Crossing Jordan

I've spent the most part of the last three days in Jordan. It was an interesting experience and I learned a lot, but I'm glad to be back in Israel. Here's just a brief description of my experience.

It takes about and hour and a half to go across the border. On the way into Jordan, they checked our passports five different times and our baggage all went through security. The entire time we were in Jordan we had our own "Tourist Police" who traveled with us - everywhere we went. I think these police are mainly to help us feel safe (but I'm not sure he made me feel safer). He rode on the bus with us and never spoke. We went through many "police check points" - with guards standing with guns - and were always told "no pictures allowed."

Although the people of Jordan are very hospitable, they are very poor. They beg for money and follow you around trying to get you to buy their goods. I'm also pretty sure that they would take advantage of someone and cheat them out of money given the opportunity. The bathrooms were disgusting - sometimes just a hole in the ground - and very rarely with toilet paper. We learned quickly to bring our own tissue. They also expected you to pay or "tip" to use the bathroom. If you tipped, then they would sometimes give you a paper napkin to dry your hands.

There are also many people in Jordan called Bedouins. These people are nomads and still live in tents to this day. You could look out across the desert and see tents scattered over the hills and shepherds with their sheep. It's astonishing that people still live this way. The Bedouins we saw in Petra were descendants of Nabetians - they look like pirates to me (think Johnny Dep in Pirates of the Carribean). Some of these Bedouins still live in the caves of Petra to this day.

Our hotels in Jordan, however, were very lovely. They try very hard to empress visitors with their accommodations. And the food in Jordan was the best we've had. I had some Baklava last night that was to die for. The people are lively and friendly. They strive for peace. They love their king (King Abdulah).

Today we traveled the part of the desert that Moses and his people spent the last two years of their wandering in. It is a "vast wilderness." No wonder they complained so much. We went up to Mount Nebo - where God showed Moses the Promised Land. Moses never got to go there because he died on that mountain and God buried him there. French archeologists have been on Mount Nebo since 1933 looking for the tomb of Moses. They haven't found it. Something tells me when God buries somebody, He doesn't leave a tomb or a marker. Then we drove through the valley that Joshua led the people through on their way to Jericho. We didn't go into Jericho, but saw the lushness of the land. It was very green and grows good crops. Then over the mountain we went into Jerusalem.

Jerusalem. I'll tell you more tomorrow. I will say that tears overcame me when I laid my eyes upon Jerusalem for the first time. I did not expect that. We stopped at an overlook for a traditional Hebrew blessing with bread and grape juice. We sang songs of praise as we entered. We sat in silence as we drove through the Old City.

Amazing wonders lie ahead. David. Solomon. The Prophets. Jesus. Here.