"Adventures Outside of Amman, Jordan" by Ciara Tenney
This is a photo from the famous Bahá’í Gardens in Haifa, Israel. One of the great things about studying abroad in Jordan is its proximity to many interesting and beautiful places to travel. For spring break this year I chose to hop across the border to Israel and was able to see and experience a lot of great things, but nothing was more beautiful than the Bahá'í Gardens, which I was able to visit on a day trip from Nazareth, Israel. The gardens are free and open to the public for visiting and are a top destination for anyone travelling to Israel. Photo credit: Tenney, 2019
While in Israel for spring break, I was fortunate enough to be able to visit one of the most famous religious sites in the world: The Western Wall in Jerusalem. It is considered one of the holiest places in the world for Jewish people to pray and witnessing the multitude of people praying at its base was an unforgettable sight. In addition to the beauty of the sight, I was able to experience some cultural nuances such as some of those praying at the base of the wall walked backwards to exit the prayer space, not turning their backs on the wall. It is a breathtaking site with the golden Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine in the Old City of Jerusalem. The vantage point that this photo was taken from was included in a two-hour walking tour I did through the Old City and its four quarters: the Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Armenian Quarters. Photo credit: Tenney, 2019
We are now halfway through the semester, and so far we have had two planned excursions through AMIDEAST, one being a city tour of Amman and the other being this trip to Jerash and Ajloun in northern Jordan. The ancient Roman ruins of Jerash are amazing and well preserved considering their age. For this excursion, AMIDEAST provides a knowledgeable guide who makes the trip a truly unique and interesting experience. Unfortunately for us there was a lot of rain on this day and when we travelled to Ajloun Castle we were unable to see much from the vantage point at the top, but from what I hear it is an amazing sight with views of Jerusalem and Syria on a clear day. Photo credit: Tenney, 2019
One of my favorite places in the world has to be Tel Aviv in Israel. It is a modern city with gorgeous views of the Mediterranean Sea, a temperate climate, fantastic food, and a lively nightlife. I found the travelers and locals through Israel to be friendly and helpful, and I had some of the most enjoyable moments in my travelling career in Tel Aviv. I was invited to a barbeque at a neighboring hostel by a fellow American I met on a walking tour, I sampled hummus at Abu Hassan, and I attended a traditional Shabbat dinner hosted by my hostel. Abu Hassan’s hummus is considered to be the best in Israel, and I would highly recommend stopping by their location and waiting in the long line outside of their door because it is worth your time. Photo credit: Tenney, 2019
While I was not expecting to travel to Nazareth during my time in Israel, one of the most memorable moments during my trip was visiting the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth. According to Catholic tradition, this church was built in the same location that the Angel Gabriel came to Jesus’ Mother Mary and told her that she would conceive the son of God. What really makes this church stand out from the many other churches in Nazareth is that there are many different artistic representations of Mary hanging on the walls surrounding the church. It is fascinating to view artwork from places like Singapore, Ireland, China, Vietnam, Spain, South Africa and many more depicting Mary with Jesus. Each country’s art depicts Mary like a woman from their own country, and there is something beautiful and unique about the diversity of the representations. Photo credit: Tenney, 2019
