23rd May 2010

We leave Amman and head down to the lowest place on earth - the Dead Sea. The high salinity of the sea makes swimming great fun and swallowing repulsive. The extra density provided by the salt means that it takes very little effort to stay afloat. The waters are said to have therapeutic properties Some people covered themselves in the Mud which is also reputed to have therapeutic qualities.

Had lunch on the road and on the top of the distant mountain range we could see Aarons Tomb. The Tomb of Aaron is the name of the supposed burial-place of Aaron, the brother of Moses. There are two traditional locations, Mount Hor, near Mount Sinai in the Sinai, or at a location in Jordan on Jabal Harun, or Aaron's Mountain, near Petra. A mosque was built at Jordanian location in the 14th century. After lunch we continued to Petra where staying in a town called Wadi Musa. Wadi Musa is reputed to be the place where Moses struck the rock and found water for his people or so the locals say. Many historians now believe that this event actually took place at Mt Sinai in Egypt. Next to our motel is Mousos Springs - and the water still runs through the rock.

The name Wadi means Water and Musa means Moses. (The Valley of Moses). We are staying here for two nights.