Dana and the Dead Sea

Dana is part of the Great Rift Valley that runs from Turkey to Mozambique in Africa, the result of still shifting tectonic plates.  The old town in Dana was left in ruins when people moved to a more modern village, but now some are returning and restoring the ruins for hotels.  This is where we stayed, in cave like stone buildings.

Mo led us on a hike into the valley.  This hike was described in the trip notes as mostly downhill, but what goes down must come up!  We talked (well, Mo talked, in Arabic) to Bedouins with goats, sheep and donkeys, and stopped for a picnic lunch with amazing views. There is protected wildlife here, like the rare ibex, a goat-like antelope, but the area is huge and they are shy.

Back at our guesthouse, the air quickly cooled off due to our higher elevation.  We headed off for early bedtime in the chilly rooms, but lots of blankets made for a cozy sleep!

We continued along the King’s Highway and visited Karak castle, from about 200 AD.  Saladin, king of the Muslims, once ruled here.  Legend has it that a different guy who ruled here at another time hurled his enemies from the parapets, covering their heads with wooden boxes so they wouldn’t lose consciousness before hitting the rocks below.

We turned off to the Dead Sea Highway, heading for the lowest point on earth and possibly the hottest. The Dead Sea is 417 m below sea level, with mineral levels 10 times that of normal sea water.  It’s receding every year from evaporation and potash mining, so may not be here in the near future.  The spot where we stopped for a viewpoint was below a strange pile of rocks that is rumoured to be the pillar of salt that Lot’s wife was turned into when she looked back at him against instructions.  The lost cities of Sodom and Gomorrah are said to be across the sea from here.

Further along the highway, the other side of the sea is lined with cliffs, behind which are Jerusalem in Israel.  The border lies in the middle of the Dead Sea.  Somewhere in those cliffs are the caves that held the Dead Sea Scrolls.  Where the cliffs end lies Jericho, oldest inhabited city on the planet.

Because of the nearby border with Israel, there are military checkpoints along the highway, with heavily armed guards and trucks with machine guns. Don’t take pictures!

There are posh resorts at the north end of the Dead Sea, and we visited one, where we headed into the water for a float.  The extreme salinity of the water makes you buoyant, and you really can sit on the top reading a magazine.  It was a great spot for trying the group activity of synchronized swimming, with legs in the air, without drowning!  The water was fairly warm, but not nearly as warm as it would be in summer, when air temps can reach over 50 degrees.  It’s in the low 20s now and is one of the best months to visit, but the beaches and pools in the resorts are empty.  Great for visitors, but not great for Jordan.

After bobbing around for a while, we paid 3 dinars (about $5) to have black mud applied, posed for pictures, let it dry, then popped in to the sea again to wash it off.  The mud is said to have amazing results of course, and we all looked 18 after that.  You don’t want to shave before going in, or have any recent cuts, or get the water in your eyes, nose or mouth.  That part is not fun!  But we had tons of fun with the mud and pictures.

We carried on to Mount Nebo, a big change in elevation and temperature, where Moses saw the Promised Land.  The Pope visited here in 2000, so roads have been paved here, but he flew in by helicopter.

Arriving at Madaba, a city nearby to the capital of Amman where we started and closer to the international airport, we had dinner in our hotel (with a pool!)

On the last day of our tour, we drove through the capital Amman with its hills of whitewashed buildings to the Roman ruins of Jerash.  We passed parts of the city where hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refugees, who once lived in tents, have erected sheet metal structures.  There are also over a million Syrian refugees in the northern part of the country.

Jerash is really well preserved, with its heyday around 200 AD, and covers a huge area, with temples, arches and a hippodrome or stadium, where chariot races were held in ancient times.  Until a couple of years ago there were re-enactments staged by Jordanian military, but they have been discontinued because of the decline in tourism.

We returned to Madaba, city of mosaics, to visit a church with a famous mosaic (square cut pieces of coloured rock) depicting the Holy Land.  I wandered a bit shopping, was offered tea by a shop owner which I tried to decline since I’ve had enough tea, so was offered wine instead. I accepted the small cup and then felt obliged to buy a couple of scarves but it was nice, most people we have met have been so friendly. Even when they aren’t trying to sell you something!

We went to a restaurant for our last meal, and realized a wedding dinner was being set up around us.  The bride and groom entered to chanting and clapping, which we joined in, and they graciously shook our hands and posed for pics.  I had to get to the washroom on the upper floor where the bride’s dance was taking place, and pretty much joined in, with a guy who I think was Omar Sharif escorting me through the cheering crowd.  Our group shared a few shishas, or water pipes (apple is always the best flavour) then back to the hotel where people started to depart.  The airport is apparently open 24 hours, since most of the flights the group has booked leave at either 1 am or 3 am.  Mine is at 3 am in a couple of days.