This one time we went to Jordan. Ya, Jordan. I don't think I ever thought in my life..."hey, I would really like to travel to Jordan one day." But I sure did enjoy it! Usually when we go on these trips...the teachers don't really give us much details about our trips...so we are always pleasantly surprised. Low expectations always result is high satisfaction...at least for this summer they did!
We started the trip on a Monday morning, bright and early. Earlier than any of us would like...but hey, it's Jordan...and we sure don't want to be left behind. So, we boarded the bus and headed for the border. We were now studying the New Testament, which meant that we had switched teachers...and we were now Huntsman-ites. Bro. Huntsman called the trip our "awkward first date." It was totally true. We love all of our teachers. But especially the first day together, we were just adjusting to the different styles and different quirks. Even something so simple as counting off was throwing us all off.
When we got to the border crossing...we all got off the bus, with everything in hand. It was definitely a different experience than Turkey where customs were at the airport. All of us luggage was unloaded. We went into a building, got in a large line...they looked at our passports...then we walked through and boarded another bus. It was a funny concept. Then we waited a while for them to give us the clear? I think that's why we waited. It sounds good. Right?
When we first drove in Jordan, there wasn't a whole lot to see. But we got a glimpse of the tiny little Jordan River out of our window. We were also introduced to our new tour guide. Being in Israel, our teachers have permission to be our tour guides...but as soon as we go into another country, it is a rule that we have to have a tour guide. The hard part about tour guides is they have a lot of pride in their countries...so they have a tendency of talking...A LOT! Our teachers understand how much we can take...and that on the bus rides we tend to just fall asleep. But our tour guide had a tendency of starting to talk in the middle of the bus ride, when we were all half conscious. Also, sometimes they are hard to understand.
Our first stop in Jordan was to Mount Nebo.
Deuteronomy 34:1, "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo..." There Moses sees all of the promised land, and it is recorded that Moses died there. But we know that since Moses appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration later, that Moses was a translated being and did not die as Deuteronomy says.
Anyways...Mount Nebo commemorates Moses. So, we overlooked the Holy Land, read the scriptures, sang a little (Bro. Huntsman is in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, so he loves singing...and we love the spirit that singing brings), and of course, we clicked those cameras.
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| The "Brazen Serpent" behind us. |
Next, we were off to Madaba....where our tour guide had a whole lot to say...and let's be honest, I don't exactly know what all he said. Madaba had a church where there is the oldest map of the Holy Land, in Mosaic form. So, that's pretty cool.
After Madaba, we headed to "Dana's" for lunch. Mostly it was great because we had a Dana in our group, so we ended up stealing napkins and writing birthday notes for Dana on them. It was cute!
After lunch we headed to Machaerus.
And we hiked to the top of that hill.
Machaerus is a fortress originally built by the Hasmonean king Alexander Jannaeus and after rebuilt by Herod the Great. It is the site where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded by Herod Antipas.
Herod sure loved his building projects.
So, we read from Mark 6 and sang "Faith of our Fathers." Bro. Huntsman always had a song to be sung at every site.
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| "Strike a pose" pictures started becoming a more common occurrence...we learn to entertain ourselves in our picture taking. |
We then had a long...rollercoaster ride to Petra. I became quite grateful for the well paved roads of the States. It's hard to sleep on a bus in general, but it's even harder when you are being whipped around.
But we made sure to take a real quick stop on the side of the road to enjoy a beautiful Jordanian sunset. I was honestly super shocked when we just stopped and all of us piled out of the buses to take a quick picture before the sun was down.
We arrived in Petra where they greeted us with juices and a horse in front of their hotel. We then went to dinner where there was music playing...and a buffet of food (which is often the case of the food we eat). Our room had nice little towel hearts and flowers for us. Precious.
The next day was the day we had been waiting for. The only place in Jordan that we actually had some knowledge of...Petra! Woot! The fact that they allowed us to wear shorts was indicative of the fact that it was going to be a hot day...but we were ready for it!!
It was a pretty incredible day...probably one of the coolest sites I have ever seen!
We walked a little...and from the beginning you see tombs in the rocks...then you run into the siq.
After you walked through the siq...there is a gap and you begin to see the treasury. It really is quite a site to see! Think Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Same place. Although...I did not find the Holy Grail. Darn. :)
After our tour guide gave us a good rundown of Petra and we got a little history. We were let lose. We walked down a street where there were tombs and a street that was full of columns and ruins of buildings. We took some good pictures...this was a BIG picture day. I would post even more...but it might get a little excessive.
The main goal was to hike to the Monastery. And a hike it sure was. We hiked and hiked. Many people tried to offer us donkey rides up to the Monastery...but we weren't allowed to take a donkey. Once we started up the stairs...we fully understood why! It would have been terrifying to be on a donkey up that path. The stairs were super steep and uneven. A donkey ride would have been miserable.
But before we knew it, we turned a corner and beheld an incredible site...
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| I am one of the only ones in the air. Woo! |
We hiked to more look out spots...
We even hiked to "The End of the World"...
And then head back down for a delicious buffet lunch.
After lunch we just explored more. The entire site is filled with places to see and it is all cut out of the rock. I'm not sure how they did it! We were going to hike to the "high place," but let's just say...we were a little hiked out. We were tired and sweaty and we were not feeling the "high place." Our teacher had shown us a picture of it in class, and I felt very satisfied with that. At that point, all I really wanted to do was ride a camel.
So, after more exploring we headed back to the front where the monastery was, and payed $3 to get on the camel. I wanted to say I rode a camel, but mostly we just kind of got on the camel, and did a little ride around. But it was still fun! The best part is when they get up and down because they are so stinkin' tall, it's a long ways up. I feel bad for those poor camels, they just go up and down all day. They are cool animals though!
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| I am really quite proud of this shot of Juan. |
Some of our friends went exploring some more with the little bit of time that we had left. While some of us were feeling pretty content with what we had seen. Our bodies were warn out...and being tired brought all of our sassiness out more.
So, instead I looked at a necklace that a little boy was selling. He was about to sell that sucker to me for $25. I laughed and told him that I was not going to pay that...with which the price slowly began to decrease. I didn't know if I cared enough so I walked away...but before I knew it that boy had followed me and the price had lowered to $3. What the heck? I guess I'll buy the necklace from you. (I actually have come to love that necklace...it makes an appearance in many of my pictures.)
But the necklace was missing something. A nice cold Diet Coke. Mmmm. Sometimes a soda is just necessary...especially after a long, hot day.
Petra was such a cool day. We all got on the bus, sweaty and dirty, and warn out.
We had one more site though! Our teachers hadn't ever had enough time to go to the Castle, they had only previously looked out the window at it. But we had time...and the teachers were in Jordan for their last semester...so they were going to see it.
So, we went to the Castle for the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.
It was sweet. Being in a castle, I felt that it was necessary to take a Princess pose. So, I recruited Priscilla, and we put forth our best princess efforts. We get bored of taking pictures, so we really try to get creativity. Some pictures are definitely more creative than others.
We headed back to our hotel, showered off, ate dinner, and hung out at the hotel for the rest of the night...which included playing card games for a little bit, and then going on the roof of the hotel with Steph.
It was a good, long day!
