From bustling Amman to the calm surface of the Dead Sea – News

Although Jordan is an exotic country, you will feel safe and comfortable there. Jordanians are generally friendly and tolerant people. It is not surprising that their country has become an island of peace in the middle of the Middle East, often torn by turbulent events and war conflicts.

The perfect acoustics of the Roman amphitheater for six thousand people provoked us to sing the folk song Oh son, son. The long melody carried beautifully throughout the space.

In the winding streets around the Al-Hussein Mosque, which stands right next to the amphitheater, we found part of the local markets. We went there in the morning, when it is not so hot and crowded, moreover, many merchants are said to give a discount to the first customer of the day. They believe it will bring them good luck. There are also other markets and bazaars in the vicinity, as well as Duhová street (Rainbow street), where you will come across various shops, restaurants, cafes, bars or even galleries. During the day, and especially in the evening, it lives a busy life here.

There is an interesting view of Amman from the Citadel, a once-fortified hill above the city center. Even with adjacent satellites, it has a population of five million, which is surprisingly large for a country of ten million. It is not only a consequence of the turbulent development of this metropolis, but also of the influx of people from neighboring countries who are fleeing wars and conflicts.

People lived on the hill since the Stone Age. Remains of the temple of Heraclitus from Roman times (162-6 AD), a Byzantine church (550 AD), and especially the once magnificent palace of the Arab Umayyad dynasty (8th century AD) have been preserved here.

The biggest unique item in the inconspicuous building of the Jordan Archaeological Museum here is one of the oldest human statues in the world (created around 7000 BC). It is made of plaster and about a meter high. It has two heads (why, that’s a mystery), big eyes and strangely modeled faces. You won’t see anything like this anywhere else in the world.

They exhibit the entire collection of these sculptures below the Citadel, in the modern building of the National Archaeological Museum in the center of the city. They were dug up by a bulldozer during the construction of a highway in a place called Ain Ghazal. The museum also displays part of the famous scrolls found in the caves near the Dead Sea, which contain biblical and religious texts, as well as a copper scroll. It was a difficult problem to develop it, but it was done. It is a list of 64 places where gold and other valuables are supposed to be hidden. However, none have yet been discovered.

Restaurant Hashem in Amman, one of the oldest in the country, has become a similarly famous establishment, such as the pub U Fleků in Prague. The one who hasn’t tasted some food here is like he hasn’t been to Jordan. A good sign is that it is not only visited by foreigners, but also by local people. She cooks excellently here and it’s not expensive.

They brought us mezze here, i.e. lots of small bowls with various dishes. I liked the falafels (fried chickpea balls flavored with a mixture of spices) and pita with chicken, which was given an amazing taste by the creamy soft yet distinctive sauce.

You can find a lot of interesting restaurants in Duhová Street and its surroundings, including those where you can taste delicacies from the cuisines of the surrounding countries: Lebanon, Syria, Egypt…

The Dead Sea is about an hour and a quarter southwest by car from Amman. Rocky shores slope down to it here. It was formed millions of years ago. It was once connected to the Red Sea. However, that connection was broken due to tectonic changes.

In any case, it is not a sea, but only a lake, and a special lake at that. Its surface is 435 meters below the level of the world’s oceans. That’s because it dries. Due to climate changes and intensive use of its tributaries to irrigate fields. Therefore, the water in it contains a concentrated amount of various salts and has beneficial effects on the skin.

It is said that the legendary biblical Queen of Saba came to him because of them. But even the Egyptian queen Cleopatra allegedly used cosmetic products from here. A stay by the sea, as well as products from it, are still used today to regenerate the skin and treat certain diseases. Baths in the Dead Sea and the local microclimate can help, for example, with psoriasis, atopic eczema, asthma, arthrosis and other diseases.

If you only take a trip to the Dead Sea, according to Omar Jamaein, an expert on Jordan, it is possible to go to the beaches where there are showers and other facilities. But here you usually pay a high entrance fee (25 dinars, which is about 800 CZK). Or you can go to Herod’s springs, or to other places where locals go. You don’t pay anything on the beach, just about a dinar for rinsing with fresh water from the hose.

You can also stay in a hotel by the sea. In ours, it was to the sea, whose level drops by roughly 70 centimeters every year, about 300 meters. Clients could also take an electric trolley to it. We recognized the people who had just arrived here by their white skin and by the fact that they had to be photographed as soon as possible, lying on the surface on their backs and reading a magazine. It is easy because water with a higher content of chloride salts and other minerals is somewhat denser and floats more. That looks effective.

Swimming is not so comfortable anymore. The water here is very salty, bitter, and above all aggressive. You can basically swim in it safely only carefully on your back and without splashing. When you lie down on your stomach, there is a risk that water will get into your eyes or on the sensitive mucous membranes in your mouth or nasopharynx, which will burn badly. You must immediately rinse them with fresh water. This is why there is usually a shower on hotel and public beaches.

Some people take a plastic bottle with drinking water to the sea because the shower may be further away. And if you decide to take a wild swim, there will probably be nothing at all on the shore. Not to mention a lifeguard to help you in case of trouble. Otherwise, people here normally shower after bathing, but do not wash with soap, so as not to deprive themselves of the positive effects of the salts on the skin.

It was 38 degrees hot on the beach and the water was around thirty degrees. The woman, who only got into the water up to her knees, suddenly ran quickly to the shower and washed her feet. She probably didn’t realize that it wasn’t the best idea to shave them before swimming in the sea here. Small abrasions in the water began to burn her unpleasantly. According to Omar Jamaein, it is not good to bathe in it even with minor injuries or major abrasions.

Water shoes are also useful, as there are a lot of pebbles in the sand, which can easily dig into the soles of your feet painfully, and there are often rocky sections.

The local lake is called the Dead Sea because no animals live in it due to the high salt content. However, it is not completely dead, scientists have found several types of bacteria and algae in it.

Jordan and Israel are thinking about how to prevent it from drying up. According to Omar Jamaein, they are considering a connection with the Red Sea or the Mediterranean Sea. Another solution is said to be more ecologically friendly: the drip irrigation system in agriculture. Leads water directly to plant roots. It uses it effectively, prevents its evaporation and greatly reduces its consumption.

The hotel we stayed in had several fresh water pools where we could enjoy bathing and swimming. The Dead Sea remained only an interesting experience for us and an opportunity for the ladies to regenerate their skin.