For pictures of the amazing Jerash (Gerasa of the Bible), CLICK HERE.
Day three of our Jordan extension meant bags packed for international travel and a quick breakfast before an early departure for Jerash, North of Amman. We made a speedy getaway (in part because it was a Friday and Amman, with virtually no traffic, seemed nearly deserted). Later in the day, “March 24th” protestors and pro-Abdullah groups clashed in Amman — part of Jordan’s take on the Arab pro-democracy movements sweeping the region.
The view North from the oval Forum towards the Cardo Maximus
We were the first bus to arrive at Jerash, so we had the whole place to ourselves for the first hour or so — adding to the mystery and beauty of the site.
Inhabited as early as the Bronze Age (3200 BCE – 1200 BCE), Jerash was annexed into the Roman province of Syria after the Roman conquest in 63 BCE. Later it became one of the Decapolis cities (Gerasa of the Gospels). In 90 CE, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included the city of Philadelphia (modern day Amman).
The prosperity of the place was still evident even 2000 years later. Pax Romana enabled the people of Jerash to devote their efforts and time to economic development, civic building activity, and Trajan and others built roads to help make it a cosmopolitan trading center. The entrance to the site is through the impressive Arch of Hadrian, built to honor the Emperor’s visit to the city in 129-130 CE. The city that we could walk was only part of what was finally city of about 200 acres within its walls (a lot of the original city is unexcavated underneath the modern city of Jerash).
The partially restored Temple of Zeus in Jerash (Gerasa of the Gospels)
The Temples of Zeus and Artemis, the TWO gorgeous theaters, the Cardo Maximus, triumphal gates, intricate carvings, Byzantine churches, beautiful mosaics, and gorgeous Spring weather made the experience a real climax of an already memorable trip. Be sure to check out the pictures HERE — words just don’t do it justice!
By noon we were on the road to the Northern crossing of the Jordan near Beit Shean. We didn’t go back through Jerusalem in part because the city was clogged with 10,000 Marathoners. The border crossing process is a long one that includes switching buses, scanning luggage twice (once by Jordanians and again by the Israelis), Laura being singled out by an Israeli guard for questioning, a very drawn-out passport control (where they asked David, “Do you have your other passport?” What? Huh?), and Nat’s bag (with 15 books) having to be hand-inspected micron by micron. Anyway, we made it through.
On the Israeli side, the bus met us and there, underneath, was Laura’s lost suitcase (entombed for three days, now risen to new life!). Laura threw her arms around the bus driver saying, “Thank you! Thank you!” The poor guy hardly knew what to do.
Travelling back through the pass at Beit Shean and the Jezreel Valley, it was a gorgeous afternoon, passing by some of our favorite spots again, including Megiddo. We jumped back on Route 2 at Caesarea Maritima and headed South back to Jaffa/Tel Aviv for dinner at “The Old Man on the Sea” (another delicious meal of chicken kabobs, all kinds of salads, falafel, and right-out-of-the-oven sesame bread).
We ate overlooking the sunset on the Med, played frisbee with our bus driver Abdullah and drove the short hop to Ben Gurion to face over three hours of security lines (and barely making the flight). The 10 hour flight to JFK was pretty uneventful. We were all so tired, sleep wasn’t much of a problem. The flight arrived so early at JFK that there was only one passport official on duty to process all 400+ passengers. Needless to say, LOOOOOooooong waits. We claimed our luggage, transferred it to the next flight and were the last ones to board the connecting flight to Salt Lake. Then, so close but yet so far, our connecting flight to Phoenix was cancelled (due to a broken airplane). We got transferred to another flight leaving six hours later and arrived happily (and VERY tired) in Phoenix on Saturday night, March 26th.
What a trip! When do we go again?!?
