Jordan March 28

There were two things I did not have expect, cold and rain. In less than 24 hours I have experienced both. Last night was only 8. My room has a radiator which didn't have any controls, so I went to bed cold. Fortunately I had brought a long sleeved Merino wool undershirt, and a pair of long underwear. I wore both to bed last night. This morning I discovered that the radiator was from days of yore, and I had an AC unit that had a remote control.

It also rained this morning, on and off, but heavy at times. That's what happens when you don't bring any rain gear.

I did not let the rain deter me, and I saw all the tourist sights in Madaba. As I mentioned there is a lot of history here, and a lot is documented by mosaics. I have seen a LOT of mosaics today, and I have visited a lot of churches.

The two best locations were an Archeological Park, which has a collection of mosaics from the area, nicely displayed. The other is a site which has the Church of the Virgin Mary, and the Hippolytus Hall, which was a private villa, with a beautiful mosaic floor. Both of the last two are in their original location, uncovered after more than a thousand years.

The main cathedral in Madaba is dedicated to the beheading of John the Baptist, another story you don't want to tell your kids at bed time. The church is situated at the highest point in the town. There are also 100 steps to get to the top of the bell tower. Lovely view.

I am quite fascinated by the way women are dressed here. The standard dress is at ankle length. Even though the dresses are loose, some are very stylish. Very few are just plain. Most women wear a scarf, and that can also be quite a fashion accessory. Make-up is also very noticeable on some of the women. There are a lot of stylish women.

A small minority wear the niqab, where the only thing visible are the eyes. I saw one woman, completely in black, only the eyes were visible. I noticed that when she lifted her dress, not to step in a puddle, she had a pair of very colourful leotards underneath.

It is funny to see such a woman driving a car. You don't know whether she is going to a mosque, or whether she is off to rob a bank.

My hotel is quite nice. The bed is great, it has a memory foam mattress. Heavenly. Breakfast is included, and it is a feast. Eggs, pancakes, fresh orange juice, even beans ( no, thank you). No bacon though. Those Muslims don't know what they are missing.