Jordan: Madaba Mosaic Map (10/27/2023)

Friday, October 27, 2023 (continued)

We walked to the Greek Orthodox Church
of St George (1884); during construction the
remnants of a Byzantine church were found
and preserved; including a floor mosaic

Icons of the Mother and Child, and St George

Another icon of St George killing a dragon

The arches between the narthex and nave
have portraits which may be of the Greek
archon/chief magistrate Michael of Madaba
on the right, and his wife April on the left

The floor mosaic is the oldest known map (542 CE)
of Palestine with Jerusalem; this section was covered
by a small rug and is north on the Jordan River (KSS)

This may be the area near present-day Kerak, Jordan

On the left is the Jordan River (with fish!) and above the
river at the fish would be the site of the Baptism of Christ;
the Dead Sea has a boat, which are no longer allowed

With the Jordan River and Dead Sea above, below is the
walled city of Jerusalem and just to its right is Bethlehem;
the map is oriented with the East on top

This section is of the Nile Delta

A representation of the Mosaic Map

Some colorful textiles on our walk to lunch

If they sell these so cheaply, are they really handmade in Egypt?

Some amazing embroidery

$1.40 for two pomegranates

Bedouin Barbies

Lunch was at a restaurant named Food Basket and
our appetizers included pita bread and breadsticks with,
(left to right) eggplant dish?, yogurt over chickpeas and
pita chips, (from top of three) moutabal/baba ganoush,
pita bread chip strips covered with herbs, and
hummus, then olives, and Arab salad

Petra beer

A large pot of maqluba/rice casserole
with chicken and vegetables

To be served, the waiter swings the pot ... (KSS)

Then, bam!, sets it upside down on the
platter creating a bowl-shaped mound (KSS)

Dessert of cookies, including a maamoul/date-filled cookie
and a barazak/sesame cookie

Back on the motor coach and taking the Desert Highway

A stop at the New Jerusalem Resthouse, which
is also a major souvenir/handicraft shop

Silk carpets and mosaics

A photo stop at Shobak Castle (1115), which was built by the
Crusaders to dominate the route between Syria and Egypt

Beyond the castle, turbines take advantage of the winds

The view from our room at the Petra Marriott Hotel

Petra Marriott Hotel room, where we had a choice of three beds

Tea was set to simmer on an open fire, while
chefs prepared to unearth our dinner

Shoveling away the earth rom the
underground charcoal-fired pit

Removing the iron top

Pulling out the roasted meats and vegetables

Mandi/chicken and lamb, potatoes and onions
will be presented on a bed of rice

We ate inside a Bedouin tent with cushioned sofas and a low
table set with the meze/appetizers: two types of bread in the
center and left to right clockwise: chickpeas, baba ganoush,
fattoush/salad with pita chips, hummus, lebneh/strained
yogurt, tabouleh, and then back to chickpeas to
repeat going to the left (Thanks for the photo, Tony!)

Our dinner group with Kent and Tamiko, Joe and Joanne,
Tony and Cindy (so many small world stories!)

A Bedouin man played the oud and sang

Dessert of a sort of bird's nest pie using shredded phyllo,
and topped with crushed pistachios, and hot sweet tea

Next: Petra I.