The Dead Sea

Dead Sea Shoreline (note the salt encrusted rocks)

Beautiful Sunset Overlooking the Dead Sea and Palestine Beyond

We drove through and toured the Hashemite capital of Amman. It is a sprawling city, located in rolling hills that boasts Roman ruins amongst modern buildings built of pale yellowish limestone blocks similar to those you see in the Midwest's old military forts. The city is noticeably clean and we found our way around without difficulty. We stopped to do our tourist shopping and luckily found a store that had everything from the Holy Land and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. They really caught me off guard when the clerk proudly showed me the formally encased blown-glass bottles containing water from the River Jordan to be used for baptisms. Then he showed off the Bibles and Korans made with mother of pearl covers displayed together. We bought the necessities and then headed southwest out of Amman to the Dead Sea.

We turned onto the road which follow the curves of the Dead Sea’s coastline and went through numerous checkpoints manned by Jordanian soldiers while we viewed the scenery. We received a few quizzical looks but they were most accommodating. I am used to the checkpoint business from living in the Middle East so seeing soldiers on the East Bank are more reassuring than unnerving by far.

We watched a picture-perfect sunset, ate our boxed lunches on the shores of the historic sea, and immensely enjoyed our good fortune in just being there.

Jordanian Police

Russ with a Ceremonial Jordanian Guard at the Treasury

After rising early, ordering box lunches and eating a dual-threat, guilt-ridden Ramadan buffet breakfast (due to the fasting Muslims serving us & the amount of food eaten), Russ and I inspected the car tires and deemed them minimally passable for the day-long trek. We wound our way in a dense, cooling fog through the twisting hillside streets of Wadi Muse, the town adjacent Petra, wondering how long it had been inhabited. It had the appearance of being very old. We made our way into the mountains which run from north to south down the spine of the Hashemite Kingdom and came out into a broad valley lying next to the mountain range. There we headed north on the main four-lane route to Amman next to the Hijaz railroad that supplied the Turkish Empire's hold on Mecca and Medina and which "Lawrence of Arabia" helped attack during WWI.

Russ and I are used to driving conditions in Saudi Arabia and we usually drive as fast as the conditions allow, because of the sparse populations and the remoteness of where we live. We have actually seen signs that read “Inhabited Area.” Taking our habits from the Saudis, we rarely slow down through towns unless they’re busy and it is unsafe. Traditionally, the Saudi police rarely give tickets, but they are really cracking down lately, on orders from the King, and it is making a positive impact on the number of accidents. Still we don’t worry too much about police in Saudi Arabia. In Jordan, traffic laws are a very different stroy. We were pulled over in the first sizeable town we came to for speeding. The Jordanian policeman at the checkpoint had radar and clocked us at 110 kph in an 80 kph zone. When he saw we were “not from around these parts” he smiled as he asked us where were from. We said we live in Saudi Arabia but we were Americans and he smiled even broader as he said, “Welcome to Jordan. Please slow down and have a nice day.” We were stunned at the kindness and we began to get the feeling the phrase, “Welcome to Jordan,” had been taught to every school kid as a country slogan compulsory for graduation.

More Petra

Russ Standing in a Treasury Side Door.

This photo may give you a better idea how tall the Treasury actually stands.

Petra Sunset

After a day filled with one wonder after another I had this beautiful Ramadam sunset view to end the day. We thought really hard about touring inside Petra again the next day but both Russ and I really wanted to see the Dead Sea and visit Amman. If you ever decide to visit this wonderful ancient city, you must plans for at least a long three day weekend to get in all of Petra in.

Now That's Advertising!

Billboard just south of Amman.Wow! I'm Thirsty!

I cannot help but wonder if Stan gave his written consent for this ad!?

Where's a Hitching Post When You Need One?

Fahad showing us the beautiful strata of the rocks on our way to the 12th Crusader Fort.

Fahad tying up his donkey to guide us around.

Fahad, quit selling trinkets, tied up his donkey and became our impromptu tour guide. We asked him to guide us again the next day and I was happy to hear him decline saying he had to go to school.

The Amphitheater

The Amphitheater - Built 8 B.C. to 40 A.D.

(click on the photos and they should enlarge)

Russ, standing on the stage of the Amphitheater

Note the steps and holes in the face of the rock in the background. Also, other tourists can be seen on top of the rocks overlooking the valley.

al-Khazneh - Also Known As The Treasury

Camel Awaiting Riders at al-Khazneh (The Treasury)

When we came out into the light from the siq (remember the Indiana Jones Holy Grail movie?) there was a couple vendors and local men hawking camel rides. The only thing we were interested in was the Treasury. We were awed by the size (note the people in the entrance) and relief details. It was built as a tomb for Nabatean King Aretas in the 1st Century B.C. Just imagine yourself entering this city 2,000 years ago and seeing al-Khazneh!

Inside the Siq

Two men talking in the siq

(Note the steps going up the face on the right)

Horse and Buggy Inside the Siq

(Note the water trenches)

The Petra Crown Plaza was suggested by our friends Wayne and Natasha (he’s Canadian – She’s Russian) who had visited the hotel last year, as it is located within 100 meters directly outside the entrance to the Petra. We had driven over 1,000 miles the day before so Russ and I weren't up at the crack of dawn but the day was cooler than back in Saudi Arabia.

Thanks to Russ we rode horses down to the entrance of the siq (a natural gorge) and were awed by the colors and it's size. It is 1200 meters long and 10 feet to 30 feet wide and 300 feet high. It still has some of the existing pavement laid by the Nabateans and later the Romans. Also, down the sides are water control trenches dug in the 1st Century B.C. into each sidewall to channel water. The trenches supplemented a dam and cistern system used by the inhabitants to save water. The ancient Nabateans used the siq for a ceremonial entrance to the city.

Nowadays, saddle horses are used to go to the entrance of the siq, then horse and buggies are for going through the siq, then you can choose from a camel, donkey, or horse and buggy. We mostly walked all day but later in the day we took a donkey.

Aqaba and The Hasemite Kingdom of Jordan

Looking at the suburbs of Aqaba, Jordan in the foreground and Elat, Israel on the far hill.

We had arranged to pick up a rental in the border city of Aqaba, Jordan, as our Saudi car is not allowed outside the country. Aqaba is the gateway to Jordan from the Red Sea. You can see Saudi Arabia, Israel and Egypt from where we parked and started through the process of crossing of the international border, which is always an adventure in itself. The first snag was when the Saudi border police told us we were not allowed to walk across. While discussing our options a young Saudi guy told us we could ride with him so we loaded up our backpacks, hopped in his truck and drove across.

The young Saudi man dropped us off at the first major intersection we came to and we thanked him and I gave him one of my remaining Snap-On brand flashlights. They’re really nice and have a lifetime guarantee and I could tell he was going to get a kick out of telling all his friends some Americans crossing the border gave him a flashlight.

Our cell phones were working in Jordan (a definite plus in the Middle East) so I called my rental car contact to come and get us. We picked up our rental and drove northward through the Ramadan traffic out of Aqaba to Petra. In no time we were weaving upward through the mountains and getting nearer to Petra. We arrived at the Petra Crown Plaza around 1:00 a.m. having survived the swerving rear-end of our not-so-peppy little rental which seemed to have a mind of it’s own when steering any other way except straight ahead.

Petra I

You've Got to be Kidding! Three!

Russ and I drove to Jordan across the northern half of Saudi Arabia. I had scouted the route for the latitude/longitudes of all our planned turns and had my GPS ready for the 1700 kilometer journey. All was going well until we were about one-third of the way when we had our first blowout, then our second and finally our third. All in less than 150 miles!

We kept putting on the new spare, continuing on to the next town and then buying a new spare. “New” is relative. When you are literally an hour from the nearest town and you need a spare then you pay for what they have available. The first two tires I bought were worn and didn’t look like they’d last long. One had been removed from a back room pile after I rejected the mechanics first offer. It lasted about 60 miles before giving out. We were driving slower than normal for safety and this kept putting us further and further behind schedule. The third tire I bought was actually new and it took us the remaining distance to the border and home again.

Aladdin's Treasure - City Art in Ha'il, Saudi Arabia

Long Journey to Jordan

Just Outside Buraydah, Qassim Area, Saudi Arabia

My friend, Russ, and I had been planning a trip to Jordan to see Petra, the Dead Sea and any other sites we could find for months. We decided to drive the distance because we wanted to see as much of Saudi Arabia as we could. Having been schooled by my father since I was very young on road-trip planning I had all the bases covered. Our car was ready, except for the slightly worn tires, which I couldn’t get replaced due to official Saudi Army funding woes. I traded Russ’ car for his like-new spare so we’d at least have a good back-up just in case. Also, since it was Ramadan and restaurants wouldn’t be open during the day we’d packed food in coolers so we could eat on the journey. Our friends Wayne and Natasha had made the trip a year earlier. Over cups of tea they showed us photos, explained the route, the sites and gave us great advice on where to stay once we arrived so we felt we were ready.

Beautiful Desert Mountains and Valley On the Way to Ha'il