Monday April 4,2011 at 6:45am, we embarked on our Journey to the beautiful country of Jordan.
8:00am-10:30- we crossed the border to Jordan
I have officially added three new countries to my passport in the last four months
First thing: We picked up Muhammad, our tour guide. he is a joker. he would tell his jokes over the microphone and then laugh hysterically after every one. we loved him. He called us his "lil Tigars"
Stace, Hiedi, and I were the master tiger "growlers" of the group...
Be scared
Our first stop.... Mount Nebo......
The significance of mount Nebo: John 3, 2 Kings 2, Deut. 34, Alma 45
Moses and Elijah are translated
Neat Fact: On April 3, 1836 (yesterday), Moses and Elijah restored the keys in the Kirtland Temple
do you like my notepad?
Bombarded. I was mauled by masses of very sweet Jordanian girls who love "yellow" hair. i cannot count how many pictures i was in....I felt like a Princess at Disney Land.
Next Stop: Wadi Musa
-Jordan is known for its immaculate Mosaics-
We visited Wadi Musa to watch Jordanians make the mosaics and pottery. It takes them about two and a half months to make one descent sized piece of artwork
This is Greg and I holding Ostrich Eggs covered with detailed mosaics..... ostrich eggs......talk about skill!!!!
We then ventured to a church in Madaba to see incredible Christian mosaics
The Highlight of the day........Machaerus
we hiked up this fortified hilltop to the palace (we are used to 90 degree inclines...calves of steel baby) and beheld one of the most gorgeous overlooks. we had a devotional at the top and discussed the significance of machaerus and the geography surrounding us (this is the dead sea behind me).
Machaerus is the location where John the Baptist was put into prison and later beheaded. Matthew 14.
stopped on the side of the road to see the national flower of Jordan: Behold, The Black Iris
zombies: we drove for 3.5 more hours and arrived at 9:30pm to the La Maison Hotel in Petra and had dinner.
We were greeted by soldiers with huge spears and drums
You realize that the Tomb of Aretas IV was where the Crusader was staying to protect the Holy Grail in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, right? At least, that the exterior of the location that they shot for it (the interior was obviously a soundstage).
ReplyDeleteI know, Can you believe that? We actually watched that movie a few nights before we departed for Petra, in order to get a taste of what we would be seeing!
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