Phespirit goes to Jordan
tour     November 2002

FROM THE CITADEL OF AMMAN

Before breakfast on his last day in Amman, Phespirit left his hotel for a short walk up to Jabal al-Qal'a: the citadel hill and Umayyad palace ruins in the Downtown district.

This is the view northwards from across the road that runs alongside the citadel walls.

ANCIENT AND MODERN JERASH

As seen from a vantage point high upon the South Theatre of Rome-built Jerash:

• The South Theatre itself (foreground);
• The Oval Plaza (centre);
• The modern city of Jerash (background);

Alas, most of the old is lost under the new.

BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN

Extensive archaeological excavations show Wadi Kharrar to be the holy site from which Elijah climbed to heaven in a chariot, where John the Baptist lived in the wilderness and where Jesus Christ was baptised.

Israelis disagree. They think it all happened on their side of the River Jordan.