Sunset

Looking out over the Dana nature reserve - a great viewpoint. Catching up with holiday photos.

A hideously early start today as we needed to be in reception and checked out by 7.30. Finished our packing and had a rushed buffet breakfast when suddenly I had to use the loo and again once we were on the coach.

And unfortunately that set the pattern for the rest of the week - staving off the dodgy tummy with Immodium. I never felt unwell and some days were better than others which was a blessing but I wasn't able to partake of the food on offer as much as I'd have liked.

We drove to Madaba and Mount Nebo where Moses first saw the Promised Land. The views were good and would have been great without the haze that stopped us seeing all the way clearly to Israel and Palestine.

Tried to take pictures of the striking Brazen Serpent cross but the various group members of a Bible study tour from India insisted on hogging it to take endless individual photos. Well it was an important spot for them I suppose ha ha.
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Went into the church to view the gorgeous collection of mosaics before getting back on the coach, moving on to the Byzantine St George's Church with its striking 6th century mosaic of the Holy Land, apparently the first cartographic depiction of it. Stopped at a mosaics handicrafts place after and I was persuaded to buy a lovely silver mosaic tree of life necklace. Got my mum the cotton Jordanian scarf she wanted also.

Stopped for lunch at another tourist buffet restaurant again with good choice before moving on to Karak, a castle dating from the time of the crusades, again wonderfully preserved with intact interiors: soldiers' dorms, prison cells, streets and shops. Got a tour from a local guide. Being up on a hill, there were great views also.

Mid-afternoon during the drive to Petra, we stopped at a small café for mint lemonade and an ice lolly. Met Saleh's son here.

Carried on to Wadi Musa, the modern town next to Petra, via a view stop over the Dana nature reserve just as the sun was setting. Arrived at the Edom hotel, a smaller room and not such comfortable mattress and the reappearance of my dodgy tummy.

Stuck to two appetisers at the Red Cave restaurant next door while Dave tucked into fish and chips.

Holy Land mosaic https://365project.org/boxplayer/extras/2023-09-25

25 September 2023
Dana nature reserve viewpoint, Jordan

25th September 2023 25th Sep 23