Jordan is a Go For a Name

Went to breakfast and then to leave, two boxes of stuff to post, but it is Eid so all the post offices are closed! Stopped at DHL but they wanted an ungodly amount, over 260 US! Wen tto the airport and checked in, needed stamps for our postcards but nobody at the airport sold them! well, one guy sold them but he was out. So if you recieve an Egyptian postcard with a Jordanian stamp, that is why. Really easy visa process in Jordan then a bus into town. From the a cab was about a buck to the hotel. Hotel staff smoked but the room was good. It had heat and a balconey. So far Jordan is very hilly and cold and unpoulated.

11th- Rise and shine for our first day in Jordan but it is cold and rainy out. Free breakfast was nasty bread, and lots of it. Rubbery stuff, we ate most of it to not be rude but afterwards our faces hurt and we felt sick. Post office is closed, still Eid, got to a nut shop and buy a kilo of wonderful mixed nuts. Walk up to the airline to change our tickets from Syria to Vienna, about 2 miles but the way people talk you'd think it was mars! Anyway they "telexed" STA and said come back tomorrow. OK, pick up and head back. Guy shorted us on change from our water, Cook confronted him but it did no good. Went to look at produce but it was obsurdly overpriced. Then got food and took it to the room and watched tv, it is raining again.

Many many days

12th- Wakey, wakey, eggs and bacey. It is raining and overcast again, shoot. Had to call the airline after 12, they said come on down, which we did, but issues with price, so call on Saturday, thanks and bye. Walked back to the hotel, bought juice and excellent Lion candy bar on the way. Walking to the airline takes more time cause it is all uphill to get there and by the time we get back things are all closed.

13th- Today Dead Sea driving tour thing. Brought all my soap/shampoo stuff, no hot water at the hotel, so we'll shower after floating. Went to Madaba first, but everything was closed for Eid, which was a bummer. Then to Mt. Nebo which was really cool. Beautiful views and peaceful and a deep sense of history and sacredness there. Then to the dead sea, which was cool in a completly different way. Went to the changing rooms and donned our suits, if you go I strongly reccomend shoes of some kind, the salt encrusted rocks on the beach kill your feet. But the water, ohhhh man, it is so cool. The most beautiful color and it feels like it is trying to push you out, cannot sink. Not that you'd want to, we saw kids who got it in their eyes, poor things, it must be soooooo painful. We put mud on, I really went all out with it. Then showered to get the nasty layer of crust off our skin. The showers were like ice, but you don't want to leave that stuff on, it starts to itch and burn after it dries. Then back to the hotel. Back out for some chow, all that floating made us hungry.

14th- Tried to call the airline as we'd been instructed but we couldn't get thru so went touring instead. Saw the amazing Roman theatre that is just huge and just right in the middle of town. Climbed to the top and enjoyed the view. Then went to the two museums on each side of it. Saw the Nymphaum too, but it was all under construction. Bought oranges and strawberries and mmmm mmmm mmmmmm! Called the airline and finally got through, got our tix, and got out. Stopped at two bakeries, the first was fancier and had really cute decor but the 2nd was much better product. Then ate and chilled in the room.

15 th- We are going to Jerash and some other places today, sharing the car with Jayne and Stephan (Stefan, oh dear I have forgotten). Anyway they are a couple from Germany, we actually ran into them yesterday, Jayne was showing one of the guys where Kentucky is. Anyway we chatted with Jayne while we went to Jerash, poor Stefan was stuck in the front seat and I don't know if he could hear us. Jerash was awesome, we got there before the tour groups. The theatre was coola nd a guy played the bagpipes for us. The setting didn't seem like Jordan at all to me. The elliptical, forget what it was called, was cool. Great temple or something and the moving column was cool, it can vibrate as a early form of earthquake proofing. The North Theatre was pretty cool too. Loved the roads, not only how intact they were but all the ruts in them from millions of chariot wheels having gone on them. Then drove to Ajlun, the old fortress. On a mountain top in the mists. Really neat inside, the arches and the way they were lit up was very cool. Only got 1/2 hour there, not enough. Then to Umm Quais, not as well preserved as Jerash but really great views. Good roads. All roads lead to Rome. The driver stopped for us to get photos of this river that had what appeared to be chunks of ice floating on it. When we stopped we realized it was actually foam! Had a great time with Jayne and Stef(ph)an they were telling us all about Petra and giving us tips. Cool people.