Jerash is an easy day trip and lies about an hour northwest from Amman. We knew little about Jerash (embarrassingly so) and found it a fascinating discovery visit into history. The vision and scale of the Romans has to be admired! According to the Jordan Tourist Board:
‘…The city’s golden age came under Roman rule and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best-preserved Roman provincial towns in the world … Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, grand theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates…’
Not one, but two theatres, an impressive colonnaded street, a sweeping plaza and Hippodrome for chariot racing (of course!) the site covered several hectares. Hadrian’s Gate makes a statement at the southern entrance. We came away in awe of the architects, stonemasons and workers that designed and built this city, and were well able to imagine a vibrant way of life in days gone by.
Petra is spectacular. There’s no other word. The Nabatean ruins lie scattered across a lunar-like landscape. This UNESCO listing describes Petra as ‘half built, half carved’ into the rockfaces. The contrast of ancient, refined architecture and the emaciated pre-historic hills and valleys is stark. Why did people live here? What brought them? Where did they go? So many unanswered questions. What is undoubted is the extraordinary skills the original builders of Petra had, to produce these remarkable stately buildings positioned across the 264 square kilometre (102 square miles) site. We were inspired to read a history of maths to begin to understand how the perfect geometry and detailing could have been achieved with rudimentary tools in ancient times BC!
The Sik is carved by nature out of sheer sandstone walls. Erosion has produced a dramatic entrance that winds and wends it’s way to open out to the breathtaking and very famous Treasury building. We understand that this building (and the Monastery) was probably built by carving from the top down – innovation is not unique to our times. The Main Trail continues on from here along the Street of Facades, past the Theatre and along the Colonnaded Street to the centre of the site. There are many options branching off to give access to different sites. The hike up to the Monastery is graded ‘hard’ and is 800+ uneven steps over 3.5kms. We found some visitors struggling in the heat, needing to be rescued by local boys and small donkeys.
Visitors come into Petra from Amman in the north, Aqaba in the South and across the border from Israel. It is the premier tourist attraction in Jordan with almost 1 million visitors per annum. In October we found it too busy for our liking, and consequently did not get to enjoy exploring this extraordinary site as much as we would have preferred to.
Throughout the site we came across many basic stalls, selling tourists souvenirs and occasionally drinks. Other locals tease out a living giving fading tourists donkey rides further up, or back down the mountain. You have to admire how nimble and hardy the donkeys are. Cameleers offer rides and photographs, horses pull carts and tourists queue for a lift back to the entrance in electric buggies. Be prepared – Petra is busy, and on a hot day a demanding hike.
We strongly suggest visiting in the low season so that you have space and time to meander and truly appreciate this extraordinary site over two or more days.
Have you been to Petra? What did you love most? Or if still on your wish list, what would you most like to sample? Share your thoughts with us at ideas@travelsampler.world
Now this is a strange experience! In our part of the world, sea water is about 3% salinity. The Dead Sea is about 34% salinity. So yes, you can float and read a book. The challenge is not popping up like a cork exploding out of a bottle! Definitely worth experiencing, although don’t stay in the water too long – all that salt is pretty harsh on your skin. Many bathers add a body-slathering of Dead Sea mud and all its minerals to the experience.
On the factual side, the Dead Sea is the lowest (land) point on earth and is shrinking by 70cm-1m per annum. Jordan, Syria and Israel all draw water from its feeder system the Jordan River, which in turn reduces in-flows. It’s too salty for anything to live it, hence no fishing. In the south, salt pans and industrial fertilisers utilise the Dead Sea waters. There is talk of a potential channel from the Red Sea back to the Dead Sea.
On the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea, at the northern end (closest to Amman) a series of five-star resorts line the banks. From here you can see the West Bank, just across the water. We followed the shores of the Dead Sea south, before heading across the mountains to Petra.
This 2016 story by the BBC provides some interesting historical context and outlines some of the challenges facing the Dead Sea. On our visit, it seemed the challenges remain. Our sample of Jordan uncovered a land of great contrasts and fascinating history at the epicentre of trade, tribes and tensions for thousands of years.
