In keeping with the religious holiday theme this weekend…Jordan.
Hit the Biblical hotspots in Jordan, the Middle East’s safest country.
Map of the area
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
It was at this spot in Jordan where Moses saw the “promised land” but didn’t set foot in it.
Jordan is a great place for beginners to Middle Eastern travel. It’s westernized enough that culture shock is mitigated yet clearly has a decidedly Middle Eastern and Arabic flavour. Jordan is considered the Switzerland of the Middle East which makes it as safe a foray as possible into this volatile region. It is literally in the centre of the action so it is in Jordan’s best interest to keep the peace, even if their neighbours don’t.
Sites to see in Jordan:
Petra
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Wadi Rum (the desert)
Sand storm
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
The Dead Sea
Photo by Kimberley (c)2010
There’s also Amman, the capital city with its numerous Roman ruins; Aqaba, the resort town on the Red Sea and the River Jordan where Jesus was reportedly baptized by John the Baptist.
Easter is a Christian festival recognizing the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is held annually on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring in the northern hemisphere. Passover is a spring festival in the Jewish faith that commemorates the Israelites freedom from slavery in Pharaonic Egypt. It’s interesting to note that the hotbed of conflict in the Middle East is the origin of three of the world’s major religions: Christianity, Islam and the Jewish faith.
Religious pilgrimages to the Holy Lands (areas in modern-day Jordan, Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Egypt) have the faithful visiting such sites as:
- where Lot was spared the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah
- the companions of the prophet Mohammed are buried
- Joshua crossed the river Jordan to Canaan, the ‘promised land’.
Ellie Hubert relaxing by the pool at the Dead Sea Resort complex
Photo by Kimberley (c) 2010
For more on Ellie’s travel adventures in Jordan, check out the following link:
A Pachyderm, A Broad – Jordan
Categories: Destinations, Holiday, Jordan, Photos, Travel
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