A Forever of Nows

We celebrated Lindsay’s birthday at the Dead Sea. We stayed at a posh resort with its own private salty beach, and took full advantage of the “miracle” mud and relaxing spa.

After two nights of indulgence, we rejoined Firaz to continue our road trip through Jordan. Before heading south to Petra, we side-tripped to Madaba, a place known for its mosaic artwork, both ancient masterpieces as well as a modern thriving art form. After dutifully touring the promoted sites in town, Firaz turned off the main highway onto a narrow dirt road that meandered up a rocky hill. We parked under an olive tree in front of an unmarked stone building, honked the horn and waited. The keeper of the place being slightly hard of hearing, Firaz honked again. Finally Abu Ali appeared, and with a big smile, unlocked the door for us to peer inside – and our jaws dropped. The building now protects the remains of a 6th century Byzantine church floor and alter. With exquisitely detailed scenes of animals, pomegranate trees, and fishermen, the Mukhayyat mosaic (as it is known) is made from natural colored stones so none of it’s vibrancy has faded over the centuries. The story goes that Abu Ali’s mother discovered the treasure while cleaning up after a kitchen fire – you can still see the dark spot on the floor where the oven flames scorched the stone tiles.

With so much rich history, Firaz told us it is not an uncommon occurrence for people to discover these ancient mosaic floors when building or updating their homes… and then quietly cover them back up to avoid the hassle of being relocated (and nominally reimbursed) by the authorities once the government takes possession.

Shawbak Castle was our final stop before arriving in Petra. Built almost 900 years ago during the crusades, the castle is perched on the top of a mountain with sweeping views. It was a stunning place to explore and stretch our legs.