Jordan for the Kerak....

[NeilF]

Tremendous - thanks for the write up.


Cheers,

Neil.

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Saturday 7th Nov: Umm Qays, Jordan Valley, Baptism Site, Kerak.

Next morning, had breakfast at 6 – coriander on bread dipped in olive oil. Tasty!

Target today was to go to the north-eastern corner of Jordan. This is where Umm Qays is, another Roman City but one which was badly damaged in an earthquake in the 7th century. The ruins are being restored and it is a splendid site to walk around and to absorb. I was given a “tour” of the Museum by the Curator. There are some amazing statues / sculptures there and I was able to pretend not to see the “No Photography” signs.

http://picasaweb.google.com/laurenc...sGedaraRomanCity?authkey=Gv1sRgCMSQm-a0zbv5aA

I had left the bike near a stall selling various tourist souvenirs and the stall owner came over for a chat – and a tip for taking care of the bike. He suggested I should go out to the north of the town and see the border. I followed the road, through army checkpoints every 500 meters or so. No problems, they asked for ID and that was it. I felt a sadness looking over a beautiful valley thinking of all the hostility that exists among the peoples in the land. Recently, there was an article in the Arab News describing the water shortage in the areas west of the Jordan valley, and saying that this is one major reason why the Israeli’s are occupying the West Bank – to get water from deep wells drilled there. You could well believe there would be blood spilled over the water resources, because they are minimal and they are critical to survival of the farming which sustains the region.

Following the Jordan River valley southwards, I saw farming everywhere. Cows, crops, greenhouses, water in artificial irrigation canals. A busy place. When I stopped for a bite to eat, I found my water bottle was flattened by the airpressure increase from Umm Qays down to -250m below sea-level.

http://picasaweb.google.com/laurenc...ValleyToDeadSea?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3p5fPe_aCIigE

I headed for the Baptism Site where Jesus was baptised by John. Got close but not quite to the right place due to a big fence. More tourist buses so I kept moving.
I wanted to reach Kerak that afternoon so as to visit the famous castle early next morning. I took the road from the Dead Sea back up past Mount Nebo to Madaba, and then south on the Kings Highway. This is a splendid wide road, going up hill and down dale with spectacular switchback climbs and descents. The road narrows through towns and then resumes as a highway – not fun for the buses I am sure.

Near Mujib Dam, I stopped to take a photo and two young lads coming down the hill with a donkey caught my eye. One of the lads asked me for my camera and he took a snap of me – I look like a Yuri Gagarin! Their younger brother appeared with sister (who did not want to be photographed) – all very rural. They set off down the road and I tried to guess where they might be headed but failed.

http://picasaweb.google.com/laurenc...MujibDamToKerak?authkey=Gv1sRgCOH5hPLM2-qWhAE

Soon, I reached the town of Kerak. The narrow streets and congestion were mentioned in the Lonely Planet book, but they had a drainage scheme in progress too which meant many deep excavations blocking the narrow congested streets…I got close to the Castle, saw a sign saying “Hotel” and pulled up onto the footpath there and then. The “hotel” was pretty basic but it was in the right place and the traffic in the street was at a standstill. Big buses and small streets are a bad mixture.

After parking the bike in the entrance hallway, I was able to take a walk around to get the feel of the place before sitting down for some food at a pavement café. I was closely watched by a cat while I ate a quite tasty meal. Later walked about and bought some nuts in a nut shop!

The hotel had a shower like a fire-hose and good hot water and this made up for the lack of practically everything else. Oh well, must’nt grumble! Slept well after a few beers in another restaurant, apparently the only one which serves alcoholic beer in town.

And there I thought the Towers Hotel was upmarket Lawrence

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Hi,
Thanks for nice words and I should thank The Passportless One for his time proof-reading the draft.
Forgot to mention the drug-sniffing dogs at the border into Saudi - fist time I have seen them here.
Petcul, that hotel is a KIP, but a friendly cheap KIP, so no harm done. You sure have to go with the flow there, all the good hotels are very centralised and tourists bus out to the attractions, probably spend nothing there and bus back. The Modern Way.
Deffo wan to get to Syria, just Google "Noria in Hama" for instance.
Bin

 

[(RIP) petcul]

Great report and pics Lawrence. You were right about Petra. You need at least two but better three days to see it properly and to be there very, very early in the morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9096451@N05/sets/72157602254820332/

 

[Hamster]

Good report.
I've been to some of those places and it brought back lots of memories.

Brave man, doing it on alone and on a bike.
I do remember en route to Kerak coming across a main blacktop road that just stopped somewhere in the bondhu.
There was a simple sign 'Road Closed' and it was up to the driver to find an alternative route.
Daunting....

 

[Jockser]

Excellent write-up Laurence

I've always wanted to see Petra
But now it seems there's loads more to see.