Mosaic Floor Map of "Holy Land"

Madaba, 30 km southwest of the capital Amman, was our first stop in Jordan. During our stay, the Jordanian people greeted us with openness and generosity. People were happy to help with directions, share a story or teach us about their country and traditions. The hospitality we received at the Queen Ayola Hotel was like no other we experienced during our 2012 travels. Well, we can’t forget about the wonderful Shan family at the Queen Inn Hotel in Inle Lake, Burma. Maybe we should start staying at hotels with “Queen” in their name. Our experience these first two days in Jordan really made us excited about traveling throughout the rest of the country.

Madaba City Views

The quaint little town of Madaba is known for its Christian Byzantine mosaics dating back to 200 AD when the Romans conquered Jordan. The town Madaba flourished for five centuries until it was devastated by an earthquake. It was abandoned until the late 19th century when the Christians from the south in Karak migrated to Madaba. Soon thereafter they found spectacular mosaics buried beneath the rubble. The discovery included the most famous floor map of the Holy Land found in what is today St. George’s Greek Church. Continue Reading

For religious history buffs Mount Nebo is one of the most sacred places of pilgrimage since B.C. Most importantly it is the place where Moses looked out upon the forbidden promise land of Canaan and here he also died and is thought to be buried. Mount Nebo is an easy 10 km drive west from Mataba, the city of mosaics. The Sanctuary can be visited, including a memorial of Moses, remnants of mosaic floors of the old church as well as a small museum of artifacts. Restoration efforts were underway during our visit.

View from Mt. Nebo

The summit facing the dead sea overlooking the holy land is one of the most astonishing sights. It’s easy to imagine life during biblical times. The view excited us to spontaneously visit the Dead Sea from the Jordanian side. Next week, we will swim the Dead Sea from the Israeli side after visiting the controversial “capital city” of Jerusalem. The winding desert roads below Mt. Nebo took us through Bedouin villages, abandoned fortresses and villagers herding cattle. We stared and wondered how life can be so simple? Continue Reading