Amman and the Dead Sea

The city of Amman, capital of Jordan, was surprisingly modern, clean and seemingly civilized – especially after spending time in Cairo. But, unfortunately, there is not much to attract the interest of travelers. There are some ancient Roman ruins (shown on the Ancient Ruins at Jerash and Amman page), but aside from those, Amman is really just the transportation hub and jumping off point for the Kings Highway and other sights in the country.

Not far from Amman is the Dead Sea, which is actually an inland lake, and the lowest point on the surface of the Earth (around 1,300 feet below sea level). I felt it was highly unlikely that I would ever reach the highest point on earth, so I thought I should at least try for the lowest. The Dead Sea has the highest salt content of any body of water, which causes the Sea to be surprisingly buoyant. It is possible to float on the surface while raising both hands and both feet completely out of the water. Swimming, however, is actually rather difficult because one's legs keep rising out of the water. I stayed at the wonderful Movenpick Dead Sea Resort hotel, which is built to resemble a small village though offers creature comforts that no rural village ever dreamed of having.