Against my own expectations and contrary to some bad reviews of the "experience" on the internet, I quite liked my visit to Bethany beyond the Jordan. I am not a religious person so I did not feel anything special about walking here in the footsteps of Jesus. Neither did the people who were part of my instant tour group (access is restricted to a guided tour because you're right at the border).

We were all a little bemused about the muddy creek that once was the mighty river Jordan. We looked down into the actual site where Jesus was baptized, a spot that hasn't held any water for ages (see photo). We kept our eyes on the various churches and monasteries that have been built here by different Christian groups. Some of them are very recent. It reminded me of Lumbini, where a simple place of memory (birthplace of Gautama Buddha) now is turned into a large complex of temples and monasteries of all Buddhist denominations.

The highlight without a doubt is the "confrontation" with the other side - at an about 3m wide stretch of the river, we ended up face to face with tourists and pilgrims that are doing the same trip, but then on the Israeli side of the border.