A JORDANIAN JOURNEY

I LIVE ON THE NORTHERN OUTSKIRTS RIYADH-BUT ONLY 20 MINS TO DOWNTOWN AND 30 MINS TO THE AIRPORT.THE WHOLE CITY IS A HUGE CONSTRUCTION SITE WITH ENTIRE COMMERCIAL BLOCKS AND SUBURBAN BLOCKS UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION AT ONCE.BUSINESS PARKS,UNIVERSITIES AND HOSPITALS ARE POPPING UP IN THE DESERT THAT TYPICALLY LOOKS LIKE THIS.SANDSTORMS -JUST GENTLE ZEPHYRS CARRY FINE DUST THAT PENETRATES WINDOWS AND FANS LEAVING A GRITTY VENEER. MOSQUITOES HAVE BECOME A PROBLEM .I THINK I HAVE A MUTE STRAIN -CAN'T HEAR THEM.I HAVE HAD TO RESORT TO THE CLAPPING METHOD OF DISPATCH AS THE WHITE MATT WALLS OF THE APPARTMENT WERE BEGINNING TO LOOK LIKE A CRIME SEEN WITH BLOOD STREAKS FROM MY STRIKES .MY BLOOD SPLATTERED EVERYWHERE.AS I HAVE DONE THIS BLOG I HAVE HAD A SENSE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT INTERSPERSED WITH THE THRILL OF THE KILL.QUITE SAD REALLY!!!

TRIED TO SHOW THE STEEP VALLEY WALLS THAT AMMAN IS BUILT ON.FOR A SUPPOSEDLY HOMOPHOBIC SOCIETY SCENES LIKE THIS ARE THE NORM AMONG MEN AND BOY FRIENDS.

KEPT GOING BACK TO THIS PARTICULAR SHOP BOUGHT A NUMBER OF ITEMS -GOOD PRICES TO WHART I HAD SEEN AROUND.

THO OLD GOLD MARKET.GOLD STILL HIGHLY SORT AFTER DESPITE PRICE-COMPARATIVELY CHEAP HERE.STIL IMPORTANT CULTURALLY AS PART OF DOWRIES.

TYPICAL HOUSING ESTATE.ON FRIDAYS EVERY BLADE OF GRASS IS COVERED WITH FAMILIES OUT PICNICING IN THEIR FRIDAY BEST.

WALLS AND RIDGES ALL BUILT ON.

NATIONAL PRIDE RUNS HIGH.

THE ROMAN THEATRE FROM RIDGE WHERE THE ROMAN CITADEL IS LOCATED.

PALACE RUINS OLD AMMONITE 2-3 CENTURY BC.

THIS SHOT WAS A WARNING IF THE POLLUTION TO COME.

6TH CENTURY BYZANTINECHAPEL ST GEORGES WITH AN OTTOMAN 19TH
MANSION BUILT ON TOP.JUST UP THE ROAD FROM WHERE I STAYED.IT WAS BRITISH HQ DURING ARAB REVOLT 1916-17.

TE LAWRENCE WRORE SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM HERE. FOR DECADES IT WAS THOUGHT TO BE AN EXAGGERATION AND LARGELY FLIGHT OF FANTASY BUT STUFF BEING RELEASED BT THE SECRET SERVICE IS STARTING TO PAINT HIM IN A BETTER LIGHT. A LOT OF MY JOURNEY WILL BWE TRACING HIS FOOTSTEPS.

AN INTRICATE ARRAY OF STEOPS START HIGH UP AMONG HOUSE IN THE RIDGES AND ULTIMATELY END UP IN MAIN STS VIA SHOPPING MALLS,MARKETS AND OFFICE BUILDINGS.

ROW OF TAXIS ON STEEP ONE WAY ST.TOP CAR IS ACTUALLY LAST TO FILL.LAST IN RANK COMES UP HILL AND REVERSE TO FRONT OF QUEUE.AS BOTTOM CAR ACTUALLY FIRST IN RANK LEAVES THE REST REVERSE DOWN ONE SPACE!!!

BAPTISM OF PLASTIC EN ROUTE VIA LONG DEAD SEA AND ON TO PETRA

A RATHER DODGY GPS UNIT COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT A LOT OF ROADS ARE NEW OR BEING UPGRADED LED ME TO SOME UNPLANNED DESTINATIONS.I WAS TRYING TO GET TO SALT -WHERE SULTANAS ORIGINATED FROM DRYING A LOCAL VARIETY OF GRAPE.I DID GET THERE GOT STUCK OF ON A STEEP INTERSECTION AND HAD TO REVERSE DOWN A EQUALLY STEEP ROAD BEFORE HIGH-TAILING OUT OF IT!!THESE PHOTS WERE OFF THE BEATEN TRACK AND SOON DISCOVERED POPPY LADEN FIELDS AND THE STEEP LIMESTONE COUNTRY THAT DOMINATES THE ARABLE LAND OF JORDAN.

EVIDENCE OF PEOPLES FROM LONG AGO ARE EVIDENT EVERYWHERE.

ROADSIDE STALL WITH FLARE.

IF JC NEVER RODE A DONKEY INTO JERUSALEM -HISTORY WOULD HAVE TURNED A DIFFERENT CORNER. STILL A COMMONFORM OF TRANSPORT AND CAARYING.

FORTRESSES DOT THE LANDSCAPE-A CONTANT REMINDER OF THE CENTURIES OF CONFLICT OVER ALL TYPES OF BIGOTRY IN THE CRADLE OF CIVILISATION???!!

JORDAN VALLEY.

THIS WAY TO ISRAEL-ANOTHER TIME-WOULDN'T BE ALLOWED BACK INTO SAUDI WITH EVEN A JEWISH FINGERPRINT ON MY PASSPORT!!

THE GPS SENT UP ALL THESE UNPASSABLE LANES IN NO-MANS LAND BETWEEN JORDAN AND ISRAEL-EN ROUTE TO WHERE JB BAPTISED JC IN (SORT OF) THE JORDAN.IT IS VERY FERTILE MARKET GARDENING COUNTRY -MASS IRRIGATION MAKES THE DIRT ROADS IMPASSABLE!!

CHURCHES-MUST BE GETTING CLOSE.AFTER A GREAT DEAL OF RESTRAINT THE COMPETITION AMONG CHRITIAN SECTS SEEMS TO BE ON TO BUILD THE FLASHEST CHURCH NEAR THE BAPTISM SITE.NUMBERS GAME I SUPPOSE ROLL 'EM IN KEEP THOSE CASH REGISTERS TICKING OVER .

YOU TAKE A CONVOLUTED WALKING TRAIL TO THE BAPTISM SITE TO GIVE THE ILLUSION YOU ARE GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY!!

THE BAPTISM SITE IS ACTUALLY ON A CREEK THAT ARISES FROM YES YOU NEW IT JOHN THE BAPTIST'S SPRING THAT FEEDS THE CREEK THAT FILLS THE POOL-WHERE IT ALL HAPPENED WHICH DRAINS INTO THE GREY,GREASY JORDAN.NO THAT WAS THE LIMPOPO-THE JORDAN IS ACTUALLY BROWN AND A FORMER SHADOW OF ITS FORMER 1KM WIDTH AT THIS SITE.

BAPTISM POOL.AN ARCH OVER THE SITE AND 16 SMALL CHAPELS THAT HAVE VISIBLE FOUNDATIONS HAVE FALLEN TO EARTHQUAKE AND OTHER NATURAL PHENOMENA-THERE IS AN IRONY IN THAT I AM SURE!!

FORMER CHURCH FOUNDATIONS.

JUST IN CASE YOU THOUGHT YOU BOOKED THE AMAZON TOUR!!

THATS IT.LOOKING ACROSS TO THE ISRAEL SIDE!!NO PULLING FACES!!WE HAVE THE BAPTISM SITE ON OUR SIDE NAAA NA NANAAAAAAAA! AND YOU CAN'T SEE IT -SO THERE!!!

THEY ONLY LOOK AFTER A 50 METRE PHOTOGENIC ALLEY.

YES I DIDN'T GET SHOTS OFF U-TUBE.

FIRST ALMOST LOOK OF THE DEAD SEA.

WISHED I STAYED BACK THE KNEE DEEP RING OF PLASTIC BOTTLES INDICATES THE SHORELINE ONLY 15 YEARS AGO.DAMMING THE JORDAN AND IRRIGATION HAS SERIOUSLY DEPLETED THE INFLOW OF WATER INTO THE DEAD SEA.I THINK IT MUST BE DEADER!!!

SOON THERE WILL BE WALL TO WALL 5 STAR HOTELS LINING A PLASTIC BEACH.THE PUNTERS WILL BE IN THE INDOOR POOLS ENJOYNG NATURE.

I COULD HAVE WALKED DOWN AND PADDLED FOR 15DINAR ($22 nz) LOCALS WENT DOWN FREE.I TOLD A VERY DOGMATIC OFFICIAL WHAT I THOUGHT AS I TOOK THIS PHOTO AMIDST YELLS OF PROTEST.HE IS PROBABLY IN LINE FOR MINISTER OF TOURISM
.

SALTS EVAPORATE ALONG THE EDGES AND WATER HAS AN OILY FEEL.

INTENSIVE HORTICULTURE IN POCKETS ALONG THE DEAD SEA.IRRIGATION EXTENSIVE AND A BIG MOVE TO TUNNEL HOUSES EASIER TO CONTROL WATER USE I GUESS.

FASCINATED BY BEDOUIN CAMPS -MANY HAVE SOLAR POWER.SORRY YOU WILL SEE A FEW PHOTOS LIKE THIS.

KARAK CASTLE -AMAZING STRATEGIC LOCATION.COMMANDEERED ABD ADDED TO BY AT LEAST FOUR CRUSADING EUROPEAN LEADERS ON A MISSION.WHEN THE CRUSADES RAN OUT OF PUFF THE MAMALUKES GREATLY MODIFIED IT IN 16 CENTURY. NEXT SHOT.

I FIRST THOUGHT THIS WAS A PUBLIC TOILET NEXT TO MY HOTEL-LIKE THE TAJ MAHAL SO CALLED IN CAMBRIDGE TCE WELLINGTON-NOW A RESTAURANT!!

WATER FLOW YES THIS IS ANOTHER AIN MUSA -A ROCK THAT MOSES STRUCK-IN ANGER I BELIEVE AND WATER PORED FORTH.

THE ROCK ITSELF.

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