Rumman Hotel Madaba

... den und was es sonst noch so gibt. Mein Freund Bashar **klärt mir spät**, dass es ein Jordanisches Phänomen ist, wie sich Geschäfte ansiedeln: Irgendwo macht irgendwann irgendein Geschäft auf. Ist dieses Erfolgreich, machen sofort drumh**um jede Menge and**e Läden auf, die genau das selbe v**kaufen. So gibt es also den Gold-Suq, den Obst-Suq, den Souvenir-Suq, den Textilien-Suq, selbst den Petshop-Suq (eine Strasse, in d** NUR Läden sind, die Hausti**e v**kaufen) und was auch ...

... maar om die kerk heen vind je opeens een zwerm Amerikaanse toeristen die in toeristenzaakjes met dollars ansichtkaarten kopen. Natuurlijk kon Nona weer een mooi verhaal vertellen over het mozaiek, en in de kelder vonden we nog een wonder: een schilderij van Maria con Bambino dat in de 70s opeens een extra blauwe hand vertoonde.. Vreemd

Oh, en we gingen ook nog mozaieken kijken in een archeologisch park.. Gek dat je zo snel genoeg kan krijgen ...

... café’s) so I headed out on my own. I really didn’t feel weird about it but I was glad to see another woman in the car when they came to pick me up.

We ended up being seven of us, 4 women and 3 men. We shared grape sheesah (not my favorite I learned) and I had some traditional winter drink that tasted like rice pudding minus rice, plus pistachios. It was really thick so I was nervous but it was actually very good. Everyone was super ...

... that overlooked the street below. We thought it was quiet until the the 4am Muslim prayers were blasted full volume over speakers for the entire city to hear. It literally sounded like there was a man singing in our bathroom. This happens every day and also throughout the day - we never got used to it.

We find Jordan to be such a friendly country and as we wander around people we cross in the street or who are sitting ...

... To get a locker you have to pay a 5 dinar deposit that you get back with return of the lock, and after a quick change we headed out to the Dead Sea to play. There are guys on the beach willing to cover you from shoulders to feet with Dead Sea mud that is sold at the gift shop for 3 dinar. Most of the group did this and got tons of pictures of us looking goofy during the process. I can't say that it made my skin feel too much better, but I felt ...

... and fresh pita bread
~Throughout the trip, discussing science and religion with Haakon, Lena and Mikaela and also sharing many of our own local cultures, traditions and political views
~Enjoying our guide Riyadh's humor and jokes interlaced among many good facts and insight into Jordan
~Visiting Shobak Castle (built originally by the Crusaders in the 12th century) and making the 20-minute trek from atop and ...

... center. This place had a church that we believe was called the Virgin Mary church. This center also had part of the old Roman road and many mosaics of the tree of life. Many of the mosaics at this center also included animals and people with long hair bound in a clasp with large almond shaped eyes.

We then walked to the next church and looked at all the different shops along the road. It was hot out, about 85 F and some of the Arab ...

... because there was money being drawn out from Egypt and Jordan. I know we were getting money out, and to make matters worse we had told them that we were going on a trip before we left!!!!!! Talk about a bunch of NEDs! Ok rant over. So we were on the bus and were headed north still. One more stop before the group decended to our lowest point.

At this stage we were following in Moses steps (however we hadn't been lost for 40 years) our bus was ...

... customs officials were a darker shade of brown. Amman was unrecognisable from the grey capital we had toured through five months before. Burning heat sears into white skin and long legged tourists who have picked up digestive problems in Damascus retch out of what were previously white taxis. It was a good reminder that just because you've been somewhere once- doesn't mean by any stretch of the imagination that you 'know' what that ...

... the heck not try. The owner Moseleh said that they were full for the night but that sometimes people cancel and back out etc. and that he'd try to fit us in. In the mean time we could leave our bags in the hotel and he'd be happy to drive us the 3 km to the Petra park entrance.

Moseleh is either the nicest man in Jordan, the slickest man in Jordan, or both. Probably both, but he's great and his hospitality is unmatched.

We sat in the common room of ...