The lost city of Petra, one of the wonders
of the world, built in the middle of the desert and buried for centuries under the sand. An astonishing collection of temples, tombs,
and houses carved into the rock by the Nabatean kingdom more than 2,000 years ago. The Nabateans, a nomadic Arab tribe, were
experts in hydraulic engineering and used their skills to create a complex system of
water channels and cisterns, allowing them to thrive in this arid region. They also had a great talent for architecture,
as evidenced by the intricate carvings and structures found throughout the city. Petra became the capital of the Nabateans,
was later conquered by the Romans, and eventually abandoned, largely covered by desert sand
and inhabited only by Bedouin tribes. At the beginning of the 19th century, it was
rediscovered by the first Westerner, in a story that could have starred Indiana Jones:
In 1812, Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who had learned to speak Arabic, was traveling
with the intention of exploring the Niger River when he heard stories of a dead city
containing the tomb of the prophet Aaron. He became fascinated with the story and set
out to find the city. Dressed as a local and speaking only Arabic,
he told his guide that he wanted to take a goat to sacrifice in honor of Aaron's tomb. On August 22 of that same year, he arrived
at the city. In his writings, he said:
An excavated mausoleum appeared, whose situation and beauty are calculated to cause an extraordinary
impression on the traveler. To reach the lost city, one must traverse
a narrow gorge called the Siq, no more than 9,8 feet wide. It meanders to Petra's Treasury or Al-Khazneh,
the city's most iconic structure: believed to have been a temple or the royal tomb of
Nabatean King Aretas IV. But this is just one of the city's constructions. There is also the amphitheater:
Other royal tombs: Houses:
And other temples and structures carved into the rock. Despite the city's beauty, it is estimated
that only 15 percent has been explored, with the remainder still underground. But Jordan is much more than Petra. It is one of the most beautiful and historically
rich countries in the Middle East. Stay with me to discover what it is like,
the places you cannot miss, how people live, its traditions, its people, what you should
not do if you visit, and much more. If you are Jordanian, from a nearby country,
or have visited as a tourist, leave in the comments other curiosities or places you recommend
visiting. 1-The Jordan River, mentioned in the Bible
as the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus, runs through Jordan. Thousands of tourists visit this river each
year to be baptized because it is considered sacred by Christians. The exact location where Jesus is believed
to have been baptized is called Al-Maghtas, although it is considered an archaeological
site and not available for baptism. 2-Jordan also has another sacred site in Christianity:
Mount Nebo, standing at 2,681 feet, where the Bible narrates how Moses saw the Promised
Land before he died. It is also narrated that the prophet Jeremiah
hid the Ark of the Covenant here. In the fourth century, a Byzantine church
was built commemorating Moses' death, and it was recently renovated, allowing visitors
to explore it as an archaeological and pilgrimage site today. 3-Jordan is a country with unique landscapes
that you won't find anywhere else in the world. One of the most incredible areas is Wadi Rum,
or the Valley of the Moon, which looks like a landscape from another planet. It is a striking desert of rocks located in
southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. It is one of the country's most popular tourist
destinations, famous for its strange arid landscapes, natural beauty, and cultural history. It has a unique geology of sandstone and granite
spanning 278 square miles, inhabited by Bedouin tribes, who offer tourist services. This area has been inhabited since prehistoric
times, with petroglyphs, or rock carvings, found throughout. In ancient times, it was a passageway for
trade routes between Asia and Europe and a camping ground during World War I. Thomas
Edward Lawrence, the British man on whom the movie Lawrence of Arabia is based, spent time
here, and today you can visit the house where he supposedly slept. The 1962 movie Lawrence of Arabia was partly
filmed in this desert. But it's not the only one. Wadi Rum's unique visuals often make it a
choice for Hollywood movie shoots, such as 2021's Dune, Rogue One, 2019's Aladdin, The
Martian, and Prometheus. Some scenes from Indiana Jones and the Last
Crusade were also filmed in the lost city of Petra.
4-Returning to the Jordan River, it is a unique agricultural area in Jordan, a vast expanse
of hundreds of thousands of square feet dedicated exclusively to cultivating thousands of date
palm trees, producing high-quality dates. Date production begins in the nursery, where
young plants start to acclimate before being planted, then each tree is pollinated one
by one, with strict quality control to ensure healthy growth and compliance with international
standards. When the dates are ready for harvest, they
are transported to a collection point. They are cleaned, weighed, and sorted. After this phase, they are packaged and sent
to their destination. In Western countries, dates are not consumed
as much as in Arab or North African countries. The largest consumer is Oman, with an astonishing
average of 110 pounds per person annually, followed by Saudi Arabia. 5-Jordan is a relatively small country with
an area of 34,363 square miles, located in the Middle East, one of the most conflict-ridden
areas of the world. It borders Syria to the north, Iraq to the
northeast, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and Palestine to the west. The capital of Jordan is Amman, with other
important cities being Aqaba, Irbid, and Zarqa. Unlike other nearby Arab countries, Jordan
does not have oil and its natural resources are very limited. In fact, it is highly dependent on imports
of oil and natural gas. It is a country of great geographic and cultural
diversity, with landscapes ranging from the desert to the mountains and a rich history
dating back thousands of years. 6-Jordan is a constitutional monarchy, meaning
that the King is the Head of State, but the Government is led by a Prime Minister and
a Parliament. The current King of Jordan is Abdullah II,
who ascended to the throne in 1999 following the death of his father, King Hussein I. He
belongs to the Hashemite dynasty, which has ruled Jordan since 1921. He is a direct descendant of the Prophet Muhammad,
which is one reason Abdullah is so respected in the region. The queen consort is Rania Al-Abdullah, born
Rania Al-Yassin, known internationally for her style, beauty, and interest in international
affairs, education, and health, and considered one of the world's most powerful women. The king and queen have been married since
1993 and have 2 sons and 2 daughters. 7-The Jordanian Armed Forces are among the
most professional and well-trained in the Middle East region. In total, they have around 100,000 active
military personnel across their land, naval, and air forces. Although Bedouins are a minority in the country,
they have greater representation in the military due to their loyalty to the Hashemite monarchy. The Jordanian intelligence service is also
known as one of the most important and professional in the region, having prevented terrorist
attacks both in Jordan and abroad and participated in operations, such as those to combat ISIS. There are also special operations forces,
with battalions specializing in counter-terrorism, and the King Abdullah II Special Operations
Training Center, one of the most advanced in the world for training elite soldiers,
which also hosts personnel from other countries for training. 8-Jordanians are typically conservative and
friendly towards foreigners; in fact, you can expect some to welcome you to their country
if you visit as a tourist. Family is central to their lives; parents
provide economic support, mothers focus more on household tasks and childcare. Children usually live with their parents until
they marry, and when the parents age, it is expected that their children will care for
them. In Jordan, women have significantly more freedom
than in other countries in the region; they don't need to wear hijabs, can vote, drive
cars, and have an important role in political or business life. There are still arranged marriages, and marriages
can only be through Islam or Christianity; there are no civil marriages. 9-Ethnically, the majority of the population
is Arab-Jordanian, though there are also Bedouins: tribes living in desert areas with little
vegetation and water. Years ago, Bedouins in the area were nomadic,
but today only a minority are, with some leading a mixed lifestyle in villages with electricity,
while also having a traditional tent in the desert for grazing seasons in spring and summer. Some of them work in tourism, while others
raise animals. Islam is the majority religion in the country. Muslims, in their various denominations, make
up almost 97 percent of the national population. There is also a small population of Christians
and Jews living peacefully together. 10-Jordan is one of the world's countries
with the most tourist attractions, estimated to have around 100,000 archaeological sites. Its history is incredibly rich due to its
strategic location at the crossroads of several ancient trade routes. Throughout its history, it has been part of
many powerful empires, including the Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman empires, and has been
influenced by various cultures and religions, including Christianity and Islam. It is one of the youngest countries, gaining
independence in 1946. Due to its location in this region of the
world, it has also experienced armed conflicts: the 1967 Six-Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur
War are two of the most significant recent conflicts. Between 1921 and 1946, it was a British protectorate,
officially called the Emirate of Transjordan. It was never a colony as such and had a high
degree of political and economic autonomy, but Britain could deliberate and take part
in its affairs. In 1946, Transjordan became the Kingdom of
Jordan when the country gained its independence from the United Kingdom. 11-While Jordan is not currently experiencing
the wars in its surroundings, it has been a refuge for many people fleeing them. It is estimated that the country hosts nearly
700,000 Syrian refugees, who began fleeing their country in 2011 when the civil war broke
out. The most emblematic site to witness this migration
is the Zaatari camp, where 80,000 Syrian refugees are temporarily housed. It is estimated that 1,200 employees from
32 international and Jordanian organizations work to assist the victims. 12-It is one of the three countries where
you can visit the Dead Sea, a salt lake known for being one of the first spas in the world
and the lowest point on Earth, at about 1,411 feet below sea level, far from the 29,029
feet of Mount Everest. It is called the Dead Sea because life is
scarce in its waters: its flora and fauna consist mainly of algae due to its high salt
concentration. Most seas have a 3 or 4 percent salt content. The Dead Sea has 10 times more: 33 percent. Due to this high salinity, living beings like
fish cannot survive here. Only some bacteria and archaea like Haloferax
volcanii. The ancient Greeks called it Lake Asphaltites
because asphalt is deposited on its shores, which has been exploited since that time. Its surface area is about 233 square miles. You can also visit it from Israel and Palestine. Because of this high salt concentration, the
water of the Dead Sea is extremely dense, making it very easy to float in it. When a person immerses themselves in the water,
the salt's density causes their body to float on the surface without any effort, something
that tourists find very curious and often enjoy. Throughout the lake, salt islands have formed,
like this one, which has a dead tree. 13-The only real coast of Jordan is the Red
Sea, so named because colonies of red-colored cyanobacteria seasonally appear in its waters. In this case, we are talking about a true
sea that is more shared among countries than the Dead Sea, as it can be accessed by Jordan,
Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. The Red Sea is famous for appearing in the
second book of the Bible, the Book of Exodus: according to this, its waters opened so the
Israelites could pass through, fleeing the Egyptians. In Exodus, it says:
And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go back
by a strong east wind all that night and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided. 14-Jordan's climate is diverse, with areas
further from the Mediterranean experiencing greater temperature fluctuations and less
rainfall. The average elevation in Jordan is approximately
2,664 feet above sea level. During the summers, from May to September,
temperatures can be hot, with average temperatures of around 32 degrees Celsius. The hottest months are July and August, during
which temperatures can exceed 40 degrees. However, there is usually low humidity and
a daytime breeze, so the heat is not felt as much as in countries with high humidity,
while nights are relatively pleasant. The winter months, lasting from November to
March, are cooler, with temperatures around 11 degrees Celsius, regular rainfall, and
occasional snowfall in some higher areas in the west. 15-The Mujib Biosphere Reserve, located near
the eastern coast of the Dead Sea, is famous for its stunning landscapes and is considered
the lowest nature reserve in the world. It is here that the Wadi Al Mujib canyon reaches
the Dead Sea. To the north and south, the reserve extends
to the Karak and Madaba mountains, reaching heights of up to 2,953 feet above sea level. The year-round water flow from seven tributaries,
combined with the variation in elevation, has resulted in exceptional diversity of flora
and fauna. The reserve is home to over 300 species of
plants, 10 species of carnivores, and various species of resident and migratory birds. Some areas within the remote mountains and
valleys are difficult to access, providing safe habitats for rare species of goats, cats,
and other mountain animals. 16-In Amman, the capital, about 40 percent
of the country's population resides. It is one of the most westernized and liberal
Arab cities. The Amman Citadel, a historic site in the
city center, has been inhabited since the Neolithic period, making it one of the oldest
continuously inhabited places in the world. In addition to the citadel, visitors to Amman
can see the Temple of Hercules, an ancient Roman temple dedicated to this demigod of
ancient mythology. It is located in the center of the Citadel,
facing the Jordan Archaeological Museum. Although it is not proven that Hercules was
worshipped within its walls, coins with his image were found inside. Another popular site is the Roman amphitheater,
which seated 6,000 people and was built in the 2nd century during the reign of Emperor
Antoninus Pius. 17-Another of the country's most visited places
is Jerash, a city in northern Jordan famous for its collection of Roman ruins. It was founded by Alexander the Great and
his general Perdiccas and later conquered by the Romans. During Roman times, Jerash prospered and became
an important trade and cultural city, and its splendor can be appreciated today in its
ancient monuments, such as the theaters, the hippodrome, or the Arch of Hadrian. Besides its ancient monuments, Jerash is known
for its cultural festivals and events, such as the Jerash Festival, where people dress
as ancient Greeks and Romans. 18-Aqaba, in southern Jordan, is the city
that provides access to the Red Sea, the country's only port, and a popular destination for water
sports enthusiasts. You can snorkel or dive to explore the coral
reefs and marine life, or take a boat trip to visit nearby islands. Another recommended city to visit is Madaba,
known for its numerous Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics. A standout mosaic is the Madaba Map or Madaba
Mosaic, which is on the floor of the Byzantine church of St. George. It is the oldest cartographic representation
of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. 19-Mansaf is a traditional dish in Jordanian,
Turkish, and Syrian cuisine. Of Bedouin origin, it is made with lamb, rice,
and dried yogurt called jameed. Another Bedouin tradition is zarb, a cooking
method where meat, which can be chicken or lamb, is placed on a grill, which can have
multiple levels, and placed in an underground oven to cook slowly. 20-Coffee in Jordan and Bedouin culture holds
great importance: it is a symbol of hospitality and trust, a traditional way of showing respect
and bringing people together. Usually, the host serves the first cup to
show guests that there is nothing wrong with it and to check if it is well-prepared. It is important that it is hot. The second is served to the oldest person
in the room and then to the others. It is polite to drink the first cup, but it
is acceptable not to want more. If you do not want to drink more, move the
cup from side to side two or three times. If you want more, raise the cup. On the other hand, take the cup with your
right hand, as it is considered rude to do so with the left. Jordanian coffee is made using Arabic coffee
and often includes ground cardamom seeds. When served, sugar or milk is not used, but
it can be accompanied by dates or sweets. Another popular social activity in Jordan
is smoking shisha, which can be found in establishments throughout the country. 21-The national flower of Jordan is the "Iris
nigricans" species, also known as the black iris, which grows in the mountainous areas
of the country, chosen for its beauty and cultural and symbolic significance. It is characterized by its dark purple petals
and yellow center, a seasonal flower that blooms in spring and summer and can be found
in parks and gardens throughout the country. 22-Jordan has several of the oldest statues
in the world. They were found naturally in Ain Ghazal and
are known by the name of this place. The most impressive thing is that they date
from the Neolithic period. Thus, it can be said that they are older than
the pyramids of Egypt and the stones of Stonehenge. 23-If you're more interested in sports than
history, you could try the Jordan Trail. It is a 404 miles long hiking route in Jordan
that runs from Umm Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south. You should prepare for the time, as it takes
about 40 days to complete. The good thing is that along the way, you'll
encounter many of the country's archaeological beauties.
24-Despite the small size of the country, it has high biodiversity, with four distinct
biogeographic regions: Irano-Turanian, Sudanian, Mediterranean, and Saharo-Arabian. Deserts are home to animals adapted to high
temperatures and arid conditions, but there are also species in the mountainous regions
and valleys of the country. The Arabian oryx, striped hyena, sand cat,
Egyptian mongoose, caracal, and fennec fox are just a few of them. 25-There are a number of things you'll be
interested to know if you're going to Jordan. Although it is surrounded by countries in
a constant state of alert, such as Israel, Syria, or Palestine, it is a safe place; crimes
are rare, and the people are very hospitable. Remember that it is a Muslim country and affectionate
greetings are limited to the couple and family. If you meet a local, you can say hello, smile,
and let them lead the conversation. If they shake your hand or come in for a hug,
you can do the same, although they might simply place their right hand on their chest. If you are in a public place and someone is
praying, do not walk in front of them, as it is disrespectful. Although the country is famous for being sunny
and hot, it is not always the case: in winter, it can be cold and even snow in some areas,
so be prepared. Alcohol is allowed but expensive due to taxes,
and it is not sold during Ramadan. If your trip coincides with Ramadan, as a
sign of respect, do not eat, drink, or smoke in public. Leave tips close to 10 percent of the bill
and be aware that Arabs tend to get physically closer when talking than Westerners. If you take a taxi and want to show respect,
it depends: if you are a man, sit in the front, and if you are a woman, sit in the back. Women are not required to wear the hijab,
and Christians and Jews, who are a minority, live peacefully, but clothing tends to be
modest, without showing too much. If you are a woman, it is advisable to cover
at least your knees and shoulders, with long pants or dresses. The famous photos of Petra on top of a rock
that are common on social media have a problem: They are possibly taken from a place that
cannot be accessed, outside the established route. It is recommended that you do not go beyond
these boundaries, as it is illegal and you will be damaging the archaeological site. 26-Let's talk now about Jordanian laws. Alcohol is allowed, but other substances are
not, and if discovered, they can carry severe penalties. Homosexuality is legal and there is even a
small LGBT community, but public displays of affection, even among heterosexual couples,
are frowned upon. The death penalty is legalized, but it is
very rare and only for very serious crimes. Taking photos of the government or military
facilities is illegal, and taking a photo of someone without their consent is considered
extremely rude, especially for Bedouin women. It is illegal to take antiques from archaeological
sites, and this is tightly controlled at Queen Alia Airport, which is one of the best in
the region. 27-Having learned how beautiful Jordan is
and how much it has to offer, you may want to visit and wonder how to get there, what
you need to enter, and how to travel once you arrive. Most countries only need a passport with 6
months of validity, with the visa being made at the airport, but you will have to check
the requirements according to your nationality. The most comfortable way to travel is by car,
and the roads are quite good. You can also travel by bus, the most economical
means. A taxi is recommended if you can afford it,
don't want to drive, or are traveling with several people to split the cost. Always negotiate the price with taxi drivers
to avoid surprises. About 7 to 8 days is enough to visit the country;
from the north in Amman to the south in Aqaba, it takes only about 4 hours by car. The best months to travel are April, May,
and October, as it is not as hot as in summer, and there is a pleasant temperature outside. Be careful with drinking tap water or in restaurants,
as it is not potable. The currency is the dinar, and prices are
usually economical, as long as you are not in very touristy areas, where prices will
skyrocket. And if you want to continue exploring Middle
Eastern countries, check out this video of Israel.
