"Why are you going to Jordan" seemed to be a recurring question when I told people that I was heading here. Clearly none of them had ever been. I now find this question very easy to answer. There is much to fascinate here. From the Roman cities - of which Jerash in the North is the best preserved specimen outside of Rome- to the Southern dessert of Wadi Rum, there was plenty to keep us busy.
A mix of Christian, Islamic, Greek, Bedouin and Roman heritage, Jordan is a stable kingdom in the midst of some very funny neighbours. The land is scorched, the people are friendly and the food is yummy. All the Middle Eastern staples are present,the creamy hummus, the flat breads, the salty tabouleh, grilled meats and best of all mint tea and coffee with cardamon.
Little did I know that most of the fabled locations in our Christian heritage are located here. Bethany, the place where Jesus was baptised, Mount Nebo, the place where Moses died. Mukawir where Herod had his palace.
The Dead Sea is probably the stuff of fascination to every kid who first read about water where you cannot sink and a sea below the actual sea level.
And surely, Lawrence of Arabia who roamed extensively in Syria and Jordan, is the epitome of a great adventurer gone native.
It is a holy land. Well,one of them at least. There is nature, adventure, history and myth and we can't wait to see it all.
