All,
Arrived in Jordan yesterday. Though it’s not far from Cairo, it feels like a completely different world — a different vibe altogether. Less crowded (120 million vs. 12 million people) and slower paced — in a good way 😊. This is my fourth time here, and it remains one of my favorite places to visit. It’s a very biblical place — so many of the stories from the Bible happened right around here.
Our first stop was the Dead Sea, the lowest exposed point on Earth. For comparison, Death Valley (the lowest point in the U.S.) sits 282 feet below sea level. The Dead Sea? 1,410 feet below sea level. Crazy low!
Because it’s about 70% salt, no life exists in this sea — maybe that’s why they call it The Dead Sea? 🤪
It’s been that way for tens of thousands of years. We went in — very cool experience — but you can’t really swim; you just bob and float. It’s a strange, weightless feeling. Some people slather themselves in the mud, which is said to be great for the skin (but my skin is already luxurious enough, don’t you think? 😉).
Just across the sea is the West Bank, where you can see Jericho and Bethlehem in the near distance. Jericho is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world — people have lived there for over 10,000 years, long before the Egyptians built their pyramids (and I thought those were old!). The Tower of Jericho, dating back that far, is believed to be the first stone monument ever built by humankind. And of course, Bethlehem is where Jesus was born. Like I said — a very biblical area.
From there we drove through the mountains (yes, there are mountains in Jordan!) to Mount Nebo, where Moses — the Moses — died. (Did I mention this place is biblical? 😄) Pretty amazing.
Tomorrow we head to Petra — an incredible site, truly one of the wonders of the ancient world. You might remember it from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. I’ll send photos for sure.
Onward! -JB
P.S. Our guide, Aziz, has been terrific — explaining everything from the history to the Five Pillars of Islam, including the custom of praying toward Mecca five times a day. One of the guests asked how people always know which direction Mecca is, and Aziz said most hotels have a little arrow in the room pointing the way. Then he added, “But now, there’s an app for that.” Not kidding. 😄
The Dead Sea. Jericho, on the West Bank, in the distance
Our new friends Tracy and Scott got mudded up before jumping into the water
Floating in the Dead Sea
Camels on the hillside along the road
Mt. Nebo. Where Moses died after leading his people out of Egypt and wandering for 40 years in the desert (supposedly died at the age of 120!)
The Dead Sea from our hotel
Awesome!