I'm Joshua Stibb, the secondary blogger for the group. I see Amanda has done some posts already, I'll try not to recap everything she has said and maybe go a little more in depth into some of the individual sights we have visited and the reactions by the class members.
But before I start the blog, I would just like to thank everyone who has made this trip possible. The Dean, President Hamm, and especially Dr. Bouzard who had worked tirelessly to make this amazing learning experience happen! And I would like quell any fears people have had about our safety. We are in the hands of the most capable people for the job. We came prepared, know exactly where we are going and what we are doing, and I feel just as safe here in the Middle East as I do walking the streets of my small Wisconsin hometown of Ripon.
We started off our Middle East Adventure in Jordan. Our first stop was at Madaba. There we visited St. George's church which holds the large mosaic map that, besides being pretty well preserved for over 1,500 years, has been a valuable tool that aides scholars in locating ancient cities of the Holy Land. It is a landmark for historians, geographers, archeologists, and religious experts alike.
Next, we continued through the Moab territory to the top of Mount Nebo. And just like Numbers 34 talks about God showing Moses the whole promised land, from Gilead to Dan, we looked out across the desert to see the Dead Sea, Jerusalem, Jericho, and the Jordan- all from one spot!
We also visited Karak Castle. It is a giant medieval castle from the 12th century that was besieged by Saladin during the crusades. We enjoyed roaming the ancient stone barracks, attack towers, and Roman baths. Some daredevils even climbed to the top of a three story rampart.
We then made our way to the ancient city of Petra, a Nabataean city well protected by a beautiful mountain range. The Nabataeans are know as the stone carvers and we enjoyed walking through the idol covered mountain passage to the crown jewel of Petra, the treasury. You probably know it as the cave from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. And if you think it made an impressive scene in the movie it is 100x more impressive in real life. Petra is also filled with tombs, temples, and other architectural goodies influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Byzantines, and of course the native Nabataeans- all of which was accented by the natural beauty of the pastel colored rock.
Our tour of Jordan finished in Jerash, a well preserved Roman City from the second century. The highlights include the hippodrome (chariot racing stadium), the cardo maximus (Roman main street), and two impressive amphitheaters with acoustics so refined that from the top row of seats you could hear someone drop a coin just inches from the ground at centerstage.
Unfortunately, we had to end our tour of Jordan. This meant saying goodbye to our driver, Mario, and our amazing tour guide, Zaid. We made our way through the checkpoint and into Israel. We haven't seen too much of Jerusalem, but it is already an amazing city. We are staying in a convent/guest house with wonderful accommodations located in the Arab quarter. After our fabulous dinner we had a meeting to decide our schedule for tomorrow. And at the end we were serenaded by the late night Muslim call to prayer. We walked out onto the third story balcony and listened to the enchanting music echoing off the ancient stone buildings in the cool stiff breeze. The Dome of the Rock's golden cupola shown brightly in the pale moonlight while we stared into the distance at the Mount of Olives, The Citadel, and countless other influential Churches with steeples pointing towards the heavens, Synagogues with massive decorated covings, and Mosques alight with eerie green lights. It was a breathtaking sight and we all just sat there in silence absorbing the beauty of it all. I can't wait to go to sleep and wake up tomorrow so I can go out and explore Jerusalem, the most holiest of cities.
I would like to end each of my postings with a short bio of different class members. First up is my roommate Alex Krumm.
Alex Krumm
3rd Year, English Education Major
Reason for joining the Class: He knew he wanted to visit the Holy Land sometime while he was in College and this class provided the perfect opportunity.
He is most excited to visit Petra.
Joshua Stibb
3rd Year Religion and Psychology Majors
Reason for joining class: When I found out that there was a May Term going to Holy Land I just had to go!
I am most excited for visiting the Mount of Olives and riding a camel!
That about sums it up for this post- I hope your May has started off as well as ours has! God Bless!
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