Jordan - Monday May 26th - Bible stories

 

Above is our tour group. Thanks Mo.

 

Mo likes taking photos and was happy to share them so you will see a lot of his photos over the next posts.

 

But. first stop of the day,

 

Mount Nebo

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Moses.

 

Short version....His story starts with him floating in the bulrushes of the Nile, just as I know the plastic bottles do today. 

Then after some hi-jinks in Egypt which included the 10 plagues, the Pharaoh allowed him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt in search of the promised land. This was the exodus.

 

They wandered around in the desert for 40 years, must have been like a big Bedouin camp. They then had many adventures including the parting of the Red Sea, singing songs of praise and receiving the 10 commandments.

 

THEN, one day they reached Mount Nebo and Moses looked upon this view.

 

 The promised land! 

 

The catch is that Moses never over to there, he died here on Mount Nebo aged 120 (or so they say). And he knew he was never going to get to the promised lane because God had told him about it, and I think that is really sad.

 

So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab according to the word of the LORD. 

And He buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-Peor, but no man knows his 

burial place to this day. (Deuteronomy 34:5–6) 

 

Moab is today in Jordan. 

Never had a quote from the Bible in a post before!

 

 It is so much greener in Jordan. They have lots of bougainvillea. Bottlebrushes, gumtrees, in fact lots of familiar plants. Anything that grows well in the dryer parts of Australia does well here.

 

 

 Above, here's the gang again in another of Mo's pics.

 

This is the bronze sculpture that was in my hero shot of the day (very first pic) is called the Brazen Serpent and this is its Bible story...

 

From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. The people spoke against God and against Moses, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.” Then the Lord sent poisonous serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, “We have sinned by speaking against the Lord and against you; pray to the Lord to take away the serpents from us.” So Moses prayed for the people. And the Lord said to Moses, “Make a poisonous serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.” So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live. (Numbers 21:4–9)

Gosh those Israelites seem an unruly, ungrateful bunch, poor Moses. 

Wonder what Moses would think of the events in Israel today? 

All that trouble and look what they are doing to themselves 3000 years later...

 

But, there is also a Byzantine Church here. 

Roman's! Didn't they go everywhere!? What a powerhouse!

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Nebo 

 

 

I love mosaics because they are so related to quilt patterns, (don't ask... )

I take lots of photos for future reference.

 

 

Gasp! Look at this mosaic, its like being on safari in Africa again..

Except they are hunting the animals, poo...

 

And quilt ideas,,,,

 

 

Of course,

there is a dog photo!

He/she looks pretty happy. Living in a holy place, the monks feed them.

 

 

 Now, moving on.

 

We went shopping. Some in our tour group bought tables to free ship home to the US.

We bought 2 drink coasters that cost us au$120, geeze...I'm going to hang them on a wall.

 

 

And all that before lunch.

Next we went to ..

 

St Georges Church. Oh, the crusades, I forgot about them, (of course the crusaders came here, duh..)

 

 

 

 

 

"Hello tourists! Thanks to you tourists, welcome to beautiful Jordan!" 

that was from the locals, I think I love Jordan. 

Well its a warm welcome.

That the King's picture in the middle of this pic. 

 

We had lunch at a restaurant. 

 

 It was a beautiful spread!

 

 

Yummy bummy!

 

 And then back to the coach.

Its a photo stop at a crusaders castle!

Shobak castle/ 

 

 But wait there's lots more.

 

While we were parked there at the castle, a nice Bedouin lady brought her flock over to see us.

I'm sure she planned it for the tip, but it was still wonderful! 

 

 AND, that's Mo saying come on, come over and meet this lady!

 

 

 Deep Breath.

Nearly there.

 

Then we went to our hotel in Petra, another Movenpick.

 

Viking does not scrimp on staying in the best places.

 

 

Here are some of those sesame biscuits that I love so much, but can't just get right.

 

 

 

Tomorrow its an early start for the long walk down to Petra.

YAY, so excited!