Exploring the world, one place at a time
A bustling, vibrant capital city that's home to more than one million people, Amman is a modern metropolis with ancient roots, having been inhabited in some form or another for millennia. Its former incarnations include Ammon, the capital of the Ammonite people during Biblical times, and the Greek and Roman city of Philadelphia. And it's where... Continue Reading →
The port of Aqaba lies on the southern tip of Jordan and is the country's main gateway to the sea as it's the only large town on Jordan's small strip of coast. As such, it's a popular destination for Jordanians hoping for some sea with their sun and sand. Aqaba was much more touristy than... Continue Reading →
In the run up to my trip to Jordan, I began reading TE Lawrence's The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, in which the former British army officer recounts his time in the region supporting the Arab Revolt during the First World War. In his memoir, Lawrence also raves about the beauty of Wadi Rum, a vast... Continue Reading →
A short distance to the north of Petra is Siq al-Barid, a small archaeological site commonly referred to as Little Petra, because it's essentially a miniature version of the world-famous ancient Nabatean capital. It's thought that Little Petra is where many Nabateans lived as it's mostly home to a series of dwellings with very few... Continue Reading →
On our second day in Petra, we set off at 7am to hike to the Monastery, an enormous monument cut into the rose-red rock, high on top of one of Petra's many mountains. Having learned our lesson about hiking in the searing midday sun the day before and with temperatures set to be even hotter... Continue Reading →
After our wonderful introduction to Petra via the Siq and the Treasury, we continued exploring the ancient Nabatean capital via the Outer Siq. The Outer Siq is a large path that leads to the heart of the City of Petra, and the rocks surrounding it are home to countless tombs and dwellings. As we walked... Continue Reading →
I don't mind admitting I've been dreading writing this post, not because I didn't enjoy Petra or because I had nothing to write about, but because it's such an extraordinary, unique place, it's almost impossible to do it justice in a blog post. How do you succinctly sum up one of the great wonders of... Continue Reading →
Regular readers of my blog may have noticed that I really, really love a castle and so it goes without saying I was very excited at the prospect of visiting Kerak Castle during my week in Jordan. The Crusader castle at Kerak is an enormous white limestone fortress, perched high on a hill overlooking its... Continue Reading →
Tucked away among the narrow streets of Madaba is St George's Church. And while from the outside, it may look like any other church, inside it's home to one of Jordan's greatest treasures – the sixth century map of Madaba. The Madaba Mosaic Map is a mosaic map of the Holy Land that's thought to... Continue Reading →
According to the Bible, Jordan's Mount Nebo is the place from which Moses saw the Promised Land right before he died. The mountain, which overlooks the Dead Sea, is today home to the prophet's purported grave, as well as a church and a small museum. It was bright and early when we arrived atop Mount... Continue Reading →
Little Old World 