Jordan has a rich history spanning millennia including home to much of the events that are reported in the Old Testament, something I had not realized until visiting. Our stop in Madeba, home to several important historical churches as well as Mt. Nebo, where Moses reportedly died, provided me an opportunity to learn more about Jordan’s biblical past.

The drive south, past the airport, led through green, fertile areas dotted with houses. it was not clear where the city proper ended and the countryside began but rather more of a gradual change in the density of population. There were greenhouses everywhere and I was not quite sure why they were needed given the climate. Madeba was a small town but popular with tourists because of the churches we were going to visit, the Church of St George and the Church of the Apostles. There are several other churches in town as well, all dating from around the 6th century and all housing well preserved mosaics from that era.

For me the most interesting mosaic was at the Church of St. George. The mosaic was actually a replica of a larger map that had been in existence at a different church in southern Jordan but has since been destroyed. Consequently, the replica is the oldest known map of the holy sites spread over Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon and areas in the Sinai. The map at St. George, which was by no means small- it measured 6′ by 20′ – is apparently about a third of the size of the original map, which encompassed the whole floor of the church it was in. Examining the map was an education in the extent of the biblical history in Jordan. Many of the activities of John the Baptist, Moses and Jesus took place at various sites around the country. In addition to the map of the holy sites, both churches boasted several 6th century mosaics decorating the floor of the nave. Not only was the artistry amazing, the fact that the mosaics survived over a thousands years was impressive. The Church of St. George had some interesting underground crypts and sub-structure that dated back even earlier and it was kind of fun to roam around the tunnels discovering different chambers. Archeology is a full time job in this part of the world!

From Madeba we headed to Mt. Nebo, the site of Moses’ death and the current home of a Franciscan monastery. The Franciscans have also been acting as archeologists in working to restore and preserve some of the original stonework of the monastery as well as ensure that the incredible mosaics housed therein are maintained. On the way to Mt. Nebo the scenery changed dramatically. The green, fertile gentle rolling hills slowly began to steepen dramatically making it less friendly to agriculture. We were heading west towards the Rift Valley and the terrain was changing accordingly; rocks and boulders were scattered everywhere. Unfortunately there was also a lot of litter strewn about the landscape, something I noticed no matter where in Jordan we were. I constantly saw plastic, piles of trash left untouched by groups that had gotten together for picnics, and more plastic. It was a shame and Nurwa, our guide, mentioned that there was an effort underway to train the school children to be more mindful about litter and keeping the country clean. I guess they have given up on the adults.

Eventually we reached Mt. Nebo which sits at approximately 2300 feet and featured a small promontory looming over the steep drop down into the valley. The view from the monastery was dramatic. To the north and about half way down the ridge was a green oasis nestled amongst the bare rock called the “Springs of Moses”; one of the few green areas in sight. Otherwise the steep drop into the valley was riddled with punishing rocky outcroppings dropping into sudden gorges, overall extremely unnavigable. It made me curious about how the twelve tribes of Moses had successfully “wandered” and survived in such a challenging landscape. The mosaics in the monastery were beautiful and well preserved and no doubt the designs carried some message to those who could speak their language. Walking around the outside of the monastery to the south, a series of foundations outlined the cells where monks lived and meditated.

We left Mt. Nebo to head down to the Dead Sea and our night’s lodging along its shore, using the same tortuous road that has been used since Roman times, albeit with an asphalt upgrade. On the way down, for the first time, I saw Bedouin camps, defined by the collection of low rectangular tents open on one side. Over the coming days it was amazing to see them camped pretty much anywhere and everywhere, either alone or in small numbers. The tents appeared in the most unlikely places, areas of complete desolation in the middle of rocks, boulders and sand and I was always amazed and curious about how they existed in such circumstances.

Finally we reached the shoreline and after a short drive along the Dead Sea we reached our evening stop, an eco-lodge perched on a small cliff above the water. Jordan has set aside several areas for conservation with eco-lodges, nature walks and hiking areas to help support the maintenance and encourage sustainable tourism. The lodging was comfortable and I fell asleep listening to the wind blowing across the water.