Crusade to see a wondrous sight

Jul 12 2008 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

Sarah Judd takes in some of the historic places on offer in Jordan

A FEELING of peace and tranquillity seemed to descend on me in the exquisite country of Jordan.

The beautiful call to prayer from nearby mosques gives you an almost hypnotic feeling of calm and relaxation.

It’s a completely different world to what I am used to and, during my six-day stay, I was captivated by the warm welcome of the people and the harmonious co-existence of different cultures.

We had arrived in the capital, Amman, by Royal Jordanian Airlines, from Heathrow, to stay at the Le Meridien hotel.

There was a bit of excitement there, as the South Korean football team was staying there on the same two nights as us, ahead of their World Cup qualifier clash with Jordan.

Then, the next day, it was off to Jerash, an ancient Roman city known to be one of the best preserved in the world.

I will never forget how surreal it seemed standing in a beautifully-preserved Roman amphitheatre, listening to two Arabian men playing the bagpipes while doing a mock Highland Fling, but this kind of happy clash of cultures is what makes Jordan so special.

The capital itself has many historical sites, such as the Citadel, as well as an ultra-modern shopping centre featuring designer boutiques, a rapidly developing fine art scene, theatres and cinemas.

Sadly, there was not enough time for us to see everything this ancient and modern city had to offer, which would warrant at least three days to experience.

As well as a quick trip round Amman, our second day took us to Mount Nebo, a place of high importance for Christians, as the resting place of Moses.

As you stand at the top of the mountain, you see the Jordan River Valley where Jesus was baptised, the Dead Sea, Jerusalem and the promised land of Jericho, as the Bible says Moses saw them.

Even if you are not sure what you believe about religion, this is a truly awe-inspiring sight and one of the many spiritual experiences a trip to Jordan brings.

Nearby Madaba, city of mosaics, is also said to be one of the most memorable places in the Holy Land, with a contemporary Greek Orthodox Church featuring a sixth- century mosaic map in its floor depicting Jerusalem and other holy sites.

Next, we went to Petra – without doubt, the highlight of the visit – which also included snorkelling in the Red Sea, riding around the desert and floating in the Dead Sea.

Petra is, without a doubt, the most mesmerising, beautiful and peaceful place I have ever known.

Forget the fact it features in the 1989 film, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade – there is so much more to it than its Hollywood fame.

Not called the eighth wonder of the ancient world for nothing, this awesome 2,000-year-old city was carved in beautiful pink rock by an unbelievably talented and industrious Arab civilisation called the Nabateans.

The magnificent tombs and temples are so finely created, all you can do is stand in wonder at how it was possible, especially all those years ago.

That and the views looking down over the city below were special enough, but making the tiring journey back down late in the afternoon, we got to see Petra’s most famous monument, the Treasury, or Al-Khazneh, when there were only one or two tourists around.

The sun was lower and the rock even pinker in this rose-red city, and the peace and beauty of the site brought a lump to my throat.

It would have been good to spend at least a week here, exploring this ancient gem, but it was time to go off to Aqaba for a spot of snorkelling, where the beautiful tropical fish made for an amazing first experience of the Red Sea. Visiting the vast, echoing desert of Wadi Rum, and riding in ramshackle 4x4s across the sand which once carried the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, was yet another outstanding adventure.

We stopped at a Bedouin tent where tea was served and I was enrobed in a beautiful black dress with lovely coloured silks at the front and full headdress leaving only my eyes showing.

The Bedouins gave me my headdress as a souvenir, just another of many experiences I’ll never forget, highlighting the warm and generous nature of the Jordanian people that everybody in the world should experience – at least once in their lifetime.

SARAH JUDD was a guest of Jordan Tourism Board, visit www.visitjordan.com.

For more information on Movenpick Hotels Resort and Residence Aqaba, and Movenpick Resort Petra, visit www.moevenpick-hotels.com. Details on Le Meridien hotel, in Amman, from www.starwoodhotels.com/lemeridien, and for the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar visit www.kempinski-deadsea.com