Kerak, Jordan, Wednesday 14 April 2009
URGENT NOTE FOR BILL on next page
Now that we are in Jordan I can actually see the blog.
NOTE TO ALL:
I can edit these two pages but "access is denied" when I try to view the blog. Therefore I can't view comments; i.e. from Bruce and Sophie.
To send comments or emails to me use my tcc address - johnscott@tcc.on.ca
Note for Bill. For useful travel information go to the second page - my notes page - hyperlink at bottom of this page.
2nd note for Bill: Let me know that you have received travel info at the above email address.
3rd April (Friday) - Outward bound
YYZ to LHR
flight number: AC848 (Air Canada)
Toronto Pearson International to London Heathrow
departure time: 20:35; departure terminal 1
arrival time: 08:35 the next day; arrival terminal 3
non-stop flight - meal and a continental breakfast
airplane code 77W
seats: 51A, 51B & 51C
4th April - Outward bound
LHR to DAM
flight number: BD943
London Heathrow to Damascus International
departure time: 16:05; departure terminal 1
arrival time: 23:15
total travel time: 5:10
airline: British Midlands
airliner: Airbus A320
Arrived at Damascus airport about 11:20 pm. After the usual red tape (perhaps a little more than usual), we had our suitcases and some local currency and entered the public area where a man held a sign that said JOHN SCOTT. We reached our hotel in the old city about 12:30 and were soon asleep.
5th April - Visit of Damascus
- Damascus O/N
Right ankle swollen.
When I have time I will fill in the touristic details; right now I will bore you with the medical details.
6th April - Visit of Palmyra
- Palmyra O/N
Right ankle more swollen and painful.
7th April - Visit of Palmyra
- Palmyra O/N
I walk slowly - there is a lot to see on foot.
8th April - Visit of Palmyra
- Palmyra O/N
9th April - Visit of Palmyra
- Palmyra O/N
10th April - Departure from Palmyra to Damascus
- Damascus O/N
GOOD FRIDAY.
11th April - Damascus – on foot
- Damascus O/N
Our hotel is in the Christian area; many different sects. Some are celebrating Easter this weekend; others in several weeks from now.
Today we visit the very interesting National Museum. Lots of walking. Then walking to the commercial centre of Damascus looking for ATMs. Getting Syrian pounds easier for Wayne than me. We have lunch about 3:00 at the famous and not too expensive Kamal Restaurant. Wayne and Mary walk back through the old city, I take a taxi back to our hotel. My ankle hurts. After a short rest I take a taxi to the French Hospital and in fairly good time see a doctor. The bottom line is some medication and an elastic toe to knee sock.
12th April - Damascus – on foot
- Damascus O/N
Wayne and Mary are on foot. I stay near my room with my leg up. My area of the hotel is something else! 300 year old mansion with marble floors private alcove facing a private courtyard with a tall jasmine shrub and climbing vines. I don't mind taking it easy here.
13th April - Departure to the south of Syria, visiting Shaqqa, Shahba, Sweida & Bosra
– Bosra O/N
Our small van arrived about 8:15 am. We are heading for Bosra via some old Roman (among other civilizations) towns. We passed through volcanic highlands where the rocks are black basalt and the earth where it can be found is fertile and the people are mainly Druze. Two very good museums with mainly mosaics. The Roman buildings featured mosaic floors.
Bosra is famous for a perfectly preserved and very large theatre. We were impressed.
The Bosra Cham Hotel is 5 star and very nicely designed. Acres of shiny inlaid marble floors. We were the only guests as far as I could see though the waiter said that it had been full the night before. Think "The Shining".
14th April - Departure to Jordan – meet & Assist at Ramtha Border - Transfer to Madaba – Mount Nebo - continue to Kerak Rest House - Dinner
- Kerak O/N
Left the still empty Bosra Cham hotel about 11:00 am. Nice vehicle - van - with lots of stretch room. The border crossing took about an hour. The red tape wasn't too over the top.
Our English-speaking Jordanian driver doesn't know much English and has his own agenda. We inadvertantly paid for his lunch yesterday - a tradition he wants to keep up.
There is a receptionist-technicion at the Dr. Drakes' office in C4th who belongs to the United Church. I keep forgetting her name but you know her. I was able to buy a small blue bottle of River Jordan water for her yesterday. She has a friend who has a baby baptism in the works.
My hour is up. More later
Now back at 5:45 today. Yesterday visited a mosaics museum, visited and old church with a map in mosaics of he Middle East, and Mount Nebo - where Moses was able to see the Promised Land and from where we could have seen the Dead Sea had the air been less dusty.
Reached the Kerak Rest House at dusk. For some reason we were able to participate in the buffet dinner though we hadn't paid for it. The hotel was full up. I was in the room near the reception desk where the deskman usually takes his break.
By 8:00 pm the wind rose to a fury. The castle and town are on the brow of a high hill. All night and all day today the wind roared and whistled through small cracks in my windows. Yesterday was swelteringly hot; today it was COLD. Windbreaker weather. CNN newsmen cover hurricanes by leaning in the gales and sometimes falling over or grabbing trees for support. Same me on Wednesday.
15th April - After breakfast - Kerak castle visit - free time - back to Rest House
- Kerak O/N
As I mentioned above, there was a great wind!
The castle is big and contains a lot of corridors and side rooms with very rough rocky walls.
My camera is acting up. I can still take pictures but with less control than I would like. The fine dust??
Food is generally more expensive than we had planned. Away from the touristic sites the food is better and cheaper. Tonight, at 7:00, we may eat in a nearby restaurant called "the King's Restaurant". We will definitely eat inside.
Tomorrow we visit a ecological and nature preserve called Dana, a ruined Crusader castle, and end up at our hotel near Petra.
16th April - After breakfast - departure to Dana reserve (visitors center) - continue to Shobak – transfer to Petra Hotel - Dinner
- Petra O/N
17th April - After breakfast - Full day Petra visit - back to hotel - Dinner
- Petra O/N
18th April - After breakfast - Little Petra - transfer to Wadi Rum for Jeep ride (3 hours) - continue to Aqaba hotel - Dinner
- Aqaba O/N
19th April - After breakfast - Transfer to Amman for city tour - continue to Jerash hotel – Dinner
- Jerash O/N
20th April - After breakfast - Jerash visit - Ajlun- back to Hotel - Dinner
- Jerash O/N
21st April - After breakfast - do some visits around Jerash (no entrance fees included on this day) – back to Hotel - Dinner
- Jerash O/N
22nd April - After breakfast - Transfer to Damascus
(where we meet up with Bill, just returned from Palmyra)
- Damascus O/N
New driver today who will get us from Jordan to our hotel in Damascus. He is well organized and efficient - especially when compared with Ahmed our driver of the previous eight days.
Left the peculiar Olive Branch Hotel at 8:05 heading towards the Syrian border. Weather fairly clear. Near the border could see snow-capped mountains to the left thru the dust - possible the biblical Mount Hermon, which overlooks a famous heights. Border crossing no problem and we covered the 110 km to Damascus in good time.
Driver had been given wrong info re hotel location so we had about an hour-long city tour. Bill arrived at the hotel about the time as we did.
Toilet break (clue to why I am staying near the hotel as opposed to out sight-seeing)
More later (now 1:45 pm)
23rd April - Visit of Damascus – on foot
- Damascus O/N
24th April - Excursion to Maaloula & Mar Mousa – drive to Homs
- Homs O/N
25th April - Excursion to Musyaf, Safita & Crac des Chevaliers – drive to Hama
- Hama O/N
26th April - Excursion to Aphamea, Qallat Al Madiq, Qallat Shezar & Mharde
- Hama O/N
27th April - Excursion to the east of Hama
– Hama O/N
28th April - Departure to Aleppo
– Aleppo O/N
29th April - walk-about of Aleppo
- Aleppo O/N
30th April - Poasible excursion to Cyrrus, Ain Dara & St. Simeon – back to Aleppo
– Aleppo O/N
1st May - Possible excursion to the "Dead Cities" (Ebla, Al Bara, Serjella & Ma'arat el Numan) and Salahadin's Castle
– Aleppo O/N
2nd May - Possible excursion to Assad Lake & Rassafa – back to Aleppo
– Aleppo O/N
3rd May - on foot in Aleppo
– Aleppo O/N
4th May - on foot in Aleppo
– Aleppo O/N
5th May (Tuesday) - Outward bound day (Bill, John, Wayne & Mary)
ALP to LHR via DAM (Aleppo Nejrab to London Heathrow)
flight number: BD944 (Britsh Midlands - one stop (Damascus)
departure from Aleppo: 08:40
departure from Damascus: 10:25
arrival time at Heathrow: 14:00; arrival terminal 1
LHR to YYZ (London Heathrow to Toronto Pearson International)
flight number: AC859 (Air Canada)
departure time: 19:00; departure terminal 3
arrival time: 22:05; arrival terminal 1
non-stop flight - meal and a snack - airplane Boeing 767-300
seats: 23H, 23K, & 24H, 24K
