Oct 19 – Driving to the Dead Sea

Tara was up early and headed to the nearby waterfall up the canyon just a little ways from the hotel…but we stayed in.  From her photos it looked like a nice, pool-type set up at the base of the waterfall. 

A few photos of the hotel and we were off again. 

The area we are driving through has views along a massive canyon.  This must be the Grand Canyon of Jordan.

We stopped briefly at the Bani Hamida Weaving Center.  This center is set up to train women in the art of weaving and the center sells their work to help them raise money.  We bought a few small items.

From there we drove to an overlook where we could see ruins on a hill nearby.  Paul and Tara and our guide took the walk to the hill.  

Mary sat in the shade of an olive tree and enjoyed the views and the breeze.  

Paul and Tara’s first site was the Mukawer Fortress site.  We have seen ruins from previous civilizations all over the world...Iceland, Cambodia, Greenland, Peru, even tiny Menehune ruins in Hawaii.  And scattered across Europe and the Middle East from the Scottish Highlands to Aqaba Jordan.  And no two are the same...they vary in size, detail, backdrop, style, civilization and especially condition.  

Some seem barely touched by time.  Some have been extensively restored to look somewhat near original.  Some have been left as time and nature has left them after thousands of years. 

But I don't think we have ever seen any quite like the "ruins" of the Mukawer Fortress in Jordan.  They both had a good laugh as this archaeological site gives new meaning to “pile of rocks”.  It is literally a site on a hill with lots or rocks strewn about.  Not an iota of the original fortress was visible anywhere here...just rocks strewn across the hilltop.   But at least the views of the Dead Sea beyond were relatively good.  

From there they went on up the hill to Herod’s Palace, reputed to be where Salome danced for King Herod and then demanded John the Baptist’s head on a platter.  At least here there were some piles of rocks that looked like actual ruins. 

And there was one lone column.

There were also monk’s tombs around the hillside.

We did a drive by of Tell Dhiban, the site of a settlement dating back to at least the Bronze Age.  Again, just a drive by.

Then it was a long stop at Umm ar-Rasas.  This site was originally settled in the Bronze Age and then became a Roman station followed by the Byzantines who built many churches here. 

Heading out to the archaeological site we passed a modern, Islamic cemetery.

We saw the outer walls but didn’t tour the Roman Castrum.

The main site to see was the St. Stephens complex with a number of Byzantine churches and courtyards built side by side.

The mosaics here were incredible. 

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Video of Mosaics in St. Stephens
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We also visited the Lion Church.  The mosaics here are covered by cloth and then a layer of sand to protect them.  But our guide knew just where to look and uncovered a small portion showing a lion’s head.

We also saw the arches of St. Paul’s Church.

On the way out we saw the Priest Wa’il Church.  We could see the sand covered cloth here also but didn’t investigate. 

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More Umm Ar Rasas
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In a distance we could see the Stylite Tower (and then drove up to it later).  The tower was a platform for Christian Ascetics to live in isolation. 

From there we headed off to the Dead Sea with just a short stop on a hill to see the gorgeous sunset.  

We ended the day at the Crowne Plaza where we will have a day of relaxation. 

We had dinner at the Lebanese restaurant at the hotel.  We ended up ordering a number of appetizers to share.