Tuesday
I’m back on the crime scene but this time at the bottom of the hill. The amphitheater leans against another hill and is extremely steep. Getting all the way up is quite the work-out but the view is sick. Just next to the amphitheater is the much smaller Odeon, also a very nice piece of roman architecture. I stop by the nearby souk on the way back to by fruits and because it’s always fun to visit local markets. As expected I stand out and I end up leaving the market with more than expected ;) It was very animated with lots of things begging for attention whether it was people, odors or sights. I walk back home with just the lonely planet map and my phone’s compass.
The program of the afternoon is the desert. We race east toward Iraq, getting deep into this rocky desert which had to be crossed by countless Muslim pilgrims going to Mecca. Our first stop is Amra, it’s an incongruity in the region. Ancient thermal baths, classified UNESCO site, they have murals with naked people. It was built at the beginning at the Muslim era and not only survived but kept on being used by the elite for years. Thanks to my guide (who speaks Arabic) we get a preferential treatment, not only we don’t pay the entry fee but we get to see the murals from up close!
We get back on the road to try to make it to Azraq before it closes. It’s a black stone fort and was the HQ of Lawrence of Arabia during WW1. Sadly we arrive too late and we can only walk around it. Even without seeing the interior, the site clearly has potential but it’s not restored. The black stones give it a mysterious feeling and the fort itself is very impressive but it looks abandoned… for a long time. Not far from it, there’s an oasis and we decide to check it out. After hours of driving in the desert, the contrast is staggering; farming everywhere, animals… we come across a group of white camels and later we have to literally go through a herd of goats standing on the road.
On the way back to Amman, we plan on stopping at Kharaba. The site is close but it’s a good spot to enjoy the sunset in the desert. We arrive at the information center and once again my guide works her magic. The fact that she speaks Arabic (and her pretty face) is the key factor in my opinion :D We get to enjoy a private visit of the entire site, even the areas closed to the public. It’s an old hotel for pilgrims. It’s a sturdy construction with thick walls and a very clever ventilation system maintaining a very decent temperature inside. We go all the way up to the roof to enjoy the sun setting with a symphony of colors specific to the desert. Our guide is a Bedouin and he invites us to join them for tea under his tent after the visit. We’ll finish the day in Amman with a delicious restaurant and a hookah under the stars… like two lovebirds.