Jordan, an unknown country where time has stopped

[재이의 여행블루스] Hidden pearls of the Arabian Peninsula with exotic Petra, Wadi Rum and Citadel

Sometimes it tells you to choose an awkward and unfamiliar unknown country as your travel destination. This is because going to a country you have never been to is the only way to feel the special charm of travel. The pleasant tension and excitement of not knowing anything adds to the fun of travel. ‘Jordan’ is such a place. Jordan, called the ‘Hidden Pearl of the Arabian Peninsula’, is a country known as a filming location for numerous science fiction films such as ‘Indiana Jones’, ‘The Martian’ and ‘Transformers’. Many of us remember this scene as the scene where Jang Geu-rae and other characters visited Jordan for a used car business in the drama ‘Misaeng’, a drama about the joys and sorrows of office workers.

The vast red sand desert of Wadi Rum. [GETTYIMAGES]

The reason why Jordan has become the background of numerous movies and dramas is because of its exotic scenery. There are many tourist spots where you can experience rare natural scenery, such as the ancient city of ‘Petra’ hidden in a narrow and deep rosy canyon between huge rocks, the vast red sand desert ‘Wadi Rum’ created by nature, and the ‘Dead Sea’ where you can float on your own. . In addition to mystical places, Jordan also has well-preserved historical and religious sites. Numerous ruins of the Roman Empire, including ‘Jerash’ where you can feel the breath of Alexander the Great, ‘Bethany’ in the Jordan River where Jesus Christ was baptized, ‘Madaba’ famous for church mosaics in the Byzantine era, ‘the place where Moses who led to the land of Canaan died’ It is also a holy place where traces of Christian history, such as Mount Nebo, remain everywhere.

Even though Jordan is such a famous travel destination, it is still unfamiliar and unfamiliar to us. It is probably because of various prejudices and prejudices about Middle Eastern countries. Jordan can even feel dangerous just because it is in the Middle East. In fact, when I traveled to an Islamic country, I had never experienced their culture, so sometimes I was embarrassed, and for some reason, fear and fear came over me. However, at some point, I accepted it as a religion and recognized it as a landscape in an unknown world, and from then on, everything in front of me began to look different. Like I did, I hope that the trip to Jordan completely erases the prejudices I had about the Middle East that I had misunderstood or knew differently.

If this is your first trip to the Middle East, Jordan is an excellent choice. This is because it belongs to a moderately Islamic country. The area is about 460 km from north to south and about 355 km from east to west, so it is similar to Korea, but the population is much smaller at about 10 million. 95% of the population are Sunni Muslims from Palestine. Jordan shares borders with Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria and Israel, but is open compared to other Middle Eastern countries. It is called the ‘Switzerland of the Middle East’ because it is a peaceful and weak country. As it is not an oil-producing country, the tourism industry accounts for about 20% of GDP. Jordan is a hot country with temperatures rising above 40 degrees Celsius in summer. Therefore, the best time to travel is April to May and September to October when the daytime temperature is pleasant at 22 degrees. The temperature difference between day and night is large and it is chilly at night, so a coat is essential. The time is 7 hours behind Korea. The currency is ‘Dinar’ and the voltage is 230V, so you can use Korean electronic products, but the shape of the outlet is different, so it is better to prepare a multi-plug. You need a visa to go to Jordan. The visa fee is 40 dinars (approximately 170,000 won). You can visit the Jordanian embassy in Korea before departure or receive it upon arrival at the local airport. If you plan to stay in Jordan for more than 3 nights, you do not need to obtain a visa if you purchase the ‘Jordan Pass’, which includes tickets to 40 tourist attractions.

Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Korea to Jordan. You have to go through Dubai, Doha, or Bangkok to arrive at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport. The language is Arabic, but there is no problem communicating in English in Amman and other major tourist areas. It is best to bring dollars with you to exchange money and do it at a bank or exchange office in the city. Nowadays, it is also a good idea to bring a minimum amount of cash and use a foreign currency card or a credit card that does not charge fees.

When you arrive at Queen Alia International Airport, the first thing you notice is the distinctive smell, noise, and suffocating air that you have arrived in the Middle East, especially Jordan. When you get your luggage and leave the airport, dozens of taxi drivers come rushing in. It’s time to get distracted. From this point on, you need to hold on to your mentality properly. Islam, experienced directly through eyes, ears and breath, is different from what we have seen in media and books. In particular, the sound of Azzan (a voice announcing prayer) that resonates from a mosque (Islamic mosque) five times a day, at dawn, noon, afternoon, evening, and night, goes beyond awkwardness and comes as fear. If you fall into such feelings for a long time, your trip to Jordan will be twisted from then on. Islam is a religion, the unfamiliar atmosphere is a culture, and the awkward climate is a new continent, and you have to accept the reality as soon as possible, even for a second. From then on, everything looks attractive.

The Citadel sculpture tells the story of Amman’s history. [재이 제공]

Jordan’s ‘Citadel’, ‘Dead Sea’, ‘Bethany’, ‘Jerash’ and ‘Mt. However, ‘Petra’, located 150 km southwest of Amman, ‘Aqaba’ along the Red Sea, and ‘Wadi Rum’, it is good to set accommodations nearby. If you have more time, it is also recommended to stay at a resort that embraces the Dead Sea for a day and travel to Bethany and Mount Nebo holy places. As a means of transportation between regions, you can use the Jordan express bus Jeff and local buses, and you can travel at a reasonable price through local travel agencies or taxi tour programs. It takes at least a week to see the whole of Jordan properly, but if the situation is not convenient, it is not bad to choose only the key tourist attractions. Since the main tourist attractions stretch from north to south centered on Amman, the order of travel may start from Petra in the south and go up to Amman, or it is okay to start in reverse order from Jerash in the north and go down to the south.

Remnants of a Byzantine church in the Citadel. [재이 제공]

Cityscape of Amman, the capital of Jordan. [재이 제공]

Amman is one of the major cities of the ancient Near East with a very long history. According to the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, which mentions this city for the first time, people at that time called this place ‘Rabbah of the Ammonites’. Let’s find the traces and head to the ancient site ‘Citadel’ where the holy body of Ammon remains. Called ‘Jabal al Qala’a’ in the local language, the Citadel was the capital of the Ammonites around 1200 BC. It is located on the highest hill in Amman, 850m above sea level, and it is close to downtown, so you can easily visit it on foot. If you have a Jordan Pass, you can enter for free. At the entrance to the Ammon Castle site, there are remains of a temple site dedicated to Hercules by Herod the Great, a Byzantine-style main gate, the remains of a Byzantine church dating from the 6th and 7th centuries, one of the oldest fortifications known to mankind, a water cistern, and a Roman defensive wall. To the south of the castle site, a Roman outdoor amphitheater with a capacity of 6,000 people has been preserved as it was before, and it is still used as a performance hall. The Citadel is a site of history and also the best observatory overlooking the panoramic view of Amman at a glance. Just before sunset, sitting on a bench and looking at the night view of Amman is enough to blow away the fatigue of the day.

A day passes like this in Amman. Next time, we plan to go to ‘Petra’, one of the 7 wonders of the world, the highlight of our trip to Jordan.

※ You can meet the second story of ‘Jordan, an unknown country where time has stopped’ in Weekly Donga No. 1387.

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Jay travel writer

Source: Donga

Mark

Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.