Logan visits Mt. Nebo, the River Jordan & the Dead Sea

There is always silliness to be had when you are with the Berrys. This was once a door...yikes!

This is Mount Nebo were Moses saw the promised land but was not allowed to enter. The city in the distance is Jericho.


Logan liked this picture to think of where John ministered in the wilderness.
This is the actual site of Jesus Christ's baptism according to the Book of John and 1 Nephi.

Logan thought it was interesting that you can see the solders on both sides of the river. As most folks know Israel and Jordan are not good friends.
This is the River Jordon. Many people have tapped the River since Christ so the water level is much lower and it has lots of stilt.
Just behind the Dead Sea is the Mount of Olives.
Logan reading his book in the dead sea. He said that you could not sink if you wanted to. When you are walking out into it you walk on salt cystals like in the next picture.

Logan's Trip to Petra

This is just the first leg of Logan's long journey in and out of Petra. Unlike we are all led to believe from Indiana Jones and Transformers it is in a huge canyon and would take several days to explore it all. Logan had 2 hours and tried to make the most of it. Petra was a city that was thriving just before Christ was born.




Running all along the canyon walls were aqua ducts that would collect the rain water for the city.




This facade is called the Treasury and thre is not that much to it on the inside as you can see in the following pictures.






After viewing the Treasury Logan wanted to make it out to the Monastery which was farther away than they map that wasn't built to scale led him to believe.


One of the racing camels that Logan took back so that he wouldn't miss the bus.






Logan also took a donkey to make it back to the bus.
If you zoom in you can see the crazy staircase that Logan climbed up after taking this picture.
If you look in the center there is a small hut that was just in front of the Monastery. This was that picture that took just as he gave up so he would get back to the bus. Which was a good thing because they ended up leaving early because of dust storms.
This was the picture of what Logan had just climbed though before he had to turn back. This is how Logan got back to the bus on time. As he was headed down the mountain he had seen all of these donkeys that were made to go up and down mountains so after some haggling he got a ride. The donkey ride ends at the bottom of the mountain. Logan takes off running and is chased down by a man with a racing camel and again after the haggling he jumps on for a ride which ends at the Treasury. During the camel ride one of Logan's cheap water bottles broke in his backpack and soaked him. I have avoided riding on a camel but from what I understand it is not a smooth ride. No animals are available at this point in the canyon except horse draw carriages that are for the elderly folks so Logan ran. At the end of the canyon is a steep winding trail out to the parking lot. Part of the fee to enter includes a ride into the canyon but not out. When Logan gets here the horse man says money is not a problem so he takes another ride. Then when he gets off suddenly money is a problem. Logan gives him his last 4 dollars but he was not satisfied so Logan gives him a small pocket knife that was worth maybe 10 bucks. He did back it back to the bus to enjoy the 5 hour bus trip back to Shaheed Mwaffaq air base. Pretty crazy day! I would have loved to join him on this adventure. I am a bit jealous, but maybe someday.

Halloween

Ahhh the blank canvas.
The pumpkin had gone a bit off my the time we carved it so I let Thomas play with the guts in the bowl with a spoon. He had a great time when he would get some on the floor he would wipe it up, what a good boy!
Of course sometimes he would put it on the floor on purpose but whatever! I needed something for him to do while I carved the thing. I sure did miss Logan right about then. Carving pumpkins requires muscles that I do not have.
He liked it when I was all done and he had lots of fun taking the top off and trying to put it back on.
Trunk or treating at the church.

He got the hang of the whole thing.
But mostly he wanted to get to the eating.






Thomas is getting ready to open the door for any trick or treaters at our home. We only had one group of about 8 come by but that was fun.