Way Down Under (Sea Level)

No man can live this life and emerge unchanged. He will carry.. the imprint of the desert… and he will have within him the yearning to return…. For this cruel land can cast a spell which no temperate clime can match. “ - T.E. Lawrence, ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, 1926

Umm Ar-Rasas

History goes way back in Jordan, thousands of years. The most famous ancient city is of course Petra, with its iconic carved monuments (much more on this later). But there are also lesser known sites; Crusader castles, old churches and Roman cities. 

Umm Ar-Rasas contains the last two. Built in the 3rd Century, it was a large fortified Roman city which later became a town of early Christians, containing churches built in the 5th to 8th Centuries and containing some of the finest Byzantine mosaics anywhere. 

This was our first stop on our Jordan adventure. We arrived at the airport at 4:30 am and after immigration, coffee and picking up a SIM card, we picked up our little Chevy car and were on our way south. After a 45 minute drive, we arrived (thanks to the wonderful directions given us by Google Maps. This knows every little street in every little village). 

We had the Jordan Pass to enter the site. This is an essential thing to get before coming here. For about $110, this gives you free entrance into most of Jordan’s sites, including 3days in Petra and waives the $55 VISA fee 

At first, Umm Ar-Rasas seemed like one big pile of fallen and jumbled stones. But as we walked around, mostly off the main tourist road and following small trails, we found some extraordinary things. Although almost all of the buildings had fallen into ruin, there were many Roman arches that stood, sometimes in total isolation, showing just how remarkable and durable this element of Roman architecture is. 

There are also many churches here with fantastic Byzantine mosaics. Most have been left in situ and are still half buried in sand and weeds. Looking up close, they are extraordinarily beautiful and detailed. The most famous one, discovered in 1986, is an 8th Century mosaic in St Stephen’s church. It is now covered with a large roof to protect it and there are walkways to over the floor. 

About a kilometer from the main site, is a 50 foot tower that looks out over the adjacent farmland. Built in the 4th Century, somehow it has survived the various earthquakes that have hit the region. 

The Soft Landing

One thing Amy and I like to do on trips to 3rd world countries is to enjoy a soft landing. This is our term for staying in a more luxurious hotel than we normally would for our first night after a long trip. Our hotel this time was Ma’in Hotsprings Resort. This is a lovely spot, far from civilization, located in a deep riverbed and next to an amazing hotspring. The spring, which is several small creeks, rushes down the side of the wadi and comes down as a waterfall into several pools along the valley. The best one, which during much of the day is free and open to the public, is a fifty foot waterfall that tumbles into a large pool. Sitting under this fall, with the hot water crashing onto your head, is a fantastic experience. 

During most of the day, local people come to enjoy the spring. Of course, men and women are separated and, believe it or not, the women sit in the hot pool with their full on black burkas. You won’t see any bikinis here. 

The Dead Sea

Located at over 1400 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth. From our hotel, it was a long, winding road up the wadi and then a longer, windier road down to the sea. There is a road that goes along the Dead Sea, located about 50 feet above it. Because of climate change and overpopulation, the Dead Sea is shrinking rapidly, so the road used to go right along the shore. The highlight of the visit was hiking back into one of the many wadis that come into the Dead Sea. Giant boulders line the valley floor, having fallen from high on up the sides.