Jordan: Museums and Dead Seas Scrolls

For our final day in Amman, we enjoyed the morning walking around the city. One of our most anticipated stops of the trip was the newly opened Jordan Museum which houses some of the infamous Dead Sea scrolls. It is absolutely enrapturing to see something so historic and influential to religion with your own eyes, but that can be said about all of our travels. If you are traveling to Amman, this would be well worth a short period of your time, as we did the entire museum in about 90 minutes, with reading everything.

Oh how I LOVE my arabic coffee!

Some of the earliest human form sculptures ever found

Dead Sea scrolls

What the scrolls were found in, in the caves

Dead Sea scrolls

We ended our time by walking a few kilometers (for the SECOND time of the trip) to Shawarma Reem. It is where the locals go for all of their shawarma needs and it is WELL worth the wait in line. They are small, so make sure that you order a few! Mmmm, I am now having a craving for it now that I am sharing this with you.

Jordan: Amman Citadel

At the highest point and in the center of Amman sit its spectacular Citadel (as one does in SO many older cities). It is a great place to get a 360 degree view of the entire city. There are a few buildings that remain, as well as a small museum that contains some of the older artifacts from the history of Jordan as a country (well, those that haven't been move to the recently opened Jordan Museum anyway).

One of the awesome things about areas like this, is that you can walk/climb/explore everything unobstructed. There are no signs or limitations blocking you from areas or surfaces, and it is so much fun!

We easily spent two hours exploring the Citadel and the morning was quickly lost. Afterwards, we walked to one of the most highly recommended restaurants for truly local cuisine and enjoyed a lovely and relaxing afternoon watching the baker fire bread for the entire restaurant.

Before: Cooking on the inside wall of the kiln

After: A few bites in

Traditional dish: Mansaf

Jordan: King's Highway and the Dead Sea

Thankfully the chaotic and bipolar weather of Jordan laid at bay and we were able to journey the back road to the Dead Sea from Petra via the Kings Highway.

One of the benefits of hiring a local guide = Speaking Arabic. We stopped for lunch on the roadside and he was able to negotiate an incredible meal for us. It is the simplest of foods that taste the best.

Salt build up on the cliffs

Lot's wife, turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back at the waste of Sodom

The Dead Sea

Salt rock

So the wonderment of the Dead Sea is the fact that its salinity level is through the roof, making anything but completely floating on top of the water practically impossible. Seriously, you cannot sink or dive, not that you would want to put your face in the water anyway.

Laying ON (not in) the water, completely surreal

Salt crystals

So surreal!

Jordan: The Infamous and Incredible Petra

There is not too much to write about Petra, as the pictures more than speak for themselves.
It is incredible. It alone is worth a trip to Jordan.
Add it to your bucket list (and skip the horse/camel rides).

We hired a personal driver and tour guide for the day and it was WORTH EVERY PENNY (and it really was not expensive), as we got escorted into the nitty-gritty of and all over Petra. We only spent about 3 hours here but EASILY could have spent ALL day. Allot yourself more time that we did.

Not even into "Petra" yet!

See the elephant?

Immediate view exiting the narrow pathway