Greetings from Amman

After going through the giant mall they call an airport in Dubai, we caught our flight to Amman and started what was an incredibly long, but interesting, day. The pace is mellow, the weather is pleasant and the people are nice. Thank goodness.

The tour guide picked us up and took us directly from the airport to Jerash, the ancient Roman city, for a 3-hour tour. I forgot to bring my camera with me to the internet cafe or I would share some of the really cool shots we took there. It was a really cool place and definitely a must see for anyone who enjoys history.

We went from Jerash to Ajlun, the castle at the top of one of the many hills that make up the Jordanian landscape. The castle was built by the great Islamic warrior, Salah El-Din, in preparing to battle the Crusaders and retake Jerusalem. I have been to another castle built by him in Cairo and it is interesting to connect the dots.

By the time we got back to Amman at 7:00 in the evening, KB and I passed out cold. It was, fortunately, the best night's sleep I've had in at least a week.

Today is going to be jam-packed with more activities and we'll be in Petra by nightfall. The countryside is beautiful, rolling hills everywhere and it is nice just to be on the road here. Jerash is close to the Syrian border and, if Syria is as beautiful as Jordan, it is definitely on the list of places to see.

Off to breakfast....