“Why there?”, people said. My sister-in-law and brother-in-law, living in Amman, were a big draw; we wanted to see a bit of their life there. But I’ve long been drawn to the region and its complexity. It was a quick trip, but rich in experience and learning. Hopefully these pictures show something of that, but you should go and see for yourself.

Amman Citadel, Jordan

Roman theatre and plaza, Amman.

Downtown Amman, Jordan

Roman Colonnaded street, Jerash, Jordan.

View of the Roman forum, Jerash, Jordan.

Amman, Jordan.

On route to Feynan Ecolodge in the Dana Biosphere Reserve, southern Jordan.

Feynan Ecolodge, Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan.

Bedouin tent, Wadi Feynan, Jordan.

Sunset hike, Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan.

On route to Petra, southern Jordan.

Fuelling up in Feynan, Jordan.

Tea break with our driver and his son on the way to Petra, Jordan.

Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury, is a 2000-year-old temple/tomb cut into the sandstone cliffs in Petra. Camels are pretty neat too.

Petra, Jordan.

Bus and service station, Desert Highway, Jordan.

Priests arrive for Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Christian pilgrims at the Stone of Anointing, Jerusalem, where Jesus’ body is said to have been prepared for burial.

Orthodox Jews gather to pray at the Western Wall, Jerusalem.

Israeli soldiers join others in prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Separation wall, Bethlehem, West Bank (Palestine).

Separation wall in Bethlehem, West Bank (Palestine).

Banksy’s Walled Off Hotel in Bethlehem boasts “the worst view in the world”.

Along the separation wall, Bethlehem, West Bank (Palestine).

Bethlehem, West Bank (Palestine).

Entrance to Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. The key symbolizes those kept by Palestinians forced from their homes.

The UN continues to provide essential services to refugee camps in the West Bank.

Established in 1950, Aida Refugee Camp now resembles a permanent neighbourhood.

Aida Camp, West Bank (Palestine).

Christian pilgrims wait to enter the crypt below the Church of the Nativity, where Jesus is said to have been born.

Once a busy Arab commercial district, this street in central Hebron is restricted to Jewish Settlers - and western tourists.

Hebron: Tomb of the Patriarchs/Ibrahimi Mosque is considered the burying place of Abraham. The structure is separated by heavy security into a synagogue and a mosque. In 1994, an American-Israeli murdered 29 muslims gathered for prayer in the mosque section.