Where and when: Amman, Jordan, 5th February 2023
0800: Today is our last full day in Jordan and we have two more important sites to visit. the Roman ruins at Jerash and the Dead Sea.
0915: Arrive in Jerash. Jerash is the remains of a Greco-Roman city. It is one of the best preserved Roman cities outside of Italy.
Among the ruins of Jerash are an Amphitheatre, Temple of Zeus, Temple of Artemis, several Byzantine churches and an impressive Colonnade. Walking among the ruins very much reminded me of the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill in Rome.
Excavation works are still ongoing on the site, with much still to be discovered. At the Amphitheatre we were greeted to a bag pipe performance. It seems this is inherited from Jordan’s days under British rule. According to our guide, bag pipes are very popular here, with them being staple entertainment at weddings and other functions.
1100: Leave Jerash and on our way to the Dead Sea. Unlike the desert landscapes of the previous days, we are traveling through a mountainous terrain and the land is a lot greener and fertile. The drive is a steady decline as we head toward the lowest land-based elevation in the World, 430m below sea level.
1245: Arrive at the Dead Sea, and buffet lunch at the Holiday Inn Dead Sea Resort.
1330: The winds are very strong today, so unfortunately we cannot swim in the dead sea. A walk down to the beach showed us why. The sea is very rough with waves churning up a lot of mud. Although you cannot drown in the dead sea, ingesting ultra salty water and mud is no good for your health either so swimming is out of the question.
We still got to dip our feet in the sea. As a consolation prize, the resort staff also provided each of us with a fresh mudpack scooped from the sea to take back with us. Head back to Amman.
1600: Arrive back in Amman and a couple of us from the group visit the King Abdullah I Mosque. Mosque is open from 8am to 6pm for visitors, except at prayer times. Entry cost 2JD if you are not Muslim and women are asked to wear an Abaya and cover their hair (These can be borrowed from visitor centre). There is also an Islamic museum inside.
1830: Farewell dinner at the Ghaith restaurant – the very same one we went to on our first night here. And before I know it, it is time to say goodbye to my tour companions before we fly off into different corners of the world.
This trip to Jordan was great for so many reasons. The landscapes were breathtaking, I ticked so many bucket list items (Desert safari, camel ride, Petra, Snorkeling in the Red Sea to name a few). I also loved my tour group with Intrepid, forging friendships with many other travel-minded inidividual. But there are things I would change to make it an even better trip. Find out more in my next post.
Diary of a Tourist 