JERASH
We left Amman and traveled to Jerash by bus, an adventurous trip. It was the first day during our whole time in the Middle East that it was cold and raining. It was the first rainfall in six months. We were not prepared for this, as we had left our rainwear and umbrellas back home. And neither, apparently, were motorists prepared. On our way to Jerash we saw several accidents caused by the slippery highway. The most serious accident we saw was an overturned bus carrying students to Philadelphia University. Our driver drove very slowly and cautiously along the winding hilling terrain, and we were grateful for his expertise.
Jerash is one of the best examples in the Middle East of a Roman town. Dating back to Alexander the Great (330 B.C.). It is a wonderfully preserved town and we spent a lot of time walking around. We did not go with our group, not only because it had been raining when they started out, but also because we felt "toured out" and wanted to wander around without hearing any explanations. Our solicitous guard, Aiad, who by now we considered a friend, did find us and we had a chance to visit with him and exchange personal information as he gave us a separate mini-guided tour before he joined the larger group.
At the end of our walk, we did reunite with the group and were taken to an open air theater to watch a rehearsal. A group was practicing maneuvers of the Roman army as part of a tourist program that was to be presented at a later date. It was very interesting, especially the demonstration about how the Roman soldiers used their shields. We hope the presentation was well done because the admission fee was going to be $30.
These boys were enjoying a half day off from school because of Ramadan. Which one is a Christian? He made a point of telling us that he was not observing Ramadan as his friends were, but it is obvious from the photo that they were all good buddies. Even though we didn't buy any of their postcards, they spent a lot of time with us. However, after we took their picture they made it very clear that they wanted money, and asked for gum, pens or anything else that we had on our person when we refused to give them more than $1.00 in cash.
Perhaps the highlight of the trip was a visit to a site that was not on our itinerary. Anas asked if we would be interested in seeing the location of Jesus' baptism. It had only recently been opened to tourists and the daily number of visitors is restricted. The archaeological team from Jordan University was led by one of Anas' professors. Initially skeptical, we were soon won over by Anas' explanation of how the location was verified by physical findings as well as written accounts going back to the first century A.D.
The legendary Jordan River of the Bible was a disappointment to see. Reduced to the size of a small creek by the draining off of its waters for irrigation, the border with Israel was just a few feet away. We saw no Israeli soldiers there, but a Jordanian soldier appeared and stayed with us. Sadly, just across the river we could see a large structure. Built by a Christian group before the 1967 war, it had been closed by the Israelis for security reasons and had not been used since.
The Jordan River was very muddy and although some of us filled bottles from the River to take home as a souvenir, others decided to take water from the baptismal font that is located next to the river. The water is from the river but has been filtered. Some in our party told us stories of getting water directly from the river during previous journeys to this region and that the water had to be discarded because it became so foul. Thus we chose to fill our water bottles from the font for use in baptisms back in our home church.
This is the wilderness that completely surrounds the area around the baptismal site. We imagined that this what it may have looked like at the time of John the Baptist. The trees are acacia trees.
On the way back to Amman we made a brief stop at Ar-Rabad castle. It was pretty spectacular to see it first on top of a mountain shrouded in fog and mist. It was built in 1184-88 as one of a series of castles to defend against the invading Crusaders. It is not a very large castle, but it was an interesting stop to experience a little bit of history and to see a spectacular view of the Jordan Valley.
The inside was interesting to explore with its many rooms, passageways, niches, and a museum.
On our ride back to Amman we asked if the bus could slow down so that we could get a shot of Philadelphia University
Back at the hotel in Amman we took one last look at the Ramadan decorations in the lobby and then prepared for our last meal in Jordan.
We would be going to a folk center/resort? that supposedly is a favorite place of the royal family. Here as in many public places in Jordan we would find picture boards with various photographs of royal family groupings. The restaurant/folk center was the biggest disappointment of the whole trip, however. First of all everyone was sick of buffet meals by this time. The place was over-crowded and very noisy and poorly organized so that getting food was mass confusion. When we finally did get our food it wasn't very good. It seemed that many of the shops were closed and the ones that were open seemed to be nothing more than over-priced tourist traps. We heard many people grumble about the place and say they were going to write letters of complaint to Grand Circle.
As we prepared to leave Jordan and fly back to Cairo for one last night before our return trip home we talked about our overall impression of Jordan with the best word describing it as "delightful". We knew we would want to come back some day. But first we had to say good-bye to our new friends including Marie's special friend....
We weren't as certain about our overall view of Egypt and in Israel it is difficult to escape the political climate. But we were grateful for all that we saw and experienced and feel like we are heading home with a better understanding of the people and places in this part of the world.
Back in Cairo things became very hectic. We arrived late to our hotel, our flight was very early in the morning and our luggage didn't get delivered to our room for a long time after we arrived. Everything needed to be rearranged for the trip back and we needed to get our luggage before we could do that. It turned out that we were only going to get a couple of hours sleep before having to start all over.
Our program director had overslept and was late getting to the bus, our promised assigned airline seats were not honored, and tickets were handed out at random instead of receiving our own. This had happened on several other legs of the trip, thus making it impossible for those of us who wanted frequent flyer miles to claim them. Overall, it was mass confusion at the airport and no one seemed to know what they were doing. There was much frustration in our group that was exacerbated by our tiredness.
Finally getting settled on the Egyptian Air plane we began our long flight home but the adventure was not over and we began to take stock and put some our thoughts into words.
In retrospect the advantages of organized travel outweigh disadvantages for this particular trip as we know we wouldn't go to Israel or Egypt on our own. The "womb" of Grand Circle smoothes the way through customs, and through security and military checkpoints within countries.
However, everyone is sick of each other--- Who would want to spend a month with family members or even close friends that number more than 30 -- each with their own idiosyncrasies that can drive one crazy when worn down with fatigue.
As with most groups -- there is the designated self-appointed tour directors who must tell people what to do, where to go and what is going to happen next -- announcing everything in a loud voice -- even if it is erroneous information.
There are always people who jump in front of you just as you are about to snap that perfect photo.
There are always those "ugly Americans" who need to talk in loud voices, wear inappropriate clothing in conservative countries, take pictures where it is forbidden, show their ignorance or biases and intolerance in their questions and let the guides think that everything should be as it is in the USA. Then we want to cringe. There are those who chatter away the whole time the guide is talking without regard for others, believing that their constant stream of conversation is far more interesting and amusing than what we might learn from our experienced guides. Our favorite is always the guy who thinks he knows much more than the guide or anyone else in the group and must blurt out his pronouncements to edify everyone within a square block.
Don't get us wrong -- there were many delightful travel companions, some of whom we would like to travel with again, people from whom we learned a great deal in private conversations, conversations that weren't fraught with competition or aggressive one-ups-manship. One thing we particularly noticed is the number of couples who genuinely seem to like each other. That feels good.
Eight hours into our Egypt Air flight we feel desolate sadness. The attendants are doing their job but some are not liking it very much and several of us comment that we feel definite anti-American sentiment. It is clear they don't like us. One attendant is hostile when she informs us that they don't have any more Diet Coke --- but soon after that we see her serving it to a non-American passenger. We feel such sadness about all the ignorance and misunderstandings in the world.
Yesterday a friend sat beside a Muslim woman and had a delightful conversation between two women, until the woman discovered our friend was American. Then she turned her back and shunned our friend for the rest of the trip. So sad...
A young Egyptian man is a seatmate of another American couple. It is his first trip to the USA and he and our traveling companions are positive ambassadors for their respective countries. A joy.
A beautiful child of about 2 or 3 is walking in the aisle and our hearts are in our throats as we think about the innocence of little children. We want the world to be a better place for this little guy.
Many of our fellow travelers wore inappropriate attire throughout the Middle East trip and one reported to the group that she was told it was okay because "They already know we are Americans." She thought that was a good thing. Some of us were appalled.
Our Jordanian guide told us that many of his friends despise Americans and he asks them, "Have you met any Americans?" Usually the answer is "No."
We have strong feelings about what we project to the world and how we many come across as "Ugly Americans". Each time one of us projects a negative image it is as if we reflect all of America. Not fair -- but that is the way it is. This was much more noticeable on this trip than on any we have taken in the past. Perhaps it is because of the region of the world we were traveling in and perhaps it is because of our foreign policy.
In our mind's eye we see the four young students with their arms around each other, playing and laughing, discussing Ramadan and school, with one announcing he is a Christian. Why can't this be a microcosm.
We reflect on our armed guard's telling us that he worked in Bethlehem for 8 years. He passionately told us that everyone wants the same thing -- peace and safety for our families but it is the governments that cause the problems -- not the people. He is young, newly married and wants a different kind of world for his children. He also is a devout Muslim who quietly observes the fast as he watches us Americans piling our plates with food.
We overhear a fellow passenger loudly telling another about a book called Two Faces of Islam that he says uncovers the "truth" about the religion. We cringe.
And so it goes ... and for now we feel sad and reflective.
We leave you now and hope you will join us on our next adventure ... a trip around Cape Horn and on to Antarctica.
But for now, Good-bye from our view of the Middle East...
