Dear Sirs,?

offer you a brief report about the tour to Jordan in the form of private letters.?

God willing, will power and time, I'll write something more serious.?

Jerusalem, April 2004?

Until recently, many people gladly went to rest and recuperate in Israel. Now there is almost no one - the war. And in Jordan, the Dead Sea is the same as in Israel - it is all one. And its waters have the same beneficial effect on the body. Yes, and black mud in Jordanian territory is not worse.?

(from Internet advertising Russian travel agency)?

Jordan has uncovered a terrorist group al-Qaeda planned to kill Israeli tourists. Reported by the Jordanian Embassy in London. Terrorists have been Palestinians, residents of the town of Zarqa, and belonged to the clan Musab Zarqawi - local Islamists, who fled from prosecution in Iran, and there came into the organization of Osama bin Laden. Weapons the terrorists were from Iraq before the fall of Saddam Hussein's regime, and smuggle weapons and explosives through the territory of Syria and with the obvious connivance of the Syrian border. Terrorists also helped the Jordanian police officer Omar Sayyal - a relative of Zarqawi. Together they planned to kill Israeli tourists visiting the ruins of the ancient city of Jerash and Ajloun Nature Reserve, north of Amman. Terrorists also planned to blow up the head of the Jordanian police anti-terrorist center Major Ali Burdzhaka - an officer of Circassian origin, known for his uncompromising stance towards the Islamic terrorists. Militants were arrested just days before they planned the first attack on the Jews: weapons and explosives were hidden in the woods, next to the tourist trail, ready to eat.?

LONDON, AEN (Natalia Tregubova)?

... agents of the [Jordan] took over the house, which housed the headquarters of terrorists. During the operation to seize the building were killed by four men and six arrested, including?

al Dzhayusi.?

A week earlier, Jordan had been discovered three trucks packed with explosives, one of which is also toxic substances. According to police, the car came from Syria.?

in particular - a poisonous gas, terrorists planned to poison the U.S. embassy and, presumably, Office of the Prime Minister in Amman. Recall that in mid-March, Jordanian security forces uncovered an underground group that planned attacks against being in this country of Americans and Israelis.?

?Cursor Info. 26/04/2004 "?

8-11 April we were in Jordan. In general, it is near. From our Neve yaakovskogo yard in good weather could see the lights of Jordanian villages in the mountains of Moab, just 30 kilometers, however, as the crow flies - and even less.?

We met on this trip for months and a half or two earlier, but for 2.5 weeks before it eliminated our spiritual leader Sheikh Yassin, the terrorists, and threatened musliki helluva lot for him to take revenge. Therefore, some irresponsible individuals have different concerns and fears of a trip to an Arab country. But in the end no one refused, and we picked up a busload.?

In the middle of the day on April 8, gathered our group almost all over Israel, we went on Jordanian territory, where we waited there the bus with the team subservient: chauffeur, tour guide and a policeman.?

So we went ... Jordan proved to be surprisingly clean and tidy state. To my surprise - because the previous experience of visiting Egypt, and Israeli Arab communities preparing other expectations. Well-kept homes, yards, lots of greenery and flowers. Along the road - for floriculture floriculture ...?

Once, about 2500 years ago, Transjordan, or rather plateau, towering to the east of the Jordan belonged to Jews who lived here the knee Reuven, Gad, and Menashe. And along with the so-called Palestine (later Roman name) - the land between the sea and Jordan - all together they make Eretz Yisrael - the Land of Israel. Jewish sovereignty over the Jordan virtually ceased after the destruction of the Kingdom of Israel by the Babylonians in the 6 century BC And then there occurred kaleidoscopic change of government and nations: Edom, alarm, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Mamelukes, the Crusaders, Bedouins, Turks, British ... And after all, something remains, and today's Jordan - for tourists - first and foremost - an archaeological museum, supplementing the archaeological treasures of Israel (perhaps with someone's point of view - on the contrary, but this is unimportant, the inextricable link beyond doubt).?

So, having appeared on Jordanian soil, we immediately went to the first tour - the excavation of the ancient Greco-Roman city Geras, which the Arabs call Jerash. This city, which existed at the beginning of a new era, was a member of the Decapolis Decapolis-Greek cities. From excavated, it is the largest such excavations we have, in Beit Shean, but the city is less.?

short, after a couple of hours in Jerash, where we visited countless ancient colonnades, we drove south to Petra, and there we stayed for two nights at the Hotel Petra Palace Hotel, which I, in order to combat multiple sclerosis, called names Peter and Paul Fortress, somehow familiar.?

morning took us to the ruins of the ancient Nabatean city of Petra, where we spent a total of 9 hours, passing about 20 miles and climbing (and then, respectively, down) to 850 steps, not very standard and poorly adapted for walking. We went - where the ancient stone bridge, where the modern concrete, but many have passed and on sharp stones, sand and quicksand. And the sun nazharivalo. In general, the Tour was not easy! It was possible, however, for a small fee part of the way done on horseback or horse-cart, or ishachkah, which is called "taxi", it would be better "ishaksi, but we stubbornly moved on my own two feet ...?

Buildings Petra, mostly cut in the red rocks of the local mountains. (Mountains are said to Ed, from the Hebrew "hell" - red). This was once a huge city, you know, if we are visiting is not everywhere, passed 20 km. Again, how to describe Peter? Say: heat, dust - and it's true. Say: The amazing facilities - and it's true ... I'll send pictures - see ...?

At half past four, as they say, tired but happy, we doplelis to the hotel, but at 6 we were taken to a Turkish bath in a nearby building.?

There we were in the washing and massage belt. First, in the dressing room dressed in bathing suits, then all: men and women - went to the steam room, consisting of three divisions, with different temperature steam. There might have been sweating as you like, but when there came out, then got on, in fact, a conveyor, where he worked two washer and two therapists.?

washer puts you on the floor (one with soap and a sponge for all) with a predilection washes addressed to him aside. Then he turns and washes the other. Then pours a fairly tepid water from the basin, and that's it.?

then had to lie on a table to a massage therapist who rubbed your body is somehow vypendrezhnym butter, with great passion quickly otmassiroval all your members (except the most intimate).?

then just poured out of the bowl (no shower in the bath, there is no trace), wiped, wrapped in a towel, and you could go back in the dressing room, where the waiter offered you some coffee, tea and shisha.?

rested and dressed, we realized that the fatigue campaign there was not a hint. You should have just come into the room and properly washed from the bath this ...?

The next day was devoted to examination of medieval castles, or rather what was left of them.?

We have a whole day was wound on the part of Jordan, which was once the land of Israel, and even left this part, when, having passed Highlands, down to the desert, almost reaching the Iraqi border.?

first fortress, we saw only from afar, since it is closed, as explained to us for restoration. It was one of the outposts of the Crusaders, the island of Europeans among the Muslims in the middle of the second millennium AD (and you, by the way, already accustomed to the fact that you live in a third?). We took off a bit, the lighting is not very conducive, the sun shone in the eyes and lenses, and therefore, without stopping, drove on.?

next, but we visited quite thorough. These were the ruins of Karak, which served as the Crusaders something of their central headquarters in Transjordan. The fortress was built high on a hill and out can be monitored all the neighborhoods, where there was a lot of caravan routes from the Byzantine Empire to the south of Arabia and from Mesopotamia to the Mediterranean. But it was also a European island, and eventually he was captured by the Mamluks, and their leader, whose name was something like "Carabas-Barabas, destroyed the fortress.?

Well, we climbed the underground tunnels and dungeons, where in the dark, and where - a boneless vaults under the bright sun ...?

In the castle courtyard mortar was the 19 th century, and a thick Arabic, seems to be on the safe side, coached more fat no longer young Arab, bending over the cannon, as it is used (presumably against the Zionists?) .?

In the restaurant where we had dinner, hung an interesting map. It Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem, belonged to Jordan, and everything else - to non-existent and never existed Palestine. Israel on it did not exist. And this is the very "friendly" to our country, by the way, signed with us the peace treaty, on which neither Jew nor Samaria, and even less of Jerusalem Jordan does not belong! ..?

third fortress, or rather, the remainder of her house ruler, we saw already in the desert near Iraq. This building is interesting because of its vaulted space decorated with frescoes depicting the people that seem to be categorically prohibited by Islam. Although, remember the famous Persian miniatures? Apparently, as the saying goes, you can not, but if highly desirable, it is possible!?

lived some kinglet in this fortress, in the suburbs and spit on it!?

why he allowed himself to paint the ceilings and walls are not only hunters, but the woman was naked. Particularly curious about one of them in the sauna room, well, just a brush of PP Rubens (before he learned to draw well, but the style is thought to myself!). Fats hang in exactly the same! Aesthetics of Oriental people, in one word.?

a pity that all this is poorly preserved. Not to mention the relatively recent times, when it was all just rubble in the desert and the Bedouins with their caravans there all night, lit bonfires and kept on top of the unique phenomenon of some inscriptions, go, know that there is: whether the type - "here Ahmed and Mohamed were ", or any Arab bawdry, for sexual concern among the Arabs (I judge it on everyday conversations of those who have to communicate an order of magnitude higher than the average European) ...?

By evening we reached the capital city of Amman, where the night, and next morning ran into an intense swirl of new information. We ride on Amman. Though the ancient city, but a new form, quite a nice, clean (again - a comparison with zasrat Cairo on the ears). Walking on it virtually had no chance, while the sting, and in Amman say, is the so-called "Palestinians" our brother's not zhaluyuschih. Because far away from us quickly carted a couple of examples of domestic tourism classics: in the ancient theater and the National Archaeological Museum. The most curious thing we saw - this is the famous Copper Scroll from Qumran, and next to the museum, standing high on a hill - the remnants of ancient arches. And in the projection of the city, it looks very nice. And yet - on the wall of the museum - a fresco from the next card. It is, of course, there is no Israel, there is no glory to God, and no Palestine, but, simply and tastefully, between the Mediterranean Sea and Iraq uyutnenko Rural location Kingdom of Jordan ...?

But we are badly in a hurry. And still managed to run the entire program. On the way to the Israeli border stopped at Medven, the Greek Church of St. George, where the floor is made of the oldest known mosaic map of the Holy Land (6. BC), the inherited a church, built fifty years ago from the former to this place abandoned medieval monastery, is one of the key points of hospice in the former system of religious tourism. Map of, say, even made more or less in compliance with the proportions, but it is poorly maintained. Part of the fragments is fenced, so as not to tread, and the parts just are benches.?

And last, where we came specifically - is Mount Nebo. According to legend, it was from this mountain Jews, led by Moses saw the land of Israel and with it, down into the Jordan Valley, began the conquest of the earth, bequeathed by our forefathers by God. And it is here, say, Moses distributed the inheritance among the tribes of Israel. And say goodbye to his people, who brought out of Egypt (and who by his disobedience and waywardness, I think it to be fed for more than forty years!). And Moses went out, aimlessly, and nobody knows where he is dead and buried. All this is described at the end of the book Devarim (Deuteronomy ?)...?

And here we are on the mountain. Time - the second one in the afternoon and the sun was shining in his eyes. So the Jews of "Deuteronomy", you see, very lucky, and the time they have, I think there was more to reconnoitre, and they could see the Land of Israel in the early morning when the sun is behind him. But from us she covered by haze, lit the sun. You could see the northern tip of the Dead Sea, Judean Mountains. They say that in good weather can be seen even towers of Jerusalem, for Nebo is just exactly the opposite of our court, but in that moment it was excluded. Still with the height of the Land of Israel looked beautiful, it was possible dovoobrazhat it as written in the Bible, ends with milk and honey ...?

We took pictures on the mountain on the background of Eretz Yisrael, and stood in the fence, as I understood afterwards, which was built for the Pope to the old man fell off when he, like Moses, surveyed the mountain of Eretz Israel ...?

By nine o'clock reached home. As my grandmother said (may Allah be blessing her memory): "Der holiday gekonchetzeh?.