In only a few days, I covered a lot of terrain in Jordan. I was able to see several historical sites. Petra isn’t all there is to see by a long shot! It’s a stunning country with friendly people who are deeply saddened by the turmoil happening in the countries that surround them. My guide told me that he used to take tourists into Syria, for example, on a regular basis. He misses being able to go there.
Nevertheless, I felt absolutely safe in Jordan, and it appears to be a stable place to visit. Below are some of my favorite photographs from my visit.
Petra isn’t the only set of beautiful ruins in Jordan. I loved Jerash (or Jerasa) just as much. It’s believed that Jesus visited there. This Roman city must have been stunning when it was new.
There was a sewer system underneath the city, and this is an ancient manhole cover. It was one of my favorite things that I saw. I had no idea there was such a thing as a manhole cover from Biblical times!
An ancient manhole cover in Jerash. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Another thing at Jerash were indentations in the stone streets from chariots. Holy Ben Hur!
The columns of Jerash in Jordan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The ancient site of Jerash in Jordan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Beautiful carving detail at Jerash. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The amphitheater in Jerash had numbered seats! I wonder what they used for tickets – papyrus, maybe? Photo by Melanie Votaw.Another view of Jerash. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Gorgeous decorative plates in Jordan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.An ad at Petra for Bedouin Kohel eye makeup, which is popular with the women of Jordan. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The marker at Mount Nebo in Jordan, where Moses purportedly got a view of the Holy Land. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The view from Mount Nebo, which includes Israel in the distance. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A camel jockey at Petra. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The famous treasury is far from the only building at Petra. It takes hours to walk through the ancient ruins. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The rocks at Petra have exquisite colors and designs. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Aramaic writing at Petra. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The flies were quite a bother to the camels at Petra. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The upper floor of the famous pink stone treasury at Petra. Photo by Melanie Votaw.At the ancient site of Umm Qais, I saw these strange tiger-like insects. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The view from the ruins of Umm Qais, which was the ancient city of Gadara. In the distance is the Sea of Galilee. Photo by Melanie Votaw.I met this family at the historical site Umm Qais, which was built around 90 AD. They asked me to take a photo of them, but despite our best efforts, our language barrier prevented us from communicating how I would ever get the image to them. We laughed at ourselves, and I was left with this sweet image of people I have no idea how to contact. I adore that the child’s sweater says “LOVE” in English. May we all learn to love each other, despite our differences. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Melanie Votaw is the Publisher and Executive Travel Writer of LuxuryWeb Magazine. She has visited more than 50 countries on 6 continents and written for such magazines as Executive Travel, Just Luxe, Business Insider, South China Morning Post, Travel Mindset, and more. She is a member of the International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association, New York Travel Writers Association, and International Travel Writers Alliance. Melanie's photography has won awards, and she has also written 43 nonfiction books as either the author or ghostwriter.
We found a rather quirky but unique restaurant with exceptional food in the Northern New Jersey township of Park Ridge at 7 Hawthorne Avenue. Longtime restaurateur Tommy Greco, along with cousin and partner Chef Nicolas Pescatore, returned to their New Jersey roots with a unique concept: a casual restaurant called Pop Empanada during the work week which turns into That Supper Club, formerly known as the Pop! Pasta Club, Thursday to Saturday.
Monkey Island Estate did not disappoint. With its borders of huge white hydrangeas, resident geese amidst the verdant grass, and low white buildings, it’s a hotel like no other. Originally the fishing lodge of one of Princess Diana’s ancestors, the Earl of Spencer, the estate has always accommodated guests of the titled. It’s still quite spiffy these days.
Mexico City simply has so much to offer and is a relatively safe place. No, you can’t swim or sun on a beach, but you can experience Mexican culture, art, fine food, and wine that you won’t experience anywhere else. For one thing, the city contains more than 150 museums.
We use an adaptation of the classic recipe for fondue with a mixture of cheeses. Gruyère, of course, is the base, with half the weight Emmentaler and about two teaspoonfuls of Sap Sago for exceptional flavor.
Some of rum’s history isn’t pretty. Rum or rhum – depending on whether you’re in an English or French-speaking area – is the Caribbean’s most frequently produced spirit. It’s also produced in the Southern USA and Central and South America. Every island and every country where sugarcane is grown make their own version of the spirit in varying qualities, alcoholic content, and price ranges.
I don’t want to brag, but through the years, I have been lucky enough to eat in many Michelin-rated restaurants – several in Spain where starred establishments are almost a dime a dozen, a couple in Scandinavia, and a few in Rome, Torino, and Milan, as well as one in Piraeus, Greece and a number in New York City.
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