It is quite remarkable how an accidental archaeological discovery can catapult an obscure little town into the world map. The discovery in question is a map in fact, that is eponymous with the Jordanian town of Madaba: once a biblical fortress of the Moabite kingdom, about which there is limited historical mention in the Bible or elsewhere. It has been surmised from inscriptions…
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My recent focus on Jordan had me browsing through my archives and I thought this piece on Petra merited revisiting, So here it is, edited and revamped with a gallery of new images for those of you who have already read it before. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed revisiting this…
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Jordan as a destination has typically played second fiddle to its larger neighbours and usually ends up an add-on to a longer itinerary in Egypt or Israel. Last week the Jordan Tourism Board kicked off a mega tourism campaign in an attempt to alter that statistic. Eighty eight international digital influencers from over fifteen countries, along with a few local media persons, were…
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The 1st century Oval Plaza and the colonnaded Cardo Maximus (main street) of the Roman city of Jerash as viewed from the temple of Zeus. The new city in the background is a striking contrast. Many thanks to the Jordan Tourism Board for making this post possible. While you are here, do take the time to read the history and legends of…
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R and I went to Jordan in 2010 en-route to Egypt. But I was forced to cut out a number of things from our itinerary due to ill health caused by a severe reaction to antibiotics. Being in no shape to walk back through the Siq for the candlelit spectacle of Petra by Night has remained one…
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No words or images can do justice to the spectacular desert landscape of Wadi Rum, whose simple, large hearted nomadic inhabitants and their warm welcoming hearths moved us as deeply as the savage land itself. Traversing this surreal sea of sand and cliff was a near spiritual experience. Its vast stillness underlining the immensity of nature, and the insignificance of…
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To my mind, it is the long preparatory trek through the narrow path – the 1.2 km gorge called the Siq – that lays the groundwork for the dramatic unveiling of the city of Petra. A natural geological fault eroded smooth by sand, water and wind, and with walls of up to 182 metres (600 feet)…
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We wind up the Kings Highway from the Dead Sea to ancient Moab. (No this is not a biblical tale! This is R and I, on our way to check out one of the largest crusader castles in Jordan :-)) As we crest a promontory, we spot the redoubt, straddling a strategic position atop a windswept ridge.…
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