a sampling of sites

Here are a few pictures:


The sunset in Wadi Rum. I had not known that the desert could be so incredible. Che bellissima!


Setting out on our three-hour camel trek across the desert in Wadi Rum. Sixty camels made for quite a caravan.


The main ruins at Pella in the Jordan Valley. Pella was one of the Decapolis cities, ancient Roman cities that formed a major trade route across this region of the Middle East. We spent a day touring three of them (no Jerash pictures in this entry; those will come later). Note also the greenery in the background. The Jordan Valley is so verdant compared to the rest of the country; much of the local agriculture is produced in this area.

Some lovely columns from the church in Pella.



Basalt columns lying amid an olive grove at Umm Qais. Much of the city (another Decapolis member) lies unexcavated beneath these trees.

The view from Umm Qais. The mountain on the foreground (left) is still Jordan. The body of water is Tiberius (aka Sea of Galilee); beyond it is Israel. The mountainous areas on the right are the Golan Heights as occupied by Israel. Talk about proximity of countries.

More pictures to follow. Yalla bye, 'asdiqa.