Mt Nebo and Madaba

As you may know, I am the associate supervisor for Feras Orekat, a Jordanian studying for his thesis on Religious Tourism in Jordan, at Uni Sydney. Feras is arriving in Jordan at the beginning of the Eid, but hopes to administer his questionnaire at Mt Nebo on Sunday, the last day of the Eid, when many locals are expected to be there. Because it is Ramadan and arranging these things by remote control is hard at the best of times in Jordan, today I went out to Mt Nebo on his behalf to meet with the tourist police and Father Carmelo, who is in charge of the Franciscan Archaeological Institute, based at Mt Nebo. By the way, the Franciscans will be celebrating 80 years of work at Mt Nebo and the region in 2013! They are currently entirely rebuilding the modern superstructure over the ancient church at Mt Nebo.

(Chief of Tourist Police with my expensive hired Citroen - note huge church superstructure in background)

Everything was sorted out easily, and hopefully Feras will have no problem on Sunday - except we haven't got the questionnaires photocopied yet!!
So with more time on my hands and an expensive hire car for the day, I went into Madaba to visit the Museum. I completely failed to find the archaeological section, though I did think that the folklore gallery seemed a bit skimpy for a museum at Madaba! Perhaps it is still jet lag ?!? Did find the Department offices, and said hello (for future reference, in case I get back there with an official permit to look at their lamps).

(bits in the Madaba Museum courtyard)

Madaba today was like Christmas Eve times 100! Everyone is out either buying their smaller kids back-to-school equipment, as school was delayed until after the Eid, or their bigger ones new clothes. All the habibi girls were out if force, and I am blowed if I know how they do it in the heat: tight jeans, long sleeved T-shirt, tight short sleeved T shirt over the top (carefully selected in contrasting colours), hijab and scarf (also colour co-ordinated). Or in head to toe black polyester. I was just managing in 3/4 length thin pants, and a short sleeved cotton top. No scarf.
After a bit of shopping (2 new tops - due to panicked and poor packing - which may not fit; and now they tell me that Abdali markets here in Amman is full of great clothes for 2JD!), I spent 5 minutes trying to get my Citroen out of the parking space I'd been parked into. Luckily the Mercedes owner of the car behind returned and allowed me to escape, or I'd still be in Madaba.

(You can tell Madaba is a Christian town with signs like this)

Checked out the Church of the Apostles on the way out of town,

but the highlight (if that is the right term) has to be the new estate being built on the outskirts of Madaba. The Grass is Greener in Andalucia. If you thought MacMansions were only in Oz, think again. This is gobsmacking!