A few more pictures from today

 

The Roman theatre in old Amman

One of Jerash's streets flanked by columns

Below, views in Jerash, the Sea Level sign on the road to the Dead Sea (410 m lower than this sign), a local shepherd leading his flock across the highway.

Tomorrow, we take a long drive to Petra, ancient city of the Nabatean civilization, where the buildings are carved into the steep rock faces. Many people are familiar with the ornate building known as The Treasury as historians once believed this to be the building's function. Of course, all Indiana Jones devotees know that the real purpose of this building was as a final resting place for the Holy Grail, left by the crusaders in the care of the Grail Knight. We will keep an eye out for him.

Both time and the weather forecast seem to be conspiring against us, so we may not be able to make the 800 stair climb to The Monastery, one of the higher buildings in Petra.

Our first night will be at a camp in Wadi Rum, the site for filming desert scenes in Stars Wars and The Martian. Of historical interest, T. E. Lawrence, of Arabia fame, travelled through this area mustering an army of Bedouin tribes to attack the Ottoman Turks in the city of Aqaba, where we will spend the next night before heading back to Amman.