To Aqaba and back to Madaba

We arrived to Aqaba afternoon, this time we drove only on King's Highway, not on small roads and to Aqaba we entered via Wadi Ithm, as Lawrence LOL. Of the memory to Arab revolt there is 130 m high Flagpole which can be seen from Israel, Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

Next day we explored the coast until border to Saudi Arabia, but it was a little boring because it was potash industries there near so it was not so exciting to see it. But anyway, fun it was to see the border.

I was a little disappointed of Red Sea, I thought it will be more nice or so, it was windy also and not as I was imagined it will be. But, nice it was anyway, funny also to be in one country and see 3 other countries around of.

We drove to Aqaba, because we stayed at hotel Bedouin Garden outside the city, nice place, near the sea where I took also later a bath, but due the wind and those narrow spraying of small waves, it was not so fun to swim, unfortunately.

I wanted see the castle of course, Mamluk Castle or Aqaba Fort is more used name. This heavily defended Turkish stronghold fell to a daring Arab camel charge while Lawrence marched into.

The Hashemite coat of arms above the main entrance commemorates the Arab Revolt that swept through Aqaba, ousting the Turks. It is not much visible on my picture, but it is there in any case, in the windows there up.

Unfortunately the castle was closed due renovation, but I asked the guard to let me go inside because I am not in Aqaba every day and he was very nice and allowed me to go inside and take a look over the inner courtyard there.

More that day we not did, sat a while in the cafe there where I saw a woman smoke shisha, so it was interesting to see women sitting on the cafe and smoke. I am used from Morocco that women there go never alone to the cafe and not smoke at all. So I was really surprised when I saw that women in Jordan probably are more free than i Morocco? Even if we not saw many women on the countryside so in cities it was completely normal to see alone women.
They asked me if they can take picture of me and they got of course to do it, and I got then take a picture of them also.

The whole day was gone, we not wanted to run around Aqaba for to see all the "must see" which I hate actually to do. I want to see what I want and not what it says I "must see", even if I maybe miss something interesting, but for me important is to feel, to absorb the places, to see the life etc. not to running "kill myself" for to not miss anything.

Next morning we started towards Death Sea, to Mujib reserve where we should stay 2 nights by Death Sea which I looked forward. The driving was wonderful through the desert there, the road was very nice and good and I also got a fine LOL, because I was stupid.

I saw the sign with Speed control, but in front of me was driving one other car so I followed him in the same speed as he went. We arrived at the police control and the car could continue, I thought I get it too, but NONONO, I was stopped and got the fine ticket. Then I saw on the contrary direction has been another car, with tourists and they had to pay also. So I realized that tourists might be stopped but not locals, unfair.

When we began to approach us Dead Sea I began to be careful because I not wanted to miss sign to Lot's cave, because I find the story about him and his wife quite interesting. Not because I would believe that she turned into a pillar of salt, but because it was funny actually (sorry if I hurt someone). So I got to see her as a stone instead and on the place was now lowest on the earth located Museum. And somewhere there was also Sodom and Gomorrah.

Lot's wife ? ☺

Swimming or rather lying in the Dead Sea, I can not document, because my friend was outstanding as he was taking pictures of me. Not a single picture he made, although he clicked the button and therefore took very many pictures, he claimed. So I can not look at me lying in the Dead Sea, though I went to swim again when his first attempt failed. So even his others attempts failed.

But nice and interesting it was, to swim, could not do faster movement, when I turning on me it threw me up and it was difficult to swim, could only lie and so. A little strange feeling I had also, didn't really trusted that it will not drown me. I can swim of course so I cannot drown, but mostly I was afraid to get the water in the eyes due I read you can fall in agony. And it I wanted not to do of course.

  

 

Pictures above were done on our trip a bit on the coast and then towards Machaerus, wonderful view overall. Unfortunately we came never all the way up due my friend who have difficult to go and it was not possible to drive up with the car, only one little bit.

Wanted go also to Mujib reserve, to see and experience this as I read wonderful place, but due my friend as I mentioned already, we skip it, because it would be impossible for him to go there.

We continued then towards Baptism Site. Once I heard one wonderful song about river Jordan, a wonderful melody it was also so the river Jordan was on my list over the places I wanted to see in the Jordan. So of course I have gone there to see it, not because Jesus Christ was baptized there, but just for the song I had to see the river. Pity that it was so muddy and not so blue as it should be, but nice it was in any case.

 

The river has nicely snaked from the beginning and along the place, where on the other side, Israel side, with all respect, had some crazy people baptized them self.

Instead of looking at them I have gone to look at the Church which name I cannot remember and find either. But it was nice small church with very beautiful paintings and frescoes.

We continued then towards Ajloun and I wanted to program GPS, but it wanted not find Aljoun. So I drove as I thought it will be right way, wanted in any way skip the road from Amman up to Jerash and go on the road 65 and then on a small one to right to Aljoun. But I took wrong road and we came to Al Salt and it was terrible there to find out from the town. At finish we needed to ask a taxi driver to take us out on the right road to Ajloun, otherwise maybe we would drive there still LOL.

Earlier I saw Arabic castle in Spain and Morocco of course, but no one of them was like Qal'at Ar Rabad - Ajloun castle, can I say. This was a maybe much strictly military castle. It was built for to protect the country from Crusader attacks. It is on the hill with wonderful view over the landscape.

Then it was time for us to return to Madaba, drop off the car and see the rest of places in the town we did not saw before. This time I found easy the connection from Ajloun to the road 65 which we drove on until there we would turn left to Monte Nebo and Madaba. It was nice way, I drove not fast, because I wanted to enjoy last pieces of the country, it felt a little sad I can say. We made coffee stop near Death Sea, I like much Arabic coffee so I also bought a little to take with me home. Wanted also to buy this tea we drank in Wadi Rum, but forgot the name and not saw any shop or rather, I forgot and when I remembered, it was too late. LOL

Our last day was not so beautiful weather in beginning, windy and cooler it was also, but afternoon it was better. We walked a little, between other visited archaeological park with nice remains and mosaics also from Byzantine times.

We sat on the bench then in the park a little and enjoyed the place, the sun and our last day in Jordan. And not had a feeling at all to go back home.