Jerash - Jordan

Jerash – Jordan

Post published:12 June 2011
Post category:Jordan Middle East

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The city of 1000 columns

Another of the jewels amazing Jordan has to offer, the ancient city of Gerasa, nowadays Jerash. one of the best preserved Roman city from the Decapolis group, the once 10 cities on the Eastern Frontier of the Roman Empire in Judea and Syria. The most complete and best preserved city of the Roman Empire, outside of Italy, often referred as Pompeii of the East. Nestled in a green and well-watered valley in the biblical land of Gilead, the remains of the ancient city have long attracted tourists from all around the world.

Wander among the original temples, theatres, plazas, paths and colonnaded streets; all enclosed within the remaining city walls. A history that goes beyond the Romans at a place inhabited with settlements dating from the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad and Abbasid periods, indicating human occupation at this location for more than 2,500 years.

It lies merely 50 kilometres north of Amman, hence the perfect half day trip from there. It is so the case that when we arrived to Jordan, we actually did not know about this place until we saw postcards at all other sites we’ve been about the incredible and rare-oval shaped forum. It really got out attention for its uniqueness, and in truth, it is the only one the Romans ever built this way. Coming here therefore was not even optional, it became a must somehow squeezed in our very tight agenda.

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Dead Sea - Jordan

The Dead Sea – Jordan

Post published:12 June 2011
Post category:Jordan Middle East

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The Sea of Death, Lake Asphaltites

Jordan is not only about Petra, Wadi Rum Desert and its countless ancient cities and monuments. It has lots more to offer, certainly being one of the greatest assets the Dead Sea. Forming the border naturally with Israel just at the other coast and completely visible from Jordan, is one of these once in a lifetime, hopefully more, experience. And yes, what you have heard that the water is really pushing you up to float, it’s all true, no doubt. What I did not expect is that once you walk inside the water, when it covers your legs, then it’s hard to even keep standing up right. Just let yourself float and enjoy.

To reach the nearest beaches from Amman, you have a handful of bus lines from Mujaharin bus station to Rame, at the costs of just 1 JD. But first, once you are at that bus station, ask anyone to point you to the right bus to Rame. There are too many buses and it can get seriously confused but people over there is really friendly and will help you. Such buses leave once they are full and so on. The trip will take around 45 minutes, passing through great hill landscapes full of olive plantations. Once you are in Rame, a taxi to Amman Beach costs around 4JD. If you are planning to stay just for a while, then negotiate with the driver that he waits for you while you bath, and then drive you back to Rame. It will cost you around 6JD per person, 8 at max.

It is not much more to be said about this place, however I separate into another section few more notes to give you further important tips to seriously consider before going. For more information about the Dead Sea check Wikipedia site. Jordan’s currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JD). Please note that any price reference is true as from when this guide was created, therefore check prices in advance as with the time they change.

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Petra - Jordan

Petra – Jordan

Post published:11 June 2011
Post category:Jordan Middle East

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Precious cultural property of man’s heritage

So here we are at the peak of our trip to Jordan. Petra was the reason number one to come and plan the entire trip at first instance, and while we knew it would be a very difficult and exhausting day trip from Amman, we also know it is place we will not return in the near to medium future, if at all we even ever return. One of the most grandiose and stunning places from antiquity, from one of the most incredible civilisations the earth has ever known, the Nabataean Kingdom, and Petra, its most glorious capital and so today one of the most precious UNESCO World Heritage Site. Incredibly so well preserved, fact due to the site being forgotten and only “re discovered” in 1812, and still being excavated to this date.

The ancient city is a very big site right in middle in the desert, only accessible through a narrow pathway through the rocks 1.2 kilometres long, known as the Siq. This is one of the major facts that helped the site to be forgotten, and hidden.

With so much information I want to share, I rather split it into different sections for easy clarification. Please do remember this is a very vast site, where the scorching heat and lack of fresh air can make things hard, hence in order to enjoy the visit, take everything in consideration and prepared in advanced. For information on the history of Petra, check Wikipedia and Wikitravel sites. Jordan’s currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JD). Please note that any price reference is true as from when this guide was created, therefore check prices in advance as with the time they change.

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Amman - Jordan

Amman – Jordan

Post published:10 June 2011
Post category:Jordan Middle East

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Greek and Roman Philadelphia

It’s been a long while since we had a great desire to visit Jordan. Unfortunately, the flight fares were always so high that we kept selecting any other destination instead. At the time we went there, the city and the country was not that open to the air traffic and the mass tourism as it is now of course. So thankfully to our benefit, Easyjet announced their new route to the capital, Amman. And what’s best, with any new route, they release some tickets at an introductory offer, and we managed three! Now that was the real deal.

Amman is a rapidly growing city, which basically kicked off some 80 years ago. It’s relatively a very new city, and the architecture you will find is rather ugly and tasteless. But in any case, it’s still worth the visit, not only for the enormous maze of little streets; very charming indeed, but also for the many nice mosques, and of course, the Roman great remains, specially at Citadel Hill, from where you will see the whole of Amman and beyond built on hill after hill.

Citadel Hill, known in Arabic as Jabal al-Qal’a, is what can be considered, the centre of the city. At the top you will find the remains of the Temple of Hercules, and plenty more. Also an Ottoman style mosque, and the most stunning view you can get of the city. Let’s not forget that although the city is very new, it sits atop many layers of different civilizations making it one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world at over 7500 years.

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