Madaba: city of mosaics

PROLOGUE
It's difficult to type here, figure out the keyboard, and write from right to left :)

The 24th
We've now explored the North and decide to Head south (Anna, Andrew, Daoud and I)
Madaba! Home of mosaics. An early morning service bus weaves through the desert road to Madaba.  ALong the road you see repetitious
stalls of groceries, plants, as well as fields of molokheyye, olive trees (zeitoon!!), mishmish, fig, etc.  And lets
not forget the desert landscapes, layering volcanic cliffs with a constantly evolving series of patterns and colours.
Madaba is smaller and coiser than Amman.  It's made up of a few families, all making sure you know what his cousin's
business offers and unlike noisy Amman, the prayers that are played five times a day seem more appropriat and respected.

  One thing: no one here expects you to speak arabic as no tourist does.  I know barely a few phrases (far less arabic than their
english) yet they all grow excited 'you speak arabic! your very good!' they say and are genuinely impressed simply because
I try.  Australia - Jordan loves you more each day :)

We were all still exhausted yet decided to explore what the town offers.  Here, olive, grape, jasmine and fig trees grow out of every
gap between the stone streets and oh the tiny birds of jordan continue to excite me.

The town led us to a Christian Church (of St George) dedicated to the story of John the Baptist.  Hallelujah.  It was peaceful.
it's believed to be the site where he was beheaded (more on Salome later ;)).  The beauty of churches here are ineffable -
The paintings mosaics and stained glass preach the mythology of the land and I simply become entranced.  Later we got a lift
up Mt. Nebo - the site where Moses was buried.  From the top you could see the whole of Palestine...through the dust.  It
was dusty but I was happy to see the olive trees and birds which dribbled down the mountain. The bible stories are more
fascinating than Australia gives them credit.  I think Moses managed to live so long in the desert as he learned the beduin
desert skills like camel milk (works like yoghurt and ten times more effective)

Found an Al Hashims equivalent for more bread and garlic as well as a bottle of vodka which we shared over a bonding reflection.
The hotel we stayed in had us all on the roof for a cheaper option, as well as a kind frenchman who caused my arabic to twist
into a terrible confusion of three languages.