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January, 2001
Friday is my rostered shower day (how I long for a shower!) and also excursion day, this week to Jerash. We are on the road in the mini-bus by 8.30. We stop first at Ajlun Castle, occupying unbelievable steepness, and a rabbit warren inside. The views are stunning, out over red soil, olive trees and rocky landscape to hazy hills. I avoid the rush to souvenir stalls and enjoy a short prowl around inside the ruins.
The main destination is however Jerash, the most complete of the three Roman ruins I’ve encountered, and according to some the most complete outside Italy.
First we visit the hippodrome where one of the archaeologists has been analysing human remains, a pile of bones and traces of lime, maybe victims of the plague. She gives a graphic description of the dangers of chariot racing.
Then we’re let loose on the ruins and I manage to extricate myself from distracting company. The cardo paving is still there and although it’s been disturbed by earthquake the wheel-marks of chariots are visible in the stone, a tangible link with the busyness of this wealthy Roman city, beautifully sited in fertile countryside. The agora is quite small, with a fountain in the middle and spaces behind the columns for shops. I pass a tumble of stones, the ruins of the baths, and the stone dome of an Umayyad mosque.
There are two theatres in good repair, still in use for the Jerash festival where you can experience theatre, orchestral and traditional music, and an arts and craft market. I sit on the stone seats after taking giant strides to reach them.
But I really encounter the grandeur that was Rome at the temple of Artemis, walking up the stairs, flight after flight, and just about reaching the top before the towering columns become visible, then more steps to the sanctuary area.
Lucid Gypsy said:
From the first photo it looks vast Meg. It reminds me of some the places in Turkey, and it staggers me how they built so well two thousand years ago and that it endures. A weekly shower in that heat, ugh, but at least everyone else would smell the same!
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morselsandscraps said:
Not heat – it was winter. And I think it might have been two a week. It was certainly built to last and in an earthquake zone too. You’d be an old hand at Roman cities: they were new to me.
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wanderessence1025 said:
I loved Jordan so much; I went in 2011 soon after I moved to Oman, and I loved Jerash and Ajlun Castle, and of course Petra. You had a different experience than I did. It was amazing, wasn’t it?
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morselsandscraps said:
Only my second trip overseas. The dig excursions were good – easy transfer to interesting places. I spent a few days in Petra and Wadi Rum after the dig. Did you post about your experience in Jordan? I’d love to read about it.
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wanderessence1025 said:
I have a whole blog about my trip to Jordan from 2011. It was during the time I was separated from my husband (since 2007). I only have 7 posts on there: https://catbirdinjordan.wordpress.com/ Jordan was one of my favorite travel destinations. 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
Thanks. I’m heading over.
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wanderessence1025 said:
I still can’t believe you read the whole thing! You are really sweet to take the time. 🙂
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morselsandscraps said:
It was for my own pleasure. Nothing sweet about it! It made me think how uninformed I was about the places I visited. At least now the Internet helps.
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wanderessence1025 said:
Yes, it’s great how you can research so much online these days! Thanks again for reading, Meg. Have a great day!
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morselsandscraps said:
I read it all. What adventures you had, and how peopled. My two Middle Eastern adventures were both at tense times, and there were barely any tourists around. Your photos glow, as does your excitement about being there. I too could’ve done without Matt! I can feel a post about solitude coming on, inspired partly by your comments, and partly by this article https://longreads.com/2018/07/06/eating-alone/. I’ve just ordered a Kindle sample.
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wanderessence1025 said:
Wow, Meg, I can’t believe you read all that! Thanks for taking the time. Things were a little crazy on that trip and I did have a lot of unusual (to say the least) interactions. Matt, who was my work colleague, was so annoying, just as he was at work! I did love Jordan so much; it had a special light there that made everything seem so otherworldly. Plus, I’ve been enamored by the Middle East since I visited Egypt in 2007.
I usually enjoy my solitude on trips. I’ll have to write something about that myself at some point. I am really looking forward to walking the Camino on my own. I can picture meeting with people and parting from them, with no one sticking around too long, and having long stretches of solitude. I hope it is that way, anyway. I certainly have no desire to do it with anyone! I will check out this article about eating alone. I haven’t read it yet, but I don’t mind eating alone at all; I’ve done it all over the world, and though it used to make me feel uncomfortable, I now enjoy it. 🙂
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Heyjude said:
What a place. Those Romans really did build some incredible structures that have lasted.
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morselsandscraps said:
I wonder where they quarried the stone, and how far they had to lug the marble.
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Heyjude said:
Well I guess they didn’t – slaves from all over the place would do the hard graft, but yes it is mind boggling how they transported such huge stones to the different countries. Unless wherever buildings like this are located there is a good source of local stone. Could be one to research.
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Sue said:
Aaaargh….can’t see the Slideshow…..and it sounds like this was an amazing place
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morselsandscraps said:
Can’t you just go to safari to see the slide show. That’s what I do with yours. The ruins were maybe a bit clean for you!!!!
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Sue said:
Oh dear…clean ruins!!!
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Sue said:
No, I don’t have Java
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restlessjo said:
This place looks huge, Meg, and you have some fine details in the photos. I’ve never heard of it yet from the scale of that agora I feel that I should. 🙂 🙂 1 shower a week? Oh, dear!
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Sue said:
Agree!!
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morselsandscraps said:
I’m about to embark on another trip of limited showering – but with family! I was a bit surprised to discover the paucity of words in my journal and the plethora of photos.
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restlessjo said:
That can’t be Sydney! Uluru? xxx
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morselsandscraps said:
Not Uluru, but maybe Central Australia – if there’s time. Road trip time is shrinking.
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Suzanne said:
Your photos are very interesting. I have been to Jerash too but don’t have many photos due to camera problems on the day. The temple of Artemis is really impressive, I agree – overwhelming in a way
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morselsandscraps said:
I’m not a fan of grand scale. I took against Vienna for that reason. But grand scale ruined is a different matter!
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Suzanne said:
I met a guy a few years ago who told me he had been on an archaeological dig in Jordan in the early 80s. Apparently Jerash was a PLO stronghold around that time and there were mortar guns (or whatever you call them) set up in main thoroughfare!
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morselsandscraps said:
2001 wasn’t the safest year: a few people withdrew from the dig, but the director was reassuring, and there were no mortars in the streets. Just gunfire from the other side of the river, and Israeli jets roaring overhead. It doesn’t look as if Jerash experienced damage from those times you write about.
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Suzanne said:
Gosh yes. It must have been intense being in Jordan at that time. I think I would have been one of the people withdrawing from the dig.
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