Sodom and Gomorrah
Trip Start
Mar 14, 2010
1
9
11
Trip End
Mar 21, 2010
Where I stayed
Karak, Jordan
Friday, March 19, 2010
We turn off from the Dead Sea Highway via Bab adh-Dhraa - a necropolis and the leading candidate for Sodom. You guessed it! We have to stop. Cannot pass this by and not stop... we try to look for evidence, and think we might have found some. Look at the photos and come to your own conclusion. What?!!! we are not archaeologists, but it is fun to look anyway.
Heading inland toward Karak, one of the best preserved Crusader castles is there. Expectation is high. Of course, once there, bus loads of tourists are waiting for us. Once again we meet the Korean tour group that we saw earlier in Petra. While there, another Guide tries to solicit my custom... The only thing I can do is say no and run away. I smash my large forehead into the wall, but I escape. This castle is not as we expected, much more ruined than well preserved... We are getting out of here. We are racing to beat the clock to St. George's Church in Madaba, which is also known as Church of the Map. Five minutes before closing at 5:00PM. Our luck has changed this time, this site does not close until 5:30 PM. So now we can enjoy at our leisure... St. George's famous mosaic puts all the biblical sites on the map, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho, Sea of Galilee...you name it it is there. It is worth the rush ...
The day is completed. It is late afternoon, as we drive back to our hotel, we notice the locals are out and about - having a good time. It's Friday which is their equivalent to our Sunday. People just park themselves and their cars along the northern most part of the Dead Sea Highway along the Dead Sea's north shore, roll out the picnic blankets on the sidewalk, light a bonfire or two, some come on a camel, some come on a donkey..."camel ride mister?" This is Jordan's answer for a good time...
Bring it on!!! Assalaamu allaykoom - Peace be upon you!!!
