In Jordan, we left the Movenpick Hotel for the long drive to Petra. We will be driving pretty much the entire length of the country today, making stops along the way. Our first was Mount Nebo— a monastery restored by the Franciscans who discovered layers of mosaic floors. They carefully removed and reassembled all the floors and put them on the walls. This is one of my favorite churches so far. Maybe it helped that John Paul II had been here in 2000 and donated a papel cross that stands next to the altar. From the back patio area, we could see across the Dead Sea to Israel— a view that makes the world seem so small.

We visited the Mosaic School and had opportunities to buy expensive mosaics or rugs. Lots of our group bought both. It’s wonderful to see how we’re all supporting the economy and especially local women. 

Our next stop, an hour and a half later, was at Madaba to see the Church of St. George. This was another restored church with lots of artistic architectural touches.

We had an included lunch here of native foods. All delicious. Recognizable items were eggplant, tahini, and rice. The big presentation was an upside-down dish, called Maqluba, served in a huge pan and ceremonially flipped onto a platter as we all clapped.

After another rest stop and more chances to buy mosaics or rugs, we visited the ruins of a Crusader Castle, Showbek,  that was completely fortified. The Crusaders had a secret access to water, but in the 1100s, the Muslim leader Saladin discovered the underground access, cut it off, and besieged the castle.

Riding for hours in the bus gave us a long look out the window. Without any narration from our guide, we saw flocks of sheep and goats, and occasionally camels. Our guide, a Bedouin, explained that the villages we went by were Bedouin villages, no longer nomadic.

As we entered Petra, we stopped at the Wadi Mudiand had a look at the great valley of homes and small structures on our way into the town. 

This Movenpick hotel is as lovely as the last one. After dinner, we skipped across the street to the fabulous archaeological museum to see the full history of the Nabataean people.

Tomorrow— the big day!!