The last leg of my Jordan trip was from Petra to the Dead Sea. We stopped in Madaba and Mount Nebo on our drive to the area. Madaba was our first stop, and famous for its beautiful mosaics. Or, instead, the Madaba mosaics are famous. This small town in Jordan, nineteen miles southwest of Amman and on the King’s Highway, houses one of the oldest maps of the Holy Land, built out of two million pieces and embedded in the floor of the Saint George Greek Orthodox Church.
A map of Madaba, Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
Mosaics of Madaba, Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
All I could think of when looking at this map was how physically fit these folks were. The distances were very long, and besides help from a donkey, they did a lot of walking. It was totally impressive!
Our next stop was Mt. Nebo. Mt. Nebo is said to be the area where Moses got to see The Promised Land and was believed to be buried. It was a soul-searching moment for me, especially after visiting the church with the ancient map and thinking about all that walking. It widened my perspective on Moses walking the desert for 40 years. Wow, talk about persistence!
Memorial of Moses in Madaba, Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
Then we checked into Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort, a fabulous resort right on the Dead Sea. As with Wadi Rum and Petra, the resort was an experience. My room had a view of the Dead Sea, and the property was so large that you had to call for a cart to take you from place to place. Yes, you can walk, but depending on time, they give you that choice. Here are some photos of this incredible resort.
Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort. Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
Golf cart transportation at the Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort. Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
A pool scene at the Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort. Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
The view from my terrace of the Dead Sea.
A view of the Dead Sea from the Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort. Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
And at night…
A nighttime view of the Dead Sea from the Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort. Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
While staying at this resort, we also visited the ancient city of Jerash, which pays tribute to the history of Roman influence in this part of the Middle East. We also visited the river Jordan, where my girlfriend and her husband baptized their two-year-old. I was fighting off the flies, which were annoying. What fascinated me was the short distance between the Israeli side of the river and the Jordanian side at the place of baptism. Interesting. See the flags.
Flags at the Jordan-Israel Border at the river Jordan. Photo by Sora Vernikoff
This was a fantastic trip. I truly enjoyed it and learned so much. Was it an easy trip? No. Especially because war broke out between Israel and Hamas/Gaza two days after we arrived.
But all in all, it was the trip of a lifetime since I don’t see myself returning. My memories and this blog will have to serve me. Praying for peace.
Readers may also enjoy our reviews of Petra, Jordan, Saraya Rum Luxury Camp, Morroco and the Sahara, A New Yorker’s Long Weekend in London, African Lion Safari and Niagara Falls, and Amman, Jordan.
