| Amman to Petra --- 2 March 2006 |
This day we traveled south from Amman about 175km (100 miles) to Petra, with some
interesting stops along the way.
interesting stops along the way.
Our first stop after a 30km (20 mile) drive from Amman was Mount Nebo, offering attractive
views of nearby irrigated valleys and the more distant Jordan River Valley and the hills
beyond the Jordan River. Mt, Nebo is where Moses is reputed to have died and was buried.
Early Christians built a church there which was later expanded into a monastery complex with
several mosaics floors.
views of nearby irrigated valleys and the more distant Jordan River Valley and the hills
beyond the Jordan River. Mt, Nebo is where Moses is reputed to have died and was buried.
Early Christians built a church there which was later expanded into a monastery complex with
several mosaics floors.
Mosaic floor, Church of Moses, Mt. Nebo
Church of Moses,, Mount Nebo, Jordan
The next stop as the nearby town of Madaba, an important Christian center. Here we visited
a mosaic workshop, then St. George's Church built around 560AD, where we saw the remaining
parts of a mosaic map of the Holy Land. We had lunch in Madaba, a nice little town.
a mosaic workshop, then St. George's Church built around 560AD, where we saw the remaining
parts of a mosaic map of the Holy Land. We had lunch in Madaba, a nice little town.
Mosaic salesroom, Madaba, Jordan
Mosaic workshop, Madaba, Jordan
We had lunch at the Dana Restaurant in Madaba. Like all our meals in Jordan our lunch was
buffet-style, which worked very well for us; without knowing the names of the different
dishes we could try samples of all that looked interesting and go back for more of the items
we liked best.
To us the most notable thing about the Dana Restaurant was seeing a map of far away Long
Island, New York, displayed on the wall!
buffet-style, which worked very well for us; without knowing the names of the different
dishes we could try samples of all that looked interesting and go back for more of the items
we liked best.
To us the most notable thing about the Dana Restaurant was seeing a map of far away Long
Island, New York, displayed on the wall!
Map of Long Island, New York, on the wall of the Dana
Restaurant, Madaba, Jordan
Restaurant, Madaba, Jordan
Lunch buffet at the Dana Restaurant, Madaba, Jordan
After lunch we continued south to Wadi Mujib, a deep gorge with layered rocks. After
Wadi Mujib we changed our route from the "King's Highway" s few kilometers further east
to the roughly parallel "Desert Highway". The Desert Highway goes straight and fast
through generally unpopulated desert country; we saw some mounds and pits said to be the
result of phosphate mining.
Wadi Mujib we changed our route from the "King's Highway" s few kilometers further east
to the roughly parallel "Desert Highway". The Desert Highway goes straight and fast
through generally unpopulated desert country; we saw some mounds and pits said to be the
result of phosphate mining.
Wadi Mujib area, Jordan
Wadi Mujib, Jordan
In the late afternoon we arrived at the Petra Marriot Hotel, where we had dinner and spent
the night. This five-star hotel with many amenities is located on a bluff overlooking part of
the modern village of Petra.
the night. This five-star hotel with many amenities is located on a bluff overlooking part of
the modern village of Petra.
Part of modern Petra viewed
from the Petra Marriot Hotel
from the Petra Marriot Hotel