The Promised Land, Mt. Nebo and Arrival at Petra

From the Citadel we said goodbye to downtown Amman and traveled through the suburbs and out into the country toward our next destination, Mt. Nebo, known as the place from which Moses viewed the promised land.

As we left the crowded city, we passed open fields where tents were randomly pitched. Our guide, Zac, told us these were Bedouin camps, where Arab nomads live as they have lived for centuries with their goats and camels. We would see a number of these throughout the day as we traveled through the deserts of Jordan on our way to Petra.

Mt. Nebo is a hill a little less than 3,000 feet high and is also where tradition says Moses died and was buried. As with most Biblical sites, there is controversy and conjecture over this.

A monument to honor and memorialize Moses

A sign points the way to the Promised Land.

And this is the actual view. 

The "Brazen Serpent" statue as talked about in the book of Numbers, created by
Giovanni Fantoni.

There are the remains of a Byzantine Church on Mt Nebo which is in process of being excavated and which contains beautifully-preserved mosaics.

Mosaic in the Byzantine Church on Mt Nebo

This camel-hair tent shields the church excavation

Leaving Mt Nebo, we journeyed a short distance away to a School of Mosaics in the town of Madaba. We saw every type of mosaic art in every stage of creation. Incredibly intricate, every piece must be constructed by hand, and these artists are taught the necessary techniques.

The early stages of creation

Approaching completion

and one last magnificent piece:

A table-top with inlaid mother-of-pearl

Some of us bought products to take or ship home, but reluctantly I passed on the opportunity.

We'd had a full morning, and it was now lunchtime. Perish the thought that we should miss a meal!

Our lunch spot was once again unique; a lovely shaded outdoor patio at Haret Jdoudna.

This is the restaurant's entrance.

Just inside the entrance resides the owner's vintage Mercedes

These steps led to the restrooms upstairs and illustrate the beauty of the patio where we dined.

Down the street, within walking distance of the restaurant, lies Madaba's arguably most important site--the Bysantine Church of St. George. Inside the apse of the church is its most impressive feature:  the Madaba Map, which is the oldest extant map of the Holy Land and especially Jerusalem. Unlike maps of our day, it is not oriented toward north but rather toward the east, oriented toward compass directions.

Exterior of St George's Church

Interior of St. George's

A quick walk back to the restaurant and our waiting bus, and we were on our way, at last, to PETRA.

This would be the longest drive we'd experienced to date, and we took advantage of the time to nap or catch up on emails with the bus's wifi or just gaze at the barren Jordanian desert.

The terrain turned more mountainous as we approached Petra, and the road twisted in hairpin turns as we neared the summit. Suddenly before us, perched on a cliff, was a magnificient Crusader castle:

This is known as Montreal Crusader Castle, and I found an interesting YouTube video describing it and showing some of its interior. Unfortunately we only got to view its exterior.

Speaking with Gila, she told me she'd sat where she had an excellent view of the very narrow road. "The wheels were right on the edge," she shook her head. "I thought we were awfully close."

Luckily my view wasn't that good.

Next stop:  Petra, land of the Nabateans.