The JEWEL of the MIDDLE EAST
The wonders of this ancient land are so spectacular it’s no surprise the film world uses it as a backdrop to some of the big screen's most spectacular movies
IN 1989, Indiana Jones cracked his whip for a third time on his Last Crusade and the hauntingly beautiful wonders of Petra were exposed to the world. Since then the façade of the Treasury building has become a bucketlist destination and the Rose City a modern wonder of the world.
My Petra adventure begins at the Siq, a 1.5km-long passageway, and only accessible entrance to the ancient city built by the Nabateans in the 6th century BC. Elegant Arabian horses are on offer to speed my journey but I want to soak up my surroundings.
Along the way, carved sculptures of merchants and camels have been beaten by water and wind erosion, with only their legs remaining.
Then like Indy before me, a crack in the path reveals the façade of the Treasury, exploding in iridescent shades of pink and red. Each step through this ancient city takes me to another wonder, such as the monument to the kings, splendid monasteries and humble dwellings of those who have passed before.
Petra was unknown to the west until its discovery by Swiss explorer Johann Burckardt in 1812. It’s coincidental perhaps that a Swissman found this city because Jordan can be described as the Switzerland of the Middle East. The mapped borders resemble a cookie-cutter shape of an angel in profile that operates in peace and tolerance and appears untouched by its neighbours’ tribulations.
I’m as motivated as Indy to explore more as we drive along the King’s Highway in a tour bus with air con and wifi — luxuries that eluded Moses as he brought his followers from Egypt.
He didn’t have the expertise of our guide Wael from Nebo Tours either, who is a font of wisdom and stories.
Spectacular vistas litter the highway but it is at Mount Nebo that the connection with the Bible becomes real. This is where Moses was shown Canaan, the Promised Land, and on a good day Jericho and Jerusalem are visible. A monument to commemorate Moses stands next to a
Byzantine church and olive tree that Pope John Paul II planted during his visit in 2000.
Jordan’s capital city, Amman, is a bustling metropolis with an ancient citadel overlooking the present day. We stop at Sufre on Rainbow Street, the perfect restaurant to sample Jordanian cuisine in an authentic setting.
Spices are an important part of the local food and for centuries the spice trade from east to west converged on Jordan. To work off lunch we stroll through the Islamic Umayyad Palace and Byzantine Church as the sound of the call to prayer serenades the incoming dusk.
A flock of pigeons take to the sky and dance in harmony over the city below.
We are taking a drive through the beautiful arid desert to discover the Dana Nature Reserve and watch the sunset in all its glory. Walkers who enjoy exploring natural canyons will be satisfied for days with the selection and variety of challenging hikes. It’s possible to stay in this Middle Eastern canyon overnight but we have a date with the Dead Sea.
First we check into the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar for the night. Overlooking the pools and private stretch of beach, I enjoy fine dining, while a warm breeze from below the balcony whispers to me that tomorrow will be a special day.
I wake with the excitement of a child on Christmas morning (in balmy sunshine of course) and skip down to the sea, swimsuit ready. I’m not the most amphibious but even I won’t have trouble staying afloat.
The Dead Sea is at the lowest point on earth at 427m below sea level and apparently it’s alive with minerals and healing properties. Half the fun at the beach is slathering on the slate grey mud, which I do with gusto and relish the wash off as I bob up and down in the salty water as weightless and carefree as an astronaut on the moon.
An hour north of Amman is the Greco-Roman city of Jaresh. Often compared to Pompeii, I can almost hear the chariots over the cobblestones as they would have trudged 2,000 years before. The amphitheatre holds the delightful drone of bagpipes as three musicians entertain us with Amazing Grace. The
Jordan’s Ayla Golf Club is in the top three ecofriendly designs in the world and generates enough power from solar panels to support itself and the course’s water requirements. This sixyear-old 18-hole championship course was designed by Greg Norman and built on a minefield that took two years to clear.
pipers are dressed in Jordanian military attire — remains from the British occupation during the early 20th century, as are the bagpipes.
Then, as we climb up to The Temple of Zeus, there are breathtaking views of the streets below. Fields of yellow flowers fill the skyline to the left and Hadrian’s Arch marks the entrance to the city on my right. Every step forward takes me back in time as Jordan presents more magical surprises than the Holy Grail.
The town of Madaba lies south of Amman and we’ve come to dine at Hikayet Sitti (my grandmother’s table) — a house that serves guests with authentic home cooking. The flavours and aromas from the kitchen waft past the pictures of the proprietor’s grandchildren in their Holy Communion attire. Madaba is home to many Christians and has a past that serves to highlight the tolerance of faith in Jordan.
The society’s composition has evolved from various religions and ethnicities, and bonds between the people were formed well before any borders were drawn in the region. So you may find a family where the father is a Bedouin from Jordan, the mother is a farmer from Palestine and the grandmother is Armenian.
My trip begins three days
before Ramadan and I witness first-hand the Christian community giving out water and dates at traffic lights to help Muslim neighbours make it through the final hours of daylight.
Ramadan is similar to Lent in the Christian faith, with fasting from dawn to sunset, and as we navigate the King’s Highway I find we share more similarities than differences.
In the church of St George, a colourful mosaic portraying an ancient map of the Middle East covers the floor. Some biblical locations — including the baptism site of Christ — were only discovered after the map was revealed. A cacophony of chanting fills the air as I sit on a wooden pew transfixed by the peace and echoing voices. I’ve found such solace in many of the spiritually haunting sites we have visited on our journey — forever surprising but always enchanting.
I then retreat to the desert to sip champagne on a hand-woven rug. The sun slips behind an ochre mound in a red haze and I’m flanked by mounds of earth sculpted by the hand of god. Nature has chiselled the luminous hieroglyphs that decorate the rocks and remarkable stone bridges that appear out of nowhere.
It’s not surprising that so many directors have chosen the Wadi Rum as a location for their movies. Most recently The Martian was filmed here, as well as the last in the Star Wars Chronicles and Disney’s latest Aladdin adaptation.
Dusk hangs in the air like a muse taunting me with the delights of the evening to come.
But the day isn’t over as Wael informs me that I’m taking a camel ride in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, the epic movie that was made here in 1962. I couldn’t be more at ease with the graceful animal, who cheekily stops and poses for a photo.
We later pass under a cornucopia of constellations on a naturally created blanket of blue velvet. The stars sparkle and twinkle above our heads as our jeep leads us towards a camp fire in the distance and a trail of light bulbs dotted next to green striped tents.
Saraya Rum is home for the night and I’m about to be treated to a feast of traditional food cooked in a Zarb. This involves meat slowly cooking under the earth for several hours and results in a spread of tender chicken, lamb and beef that’s flavoured by the smoke that heats it.
Glamping is brought to a sumptuous level at Saraya Rum, where the Bedouin tents are palatial, with large luxurious bathrooms and bedrooms draped with exotic fabrics. I wake in the morning to complete silence and a herd of goats traversing in the distance.
Breakfast is served in an Aladdin’s cave of colour, with gilded dishes offering figs and dates, local honey and currant flatbread.
Getting to the Wadi Rum in an open top jeep is a thrill in itself but there is plenty more for the adventureseeker as we arrive in Aqaba. Jordan has just 26km of coastline but some of the best snorkelling in the world as the Red Sea is host to a military hardware graveyard covered in coral with tropical fish in abundance.
Our final night is at the Kempinski Hotel Aqaba Red Sea, which is perfect for a longer stay or even a sun holiday.
The Kempinski Aqaba is a beacon of luxury and before my return home on a onestop hop via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines, I order a cocktail at the rooftop bar. I’m dazzled by panoramic views of Jordan’s neighbours and the Red Sea and realise I’m at the beating heart of the Middle East.
Jordan will take you on even more adventures than Indiana Jones. It will bring history to life in a delightful dance with delicious feasting for the body, the spirit and the mind.
Quite simply, a trip to Jordan will leave you feeling like a movie star.