Category: Middle East Study Trip

Yesterday we exited Saudi Arabia. Then we were stuck in no man’s land for 3 or 4 hours waiting on paper work. I guess it came by camel caravan. We drove to Suncity Camp, the original desert camp in Wadi Rum.

The dining room

It got pretty chilly in the evening.

We did a sightseeing jeep ride.

Uphill in loose sand

Sand drifts in the wind almost like snow.

The erosion patterns are quite varied and interesting.

Sand ripples

Our hotel room

We did a balloon ride in Wadi Rum.

We ended the Exodus study on Mount Nebo. It was here that Balaam looked at Israel in the plains of Moab. He prophesied of a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre out of Israel.

From here Moses could view the Promised Land. Like Moses, we didn’t go into the Land. That will be another trip.

I’m dreaming of organizing an Arabian Exodus Study Trip for Passover 2027. We would need 22 to 25 participants. We’d fly into Saudi Arabia and spend three days visiting the Exodus sites and learning about the different wildernesses. We’d cross into Jordan, continue in the wilderness, wrap up with Jerash and the Amman Citadel, then fly home from Amman. Let me know if you’re interested. It would cost somewhat more than an Israel study trip.

We do have a few openings for our Israel Study Trip this fall. This is a great time to visit the Middle East. The sites are not crowded, the people are very happy to see visitors. It is very safe.

The dates are October 23 to November 4.

Traveling home, we flew Lufthansa from Amman to Frankfurt, Germany.

We’re at about 1,000 meters elevation, in the Hisma desert. We stayed in a desert camp, off road a couple kilometers. Still another kind of wilderness.

Driving through the wilderness to the highway to get to the bus.

I went out at sunrise for photos.

We saw a lot today. This is Shiprock.

Jabal Maqla

The locals call it Jabal Musa, or mountain of Moses. Maqla can mean quarry in Arabic. Some have said the mountain appears burnt. The peak is formed of basalt, a volcanic rock, not the granite of other peaks in the Lawz range.

The slightly lower peak next to Maqla has a cave. It is known locally as Elijah’s cave.

Petroglyph of dancing people.

These marble pieces are from a tiny quarry on Maqla. The quarry is not large enough to have been a commercial enterprise. It must have been for a few special-purpose pieces. I wonder what kind of stone tablets Moses brought down the mountain.

Next to the marble seats (that’s how we used them) are these stone structures that could have been cattle chutes.

The chutes have a bend so animals entering couldn’t see the other end. They ended at some large boulders.

A broom tree, or bush, makes a hot fire.

It’s wonderful that the area is now accessible. This fence used to block entry.

Saudi’s Acacias are bigger than those in Israel.

The “high place” is officially recognized as an archeological site. That’s why it has a fence.

Petroglyphs with Egyptian influence. Age estimates vary considerably but include late Bronze Age.

Highlight of today, the split rock Horeb. Exodus 17, Psalm 78

We’re across the border. We can see the mountains of the Sinai Peninsula across the water. This isn’t a good place for a large group of people to cross even with the water removed.

Mah-Moon hopes we won’t wander in the wilderness for 40 years. He says we’re the first tour group going into Saudi Arabia

Diesel fuel price is equivalent of about $1.50 a gallon.

Nuweibaa Beach across the Red Sea. Notice the canyon through the mountains, and the expanse of beach. The crossing here would have been a gradual slope for crossing, but also “the depths” that drowned an army.

We have an escort vehicle, apparently.

We’re seeing broad, flat expanses of wilderness punctuated by mountains. There are plenty of Acacia trees, which factor into the biblical story.

The modern road follows the ancient wadis. We’re on the likely Exodus route.

Some of the Acacia trees here are larger than what we see in Israel. I see some big enough to build the ark of the covenant or altar of incense from one tree.

Our first glimpse of Jabal el Lawz. The distant peak with the towers.

Jethro’s caves

Seems like the Nabateans updated the tombs when they came along.

Lawz from the other side

Jeep ride to Elim?

Some of the harshest environment on earth

Free range camels, know where their home is.

On Marah and Elim. Exodus 15

Our chauffeurs

Oasis in the desert

We drove through another wilderness south of Al Bad’a. More flat expanses and fewer mountains. Wilderness of Sin?

Click the following links to see 360 pics from Petra

https://photos.app.goo.gl/U74GiF2zzwkJYd948

https://photos.app.goo.gl/7swZBoWaquEHngsf7

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YSZewMGMzoecg74V7

We spent the night in Wadi Musa, valley of Moses. This mountain is known as the mountain of Aaron, where he was buried. Mount Hor?

Sunset at Aaron’s mountain last evening. There’s a tomb at the top to commemorate Aaron. Tradition says this is Mount Hor where he was buried. Josephus connects Petra to Mount Hor.

Camel ride in Petra 😁

Petra is an amazing place. We saw Nabatean, Roman, and Byzantine stuff. Mohanned, our guide, grew up here. (Apparently I had his name wrong yesterday.)

Mo believes there are several civilizations still uncovered.

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The Edomites took this area from the Horites. You’ll recall that Edom wouldn’t allow Israel to travel through their land. Right now we’re on the King’s Highway with no Edomites to stop us.

The Nabateans were here from about second century BC until Rome took over.

They carved tombs and temples in solid rock.

The walk through the canyon was spectacular. I have 360 footage, maybe I can share it later.

Some Roman road is still here.

Known as the “treasury”, but Mo believes it’s a temple. We didn’t go inside. Apparently that’s available for $1,500.

I took an extra hike for another vantage point.

Roman

This one was used as a church in Byzantine times. Rich said it’s quite cavernous inside with wonderful reverb for singing. We didn’t have time for that today.

Riding out of ancient Petra.

We’re here at Aqaba looking at Exodus 13:17 & 18, and other scriptures. God took Israel by way of the wilderness to the Red Sea. After they crossed, they were still in a wilderness. What is known as the Sinai Peninsula today was under Egyptian control. Israel never saw Egyptians after they crossed.

We’re at the juncture of Jordan, Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Tomorrow we plan to go into Saudi Arabia. Things become less certain. We didn’t get all the permits we wanted. Your prayers are appreciated.

River Jabbok, where Jacob wrestled with God. Genesis 32. We’re in the northern part of Jordan, on our way to Jerash, a Decapolis city.

The Arch of Hadrian is outside Jerash. It was built in 129 AD.

Entering the hippodrome, outside the city.

The hippodrome was the place for chariot races.

The souk, or market, inside the city. You could buy things from all over the then-known world.

Our guide’s name is Mohammed. Apparently mispronouncing the name is common. The long em sound has something to do with it. He said we can call him Mo. Here we’re looking at the oval plaza. They were normally a circle, not oval. But Mo said he calls it the square of Jerash.

The cardo is the heart of the city.

Water fountain

Below are a couple links to view 360 pics from yesterday. Open thelink, tap the pic, and then the circle icon. You can look around in all directions, and up and down.

The Herculean temple:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/5R4Pk8Wb8Chtb6Dk9

And inside the monumental gateway: https://photos.app.goo.gl/7rhZXJB2vZF3hyQZ7

A Note to the Reader: The author of this post is listed as Linda Martin, but all I’m doing is downloading Andrew’s photos and posts. I am not traveling with them!

Vienna Airport

Temple to Hercules

Iron Age 2 includes the time of the united Kingdom of Israel

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I have 360 pics if I could find a good way of sharing them!

Large Meeting Building – check out the ceiling detail!

Wall of a mosque

Columns of the Herculean Temple were repurposed as pillars in a Byzantine church.

We walked from the Citadel down to the Roman theater. We stopped at an art shop.