After our first correct day exploring the traditional misplaced Kingdom of Petra in Jordan (additionally see our second put up right here from once we visited the traditional Monastery in Petra), we determined to spend the subsequent day exploring much more of Jordan by venturing up north in direction of the Useless Sea.
Besides, as a substitute of simply heading straight up there, we determined to take a little bit of a meandering route up there and cease off at some unimaginable spots alongside the best way.
To get round, we truly employed a driver by way of our lodge as that simply appeared like essentially the most wise choice.
The worth was truly fairly affordable and on prime of that, we had our buddy, Georgia, with us so it meant that prices can be shared between 3 and so even financially, it made extra sense than attempting to determine another method to get round.
We began off at Shobak Fortress, which isn’t too removed from Wadi Musa.
Wadi Musa, by the best way, is the city the place Petra is.
Shobak Fortress can be known as Montreal and dates again to the yr 1115 so it’s fairly an incredible historic spot to take a look at in Jordan.
We didn’t spend too lengthy there earlier than heading to our subsequent cease, town of Madaba.
The factor we had been searching for particularly in Madaba is a well-known mosaic map, aptly referred to as “The Madaba Map” which is situated within the church of Saint George.
The Madaba map depicts what’s now Jordan and the international locations throughout it and is likely one of the oldest maps doing so.
It dates again to the yr 542 making it nearly 1,500 years outdated so understandably it displays what the world would have regarded like again then and never what it seems like in current day.
Leaving Madaba we headed additional north as much as Mount Nebo which is talked about within the Bible because the place the place Moses was proven the promised land.
Mount Nebo can be the place Moses died, making this spot an necessary pilgrimage website for Christians, Muslims and Jews from everywhere in the world.
On clear days you’ll be able to see proper into Israel and Palestine in addition to the Useless Sea from Mount Nebo.
Now, on the very prime of Mount Nebo, you’ll discover Syagha or Siyagha (relying on who you converse to), which is house to the stays of a Byzantine church.
This is likely one of the issues you’ll be able to miss out if you’re right here because it has these extremely historical mosaics adoring the church partitions.
This church is consider to have existed way back to the yr 394 and once more is one other necessary historic spot to go to in Jordan.
Carrying on from there we made our manner over to the Useless Sea and it’s truly essentially the most surreal feeling if you step foot within the water there.
For the uninitanted, the Useless Sea is likely one of the lowest level on earth and the working idea round its formation (in easy phrases) is that it was once a part of the ocean however finally acquired minimize off on account of tectonic exercise.
Over time, it then evaporated making it increasingly salty (the water evaporates with none of the salt) and is now nearly 10 occasions as salty because the ocean.
This saltiness is why you’ll be able to float in right here with out making any effort.
Additionally, one other well-known factor right here is the mud you get from the Useless Sea.
It’s presupposed to be actually good to your pores and skin and to be sincere, it does really feel like that if you use it.
Like your pores and skin feels noticeable softer.
Understandably, there’s now enormous demand for this mud everywhere in the world.
Leaving the Useless Sea, we began to make our manner again to Petra however in a distinct path to the best way we truly arrived, travelling as a substitute this time, alongside the shore line of the Useless Sea.
The panorama down that route is completely fascinating and we needed to get out of the automotive a number of occasions simply to cease and take all of it in correctly.
And the journey again simply acquired much more particular because the solar set and earlier than lengthy, we had been again in Petra, able to lastly go to this historical misplaced metropolis at night time.
It’s actually referred to as Petra at night time and there’s a complete candlelit efficiency there and every thing.
I’ll share all of that within the subsequent put up – together with our go to to the maybe lesser identified ‘Little Petra’.