We had an approximately 8 hr flight including 1 hour in Entebbe, to Istanbul. Because they we two different airlines we weren’t able to get boarding passes from Istanbul to Amman. Coupled with the airline changing our flight to Istanbul by close to an hour later, not knowing where to go ti get the pass, and then where to and what to do. Are we going to make the connection??? We did, the seats were more, we got food even the flight was only 1.5 hours, leg room was more… all in all a better first impression of Jordan even if the plane on the inside was in poor repair.

Sept 18/23- Jerash and Dead Sea.

Jerash…

wear runners , take sun screen, hat, swim suit, towel, 40 JOD for tipping. plus 10 JOD for water.

Beaky from 6:30-9; 7:30 leaving.

Amira-CEO. It’s the first time we have ever encountered a woman CEO.

Traffic is very crowded in core …. Because everyone has their own vehicles, or uses taxis because public transportation is not scheduled.

We stopped for water that the CEO purchased for the group. We all contributed 10 JOD (more than USD) for the week instead of what we’d done for the previous 2 weeks, which was to purchase water individually for each 2 day period. That was a guessing game and it meant packing it ourselves. We also have a cooler in the bus to keep it cool…. Yeah!

We got stopped at a random check of vehicles. CEO said “this is why Jordan is a safe country”.

Jerash… oldest well preserved roman city from Roman age… end of 1st century bc., then Greeks came and then Moslems. They started excavation in 1925. Up to now only 25% has been excavated. City named after “gold river”. The reason these empires came was for the money. It was on the trade route from east, that they controlled. They controlled the 6 largest cities of which Jerash was one. 324ad it came under Byzantine rule. 636ad, the Moslems & 18th c under ottoman rule. In 585 AD & 748 major earthquakes …. abandoned the city.

Art of gate is Corinthian.

Under stadium it was used as stables under Roman’s. Under Bysantians used as shops. …. Has tiles.

Only partially restorated so you are able to imagine what it might have looked like. If it was totally restored it wouldn’t be considered heritage…. Jordan needs the tourist industry.

We are inside stadium

City is divided into 4 sections. Main gate faces Amman.

7 metres thick wall of defence walls. Were 60 metres high originally

3-4000 JOD for olive trees in front of hotel… ancient.

They used to burn frankincense in homes and still do, to keep bad spirits away. A single gram of it worth 2 JOD each. Each camel can carry 400 kgs each. 200 camels to transport but divided into smaller groups in case of attack

Temple …. People not allowed inside. Had to be built above everything else … to see the whole area.

Forum (ionic style) plaza in centre is oval. Under it is huge cistern… where they recycled the water.

Southern to northern gate road is called “cardio”… the heart.

Theatre…. Seats are assigned with number…,

At huge Red stone water bowl … “aqua park” is used by lovers. That where I felt so sick. It’s toooo hot.

The weather network app says it’s 28C. I cannot believe it. There is no humidity. Talk about dripping perspiration!!!!

We have some people (12) that had joined us after being on a tour of Egypt. They said this is much cooler than Egypt where it was 40.

There 5 refugee camps in this area. Palestinian, 2,200,000 Iraqi refugees as well as Syrian, Lebanese & Afghanistan

Population.. 11 million total but only 5 million are Jordanian. Regardless of original country they came from, they all have all the same rights as Jordanians.

Medical is covered for government employees. Private companies may or may not provide insurance. It costs approximately 1000 JOD for private insurance per year. Donation by royal family makes it possible for those that cannot afford a surgery especially for children who have cancer.

Dead Sea … Jordan valley parallel with Palestinian West Bank

33% salinity…. If you have an open sore we were told to put Vaseline on to protect. 27 different minerals in the water. When Jordanian medical centre was built not too many years ago they used candles because there was no electricity.

Bedouins and farmers …2 tribes

Water level of Dead Sea is reducing by a metre a year. By 2050 it is expected to disappear. The sea level used to be 436 metres below sea level 10 years ago ….. now 390 metres below. Somehow that doesn’t make sense.

2 towers of the sixth circle apparently can be seen from Mt. Nemo

They used to have 8 traffic circles (roundabouts) over about a distance of 8 kms but they took then out … instead integrating with streets with lights…. A BIG mistake according to Amira.

The restaurant that we were taken to tonight was absolutely fabulous!!! So many different choices and so good. If you are ever in Amman…… I recommend you try “MO’s”.

Leave at 7 am with luggage… breaky @6:30