng tried to do a Dead Sea Float, but he had trouble getting past the water's edge, the clay was so soft, he sank to his knees.
Cracked earth near the Dead Sea
Cracked earth near the Dead Sea
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Like my heel, which would prevent me from venturing into the salty brine.
Al-Kerak, Crusader fortress
Al-Kerak, Crusader fortress
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Kerak was built in the 11th century as one of the crusader castles. These castles were built within line of sight of one another so that light signals could be passed from Aqaba to the Turkish border within 12 hours.
This castle was also depicted in the movie, "Kingdom of Heaven", as its last lord was Reynald de Chatillion, who was killed by Saladin.
Hey, that's the Dead Sea
Hey, that's the Dead Sea
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Only 22 km away is the southern part of the Dead Sea. I didn't know I would be this close when I went to Kerak.
Hitchhiking to Kerak
Hitchhiking to Kerak
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
From Petra, I got on a bus headed to Amman, which dropped me off at the freeway offramp for Karak. I waited around 15 minutes until a nice businessman gave me a free lift to Karak.
The wall that al Siq weaves through
The wall that al Siq weaves through
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
You can see the town of Wadi Musa at the top of the photo. This massive wall of rock hides Petra from invaders.
The depth of the rock
The depth of the rock
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
This is how much rock was cut away by the Nabataeans to make the Monastery.
Inside Al-Khazneh
Inside Al-Khazneh
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Where is the deep cave from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade?! I want my money back!
Not bulletproof!
Not bulletproof!
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Early rednecks shot away at the statue for target practice.
Friday, April 28, 2006
Al-Khazneh, the Treasury
Al-Khazneh, the Treasury
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Like many of the places in Petra, this place was misnamed. It is just another tomb, but early explorers thought there was loot inside it. It is remarkable well-preserved because it is hidden in a narrow canyon away from the sand and wind. It is the most famous of the facades at Petra.
A peek at Al Khazneh
A peek at Al Khazneh
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Al Siq continues for 1.2 km, after which you stumble upon this glimpse of the Treasury. It is actually quite exciting.
Walking downhill into Petra
Walking downhill into Petra
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Petra was the capital of the Nabataean civilization back in the 3rd century BC. From here, they got rich off the spice and trade routes that passed within its boundaries. Later, they were swallowed into the Roman and Byzantine empires before an earthquake in 555 AD forced everyone to leave. It is the biggest tourist draw to Jordan.
Waiting for a bus
Waiting for a bus
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
From Wadi Rum, there is one public bus to Petra, but a tour group had somehow acquired it for the day, so a few of us were SOL. We did get a free lift to the highway where we got on the bus from Aqaba headed to Petra. Apparently hitching is absolutely allowed and required for independent travel through Jordan as buses come and go on an irregular schedule, and the number of helpful Jordanians is ample.
Vis-a-vis the tour group, I think it was "Globetrekkers" and essentially they had reserved the bus which seemed incredulous since it was the public bus, but I figure the tour company was too cheap to rent a bus themselves and the public bus operator was more than happy to hire out the bus and his services for a bunch of rich foreigners on a tour. I don't know how legal this is, but what can you do? What was especially helpful was an irate Australia who started to cuss out the tour guide, so they even recanted their offer of giving all of us a lift to the highway. Thanks, dude!
High above the valley floor
High above the valley floor
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
There was a sheer drop to the bottom from here. It was surprising how quickly we ascended just by scrambling up the levels.
At the top
At the top
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
Actually, only halfway up the cliffs, but as far as we could go; the rest was overhanging. Weng is bigger than me, but he's also standing closer to the camera. He was a welter-weight amateur boxer in Taiwan.
Looking from a clifftop perch
Looking from a clifftop perch
Originally uploaded by bastchild.
What a great vista! Weng and I engaged in some class 4 scrambling up the cliffside to get to higher ground.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)