I was able to join an accomplished archaeologist in exploring the areas of Sodom and Gomorrah. This trip turned out to be more than I could have imagined.

Located on the South end of the Dead Sea on the Jordanian side, we rode a bus approximately two hours from Amman. Our first stop was near the city of Zoar, location of Lot’s Cave. Also, known to be the lowest point on earth! If you read Genesis 18-19 you get a picture of the sheer depravity going on.

Near the top of the side of this rocky hill is a covered area where you can see the cave that Lot and his daughters retreated too. The hike was a long way up this hill but the stones were of many colors-reminded me of rainbows. When you look out from the cave you see the lower Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea which has receded since the time of Lot due to the growth up stream of larger cities, farming, etc. You can see the banks of Israel across the way. The cave is nothing other than a cave. But apparently it did provide refuge for Lot and his daughters as the destruction rained down. Not too far from the cave were goats, herders and tents, This area is probably much like it was 2000 years ago.

At the base of the hill is a museum that had some pieces of pottery excavated from the cave and quite a bit of information about the findings in the area that substantiate Genesis 19. There are a couple of balls of what appears to be Sulphur and this is what is thought to have rained down on the people in the museum that are baseball size. Once the Sulphur balls hit water they would dissipate and the others on the ground are what some archeologist have discovered and been preserved.

Genesis 13:13 talks about Sodom and explains the location. They have found scorched foundations and floors buried under nearly 3 feet of dark grey ash, as well as dozens of pottery sherds covered with a frothy, “melted” surface; the glassy appearance indicated that they were briefly exposed to temperatures well in excess of 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the approximate heat of volcanic magma. The graveyards in both Sodom and Gomorrah showed when excavated that the dead bodies which had previously been buried (and keep in mind that religions that do not believe in cremations), were virtually ashes.

Gomorrah was much the same. Lots of rock and as far as you could see the destruction occurred. There are now towns coming up and vegetation. But many excavations continue to occur and they are discovering more about the area every day!

Fascinating adventure for the day. If you look close at the signage I took photos of you, can learn so much more. Next to Israel, Jordan has the second most biblical history/sites of anywhere in the world!

Hope you enjoyed this short blog and I look forward to you coming along with me on more adventures!

#history#Jordan#Sodom#Gomorrah#Bible#Genesis#

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Continue reading “Sodom & Gomorrah”

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As you make the drive from Amman, you notice a considerable decline in the landscape and your ears will pop at times. Since the Dead Sea is so close to this site, you realize this is the lowest point on earth. You see this beautiful mountain range off the sides of the road where you also see tents of farmers, where yes they live in, and the herds of various types of animals. It is nothing to see camels, sheep, goats, donkeys, etc. along the sides of the roads and in the fields. Vendors will be along the road selling mainly fruits and vegetables as this part of the country is primarily farming. I see a banana farm with large netting covering the plants, acres and acres. Lots of olive trees and it is the season to pick them. You see women, men and children out with their ground cover, rakes and ladders working together to get as many of the olives to pickle them as they say, and take to have olive oil made. (I did participate when my sister Anne was visiting in picking the olives at a farm and going to a location where they made the oil). Hard working people just trying to make a life for their family, just like the farmers in the Jordan, Minnesota area and any part of the world!

We have arrived at our destination! This is one of my favorite sites I have toured in Jordan. I have visited this site a couple of times in the last 3 months and each time I am overcome with what this AREA of the world represents. Less then 20 miles from the Dead Sea and 40 miles from Amman.

The name Bethany means beyond the Jordan. Bethabara is the name used by some of the New Testament for the site where John the Baptist preached, met with a group of priests and Levites sent by the Pharisees to investigate his ministry, and where he baptized Jesus. At one time the river stretched out to this VERY important area. However, now dry but within walking distance to the Jordan River and Israel. Mary, another friend Allison and I were able to walk down into the actual area that history is pointing too that Jesus was baptized in. Of course, no way to tell the exact location of Jesus baptism as the Jordan River has changed course over the centuries. Very emotional and humbling experience to walk this land.

As we walked the path you come upon a foundation of a church that was built close to the baptism site. There are remains of more than 20 Christian sites discovered, including several churches, a prayer hall, sophisticated water reticulation system, etc. All this dates back to the Roman and Byzantine periods,

There is an area adjacent to the baptismal site, it is believed Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River to the Promised Land after the waters miraculously stopped flowing (Joshua 3:14-16).

Elijah, a prophet, also crossed the Jordan River on dry ground in this area. Read 2 Kings 2:8-11 and it describes that he had the miraculous honor of not dying but being taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire. Known as Elijah’s Hill, he descended to heaven in the 9th century BC.

We also saw a cave where it is believed that John the Baptist lived for a time. It was reported that Jesus visited John here. There had been a church at one time built around this cave. When you look out over the land you see small rough bushes and interesting enough they say this is great habitat for bees, which John is reported to have eaten honey.

As you continue down the path there is a church right before the Jordan River, St. John the Baptist Church. This is the same name of the church I grew up attending in Minnesota. Architecturally an elegant church that overlooks the Jordan River, you walk down about 40 steps to a landing and you look out on the Jordan River. You see Israel and people being baptized in the water. There are guards carrying rifles so people are not able to freely cross back and forth from this location.

I am doing some research on this area and discovering so much biblical history on this side of the river. Definitely a must see site for you!

In the midst of my Jordan excursions, I went to Paris, France for 7 days. I had previously visited Paris but on this visit I saw some additional sites, revisited some favorite sites and tried new restaurants. So, next blog I will talk about Paris!

Wadaeaan (Good bye)

#Bethany #Jordan #Ammam #Jesus #Johnthebaptist #Elijah #olives

Located approximately 50 miles from Amman, it is a mountainous area. Beautiful landscapes jute out from the road we are driving on. Green hills and rock formations every way you look.

This city of Madaba is mentioned in the Old Testament as being conquered by the tribes of Israel. This city was once known as an important centre of Christianity.

St. George’s Church sits in the centre of the town. Around this same area it is also known as Archaeological Park with several more 6th-century churches. Here you see impressive mosaic maps that are felt to be dated back to 527-65 AD. The map in St. George’s depicts cities such as Gethsemane, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jericho, etc.

As you make your way to these various sites of churches, the guide points out that a road we are standing on once led to Rome. You have to take a step back and ask yourself who all walked this road. This land changed hands several times under Roman dominion and the town weathered invasions by the Persians and Muslims and was even abandoned at one point.

My sister Anne Tuttle does quilting and is visiting Jordan in November. I am anxious for her to see these mosaics to see how this may compare with quilting. I will let you know her thoughts in an upcoming blog.

I purchased a carved olive wood camel from St. George’s. It stands about 10 inches high and about that in length. I am hoping to go back to shop in Madaba soon as they had many shops with intriguing items in the windows.

A real treat was our lunch at Mrah Salameh restaurant. It is built in a cave and the food was exceptional! The walls down stairs have carvings on them and George the owner is not sure when they date back too. The hummus made me think about my niece Abbie Meemken, as she is a superb cook and has shared her recipe for hummus with my daughter Mary and myself. I cannot let Abbie know, but this hummus did rival hers. We had amazing salads and here when you order a salad it is made with FRESH vegetables. You feel like you are eating in a garden. You must try the crunchy falafel which is like a one inch round fried hush puppy. Yes, we left the restaurant looking forward to our next visit, which my kids have done so a couple of times since our first visit. Oh, George is a sweet host and personally gives the tours in his restaurant.

Next time I will describe Betheney, the area where Jesus was baptized and other amazing sites described in the Bible.

Thank you for keeping up with me on the journey. I am still battling allergies and then on top of that, I developed lower back issue. So, I am major behind on sharing my adventures. But, until next time…

#MrahSalameh #AmmanJordan #hummus #olivewoodcamels #Jordan

Approximately one hour from Amman, the turns of the road can be sharp and a bit narrow. But the beauty is not lost in the drive. I saw a wine vineyard, sheep and their shepherd and a lot of merchants on the sides of the road selling their wares. This day we had a driver who took us on quite an adventure that I will never forget!

Mount Nebo is mentioned in the Bible. It was from here that Moses saw the Promised Land just before he died (Deuteronomy 34: 1-8). As you look out from this mountain top you see just a spectacular view of the Jordan River and Dead Sea in the distance. There is a plaque that points to various important cities such as Hebron, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, etc. So if you can imagine standing there and knowing the direction of these biblical historical cities and knowing this great man of God was looking out over this vast land. For 40 years he had been walking thru this desert and he does not go any farther because of the consequences of the actions of his people. It really is an amazing view.

In the early 4th century a sanctuary was built here over the remains of a more ancient construction. From there they would add and build in layers over a building, keeping some of the original architecture. In this same area is a beautiful church called Memorial Church of Moses, that was constructed starting in 1933. It has been transformed into a breathtaking masterpiece. You walk on clear glass over the mosaics depicting farmers, hunters and assortment of animals surrounded by geometric decoration. There is a Greek inscription dating back to 531AD. The artistry and skill for their time really is quite a showpiece. The little pieces of mosaics are no larger that a dime and the picture can be more than five feet in size.

On the outside of the church are some mosaics you can sit near. There are two of them and both run about 18 feet by 20 feet together. Just out in the environment the mosaics rest there and I wondered how many thousand of years and thousand of people have seen them. The artist that constructed them, did they know the treasures they were completing? Yes, there are a few stones missing but you still feel you have stumbled onto a unbelievable gift.

In March of 2000, Pope John Paul II visited Mt. Nebo. He planted an olive tree to “symbolize peace in honor of the people who now live in these lands”. We saw the tree, as well as other olive trees that had their fruit on them. A very peaceful area is where the trees are planted next to the church.

In case you are wondering, Moses died in the land of Moab. According to Christian tradition, Moses would have been buried on the mountain, but that burial site was not specified in the the Bible (Deuteronomy 34: 5-6)

Looking forward to you touring Madaba with me next time. Probably one of my favorite sites to talk about. Spoiler alert- cave restaurant we ate at was not only filled with some history but the food was marvelous!

#Jordantravel #Amman #Mt. Nebo #travel#history#MrahSalameh

I was recently reading that the city I grew up in, Jordan, Minnesota was recorded as a settlement in 1855 and named Jordan City. Yes, named after the Jordan River in Palestine/Israel. Later consolidated with another city, hence forth the name just Jordan.

Currently, the City of Jordan is in the 6000 range of the population. Well, the country of Jordan has somewhere around 10 million people. Of the 10 million, at least 1 million are considered refugees from primarily Syria and Iraq. Amman, where I am currently living has around 5 million of the people in this country.

There are various non-profit organizations that are working here with these refugees who have relocated and lost everything. When they come here they are not able to work by law.

My daughter, Mary has a servants heart and has taken on coordinating with others to distribute second hand furniture, clothes, diapers, you name it for the refugees! She recently did a back to school drive on short notice. Between herself and others she collected 13 back packs and lots of school supplies. Christmas is around the corner and should you feel the need to share in your blessings, just let us know and Mary will find a place/people to share it with.

Fortunate for people in the USA we have mail delivery and all that goes with that. Here in Amman, Jordan it does not work like that. No door to door delivery here and there are no post offices on every corner. I will say that I do see virtually everyone seems to have a cell phone and speaking to a local Jordanian he said he did not feel the need to have mail service.

You might wonder what sort of leadership Jordan is governed under and that would be a King. The king exercises his power through the government he appoints which is responsible before the Parliament. They have a Prime Minister who heads the government and they then have a multi-party system and all this trickles down to mayors, etc. Jordanians do vote to elect their House of Representative, city and town councils. So much like Jordan, MN the people have a say. The current King and his family are well respected in Jordan.

Religion is somewhere around 92% Muslim and 6% Christian. I have seen these numbers vary a little depending on which site I google. I do hear the call to Prayer over the loud speakers several times a day. There are Christian churches as well as many mosques. There are several Christian universities in Amman as well.

When traveling in Amman you can see the hill sides with homes, vacant lots, laundry hanging off their patios, and people out and about. Probably what you would see in my hometown of Jordan. Lives are really no different in other parts of the world it seems. People that are trying to provide for their family and have a future.

Grocery stores provide the usual items and some not so usual. Like a honey stand with up to ten different types of honey. And, one large grocery store is located at an upscale mall and I found that fascinating. We went to a wonderful place called The Meat Master. Beautiful tasty meats from around the world and we purchased some chicken for a dinner party. The quality was superb and I had to compare it with the Pekarna Meat Market in Jordan, MN. Across the street there is a store called “Cheese and More”. Bought several cheeses here and one was a Blue Stitlton blue cheese. Have been back two times for this cheese alone.

I am behind on letting you hear about some of my interesting trips to Mt. Nebo, Jesus baptismal site, Jordan River, an amazing restaurant in Madaba carved out of a cave, etc. I will get caught up on that next week. So much to share and tomorrow I am actually getting to go back to a museum I had wanted to return to at the Jordan Citadel.

Thank you for touring with me on this once in a lifetime opportunity. Meeting so many interesting people and seeing so many fascinating sites. Till next time, masalama (goodbye).