I have just been woken up AGAIN by the loudspeaker (for the call to prayer) ... its 5AM!!!
Its a new sound speaker, it sound likes its coming from outside my window.
9.13.09.02
5:20, I wonder if this is a sanctioned speaker... I have begun plotting ways to destroy this sound system. Can we not have the first call to prayer at a more reasonable hour, lets say 10:00 AM?
9.13.09.03
With the morning distractions, I have been unable to get much additional sleep
9.13.09.04
Its now day four in the same socks, all of my other socks are being washed at a friends house (thankfully I have clean undergarments)
9.13.09.05
We are driving towards Macoure -- where John the Baptist was beheaded, I just passed the plains where King David and his men fought against the Moabites.
9.13.09.06
Just passed Kings Academy, school where King Abdullah founded. If I enjoy teaching here, I will apply to teach there.
9.13.09.07
We are now driving down the The King's Highway the oldest road in the world .
9.13.09.08
Just saw where John the Baptist was imprisoned by King Herod, and later was executed. Only the ruins still remain.
9.13.09.09
We have just stopped to eat an authentic meal, there is a large tour bus of loud Americans near by. I'm very conscious of my own identity right now.
Americans are loud and annoying, and either overly friendly, or overly rude. As a nationality we know very little of humility, (except for the simple hard working folks, little of this breed still remain), or the culturally aware traveler - a stark contrast to the eye agape tourist, who travels to a new area for a week and automatically assumes they know everything about that location.
Nothing is clearer than the ignorant American who drinks alcohol in a culture in which this act was forbidden at one point and is still frowned upon.
9.13.09.10
Just the oldest map in the world, it was a Mosaic located on the floor of a church. It was in another church, but it was destroyed, when the roof fell down it perfectly preserved much of the ruins.
9.13.09.11
Finally onto Mt. Nebo... the promise land is in sight. However, I wont have a chance to visit this location until my passport is near to expiring (for reasons I cannot explain here)... or I might never be able to see it in person though.
Still it was quite amazing to stand in the very place where Moses stood.
9.13.09.12
Parts of Moses are still evident... the place where he struck the rock to create a stream, is STILL HERE! Yes, you could see the green of bushes and trees against the desert backdrop.
9.13.09.13
Final entry: I just swam in the Dead Sea again... this time I put the mud on my fact, I really did look like the swamp monster this time!
Salam!
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