Feb 23, 2020 - Aqaba, Jordan

Our next stop was in Aqaba, Jordan. Aqaba is the only coastal city in Jordan and the largest and most populous city on the Gulf of Aqaba. Situated in southernmost Jordan, Aqaba is the administrative center of the Aqaba Governorate. The city had a population of 148,398 in 2015 and a land area of 144.8 square miles. Today, Aqaba plays a major role in the development of the Jordanian economy, through the vibrant trade and tourism sectors. The Port of Aqaba also serves other countries in the region. Aqaba's strategic location at the...

Jan 18, 2020 - Musings

Last night we drove to our hotel in the dark and went to bed anticipating what daylight the next day would reveal. The hotel had a resort-like feeling with several 2-story buidlings surrounding a fabulous pool illuminated blue and green. Kulaea and I were excited to see the Dead Sea, the Judean hills and Israel across the water. But when I awoke and looked out the window, a dense fog had descended. I couldn't see very much at all. I was so disappointed. This was not my day to gaze across the Dead Sea and see for miles around as I had...

Jan 18, 2020 - Mt. Nebo, Madaba, the Dead Sea, Crowne Plaza

We had a fairly light day with a visit to Mt. Nebo where Moses is buried. After 40 years of leading the former Hebrew slaves through the wilderness of what is modern-day Jordan, Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula, Moses and the people reached Mt. Nebo, their last stop before crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. In Deuteronomy 24 Moses gazes across the Jordan Valley at the Land of Milk and Honey which God had promised to his ancestors Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But God did not allow Moses to enter the Promised Land because he...

Jan 17, 2020 - Petra!!!

I didn't think it could be done, but we saw plenty of Petra in 3 hours! We left the hotel at 7am, drove 4 hours, including a rest stop at my favorite gift shop, saw Petra, had lunch, and then drove 3 hours to our hotel on the Dead Sea. It was a long day, and we walked at least 5 miles. I am satisfied that we saw the essential elements of Petra. The crowds were small, the street vendors were relatively low-pressure, and the weather was perfect. The best part of the experience was watching Kulaea ooh and aah. For the better part of the walk...

Nov 29, 2019 - Wadi Rum

The Bedouin culture still remains vibrant and strong, even as many aspects of their nomadic lifestyle have become impractical and obsolete. We had our first experience when we traveled north of Petra into the desert last night and had dinner in a Bedouin tent. That began to give me the idea that they have exchanged animal husbandry with tourist husbandry. The tent was huge and decorated with flowing fabrics. Brightly patterned rugs were on the floor. In a nod to our comfort we did not sit on the floor, but everything else felt...

Nov 28, 2019 - back to Petra again

We visited Petra from a cruise ship in 2017. While it was a thrill to see this World Heritage site, it was a frustrating day. We drove two hours to get there, ran half way in to see the Treasury, and ran back out again. It was overrun with people: many were our fellow passengers. We were thrilled that Petra was on this itinerary and we had a whole day to see it properly. Our hotel is right across the street and we entered the grounds when they opened at 7am. The most picturesque part of Petra is in a slot canyon and the colors on the...

Nov 28, 2019 - Mount Nebo visit • Explore Madaba

While today was a mostly driving day, we made some interesting stops along the way. We drove hair pin turns to the top of Mt. Nebo, the spot where Moses supposedly viewed the Promised Land before he died nearby at the age of 120. The site certainly had a great view as promised, but since we also visited Moses’ death site in Palestine, who knows? Our guide said that there are a number of sites where Moses died, and that may have been done on purpose to keep grave robbers from making off with him. The site has been purchased and administered...

Nov 27, 2019 - tour Amman

We left our spectacular looking Casbah hotel to spend an afternoon in Amman, the capital of Jordan. Along the way we stopped at Bethany on the Jordan, the spot where believers feel that John the Baptist baptized Jesus in the Jordan River. The river was much larger and flowed strongly in those days so the spot that has been marked with a variety of structures over the years that have been swept away in floods. A few tantalizing bits of mosaic hinted at what used to be floors. Recently this area was a no man’s land full of mines until the...

May 18, 2019 - Jerash

On our first day of my G Adventures Explore Jordan tour, we went to visit the ancient Roman site of Gerasa in the city of Jerash. Zuhair gave a great explanation of the site and its significance, which I really appreciated. In my opinion, this Roman site is equally as impressive as the sites in Rome. After entering through Hadrian's gate, we could see the huge oval forum, the temples of Zeus and Artemis, the hippodrome where chariot races used to take place (an oval track ~250 metres by 50 metres, with enough capacity to hold 15,000...

May 16, 2019 - Amman

I left Jerusalem on Thursday morning, finding my way to a shared minivan (Sherut) service operated by Al Nijmeh taxi company. I was relieved to see other tourists taking the same journey, particularly a young Korean lady who knew how to speak Arabic. We waited about 15 minutes for several other passengers to join us, as the Sherut only proceeds once there are enough passengers to make the trip worthwhile. The Sherut took us to the Israeli border check point where we lined up to pay for and obtain the official exit from Israel. Then we...

May 13, 2019 - One day in the ancient city of Petra, Jordan

Monday 13th May 2019 Day 17 Petra visit, ship in Aqaba, Jordan 𯇯𯇴 This morning we were up at 6am for our day trip to Petra, the ancient city of Jordan. After breakfast we checked in at the theatre and waited our turn to be called to the bus. There were 28 tour buses of about 50 people going today, so it was busy. We were on Bus 22, so we were underway from the dock around 9:15am, heading out from Aqaba. Once out of the city, the landscape becomes very mountainous and rugged, no green anywhere, just brown hillsides, sometimes scarred...

May 12, 2019 - Seven sea days from the Seychelles to Aqaba, Jordan

Monday 6th May 2019 Day 10 Day at sea First day out of the Seychelles, relaxing into the next seven days at sea, we woke up around 8:45am then to breakfast. No early morning lecture, but went to a maritime talk on The Atlantic by Bob. The ship crossed the equator about 11.00am and there was a Neptune’s Party on the top deck but, as we have crossed the equator a number of times on land, we didn’t attend. Lunch in the dining room and an afternoon sitting reading, then a very amusing half hour of an Italian lesson. The concert tonight was an...