I finally get the blog posted after breakfast and we leave the Ramada Resort on the Dead Sea and head to Jerash.

We experience the worst traffic so far in Jordan while driving through the outskirts of Amman.

Jerash is known as the best Roman site outside of Italy. It dates back 6,500 years.

We walk through an area of tourist shops to get to Hadrian’s Gate. I am wearing my red and white maple leaf mask. Merchants call out “Hey Canada! Welcome to Jordan! Come look in my shop.”

After going through the truly impressive Hadrian’s Gate, we pass a small Byzantine church and check out the Hippodrome where they conducted chariot races and many other events. It is small for a Hippodrome but well preserved.

In front of the south gate, we stop at a restaurant for a quick bite. With our meal we order fresh pomegranate juice. I have been drinking the fresh pomegranate juice a lot in Jordan. It is delicious…our bottled stuff does not compare.

A grey cat jumps up onto our table, trying to cuddle up to John (or his juice). Yep, we are back in cat country.

The Ancient City

We enter the ancient city through the south gate.

The centre Forum Cardo, a central area surrounded by pillars, welcomes us into the ancient city. From the forum a colonnaded main street stretches off on the distance to the north gate.

The site is huge and reminds me of walking around Pompeii, you get a real sense of what a large Roman city was like.

The sound of bagpipes seems to be coming from the South Theatre. We make our way over. The theatre is well preserved and beautiful. There is seating for 4,000 people.

Two guys in Jordanian thoubs (the gowns  worn by men) and head scarves are playing an Arabic version of the bagpipes and drums. If I close my eyes I would think I am in Scotland…but I’m not.

We move on to the Temple of Zeus. It is impressive with its huge columns glowing in the sun.

Down the Cardo

We move back to the forum and start down the long cardo (Roman road). The stones in the road are all laid in a diagonal pattern. John  theorizes that they designed it that way so the chariot and cart wheels wouldn’t get stuck in the crevices between the stone paving slabs. You can still see grooves that the wheels had worn into the stones.

There is so much to see along the road. I walk up into a Byzantine cathedral and keep walking further back to discover more and more. It feels like we have this whole beautiful place to ourselves.

We explore the Temple of Artemis with its majestic gates. It must have been magnificent.

We spend a fair bit of time in the North Theatre. I love the sculpted reliefs.

We’ve been exploring here for over three  and a half hours and the sun is getting low in the sky, bathing everything in a magical golden light.

On our way back we run into a professional camera crew. I ask them if they are working on the “Treasures of the World” series. One of the crew says “Hey, it’s the Canadians from Petra”.

We chat and chuckle for a bit and move on our way. The rest of the crew in their van pass us on the road.

The light is so beautiful on the ruins that I don’t want to leave. We take a few last pictures.

Full Panorama to Archaeological Site Jarash Hotel

Fortunately tonight’s accommodation is  only minutes away…down a number of side streets and up a steep hill. It’s name is a bit of a mouthful –  “Full Panorama to Archaeological Site Jarash” but it’s a real gem. It is a large house/small hotel that offers nine apartments to tourists.

The son meets us and checks us in. He shows us the small dining room with six tables. For 20 JOD his mother makes a traditional dish (the upside down one) for two people. He said she could make mine vegetarian. John is sold because it means he doesn’t need to drive anywhere for supper.

We have a suite; a full kitchen with table, a bedroom with king size bed, a bathroom and a balcony overlooking the ancient Roman site that we explored all afternoon.

I see the “Treasures of the World” crew van still parked on the site till after dark.

I give some of my clothes a much needed wash before heading down to supper.

There are three couples at supper. We strike up a conversation with the friendly Czech couple at the next table. Everyone enjoys their meal. The elderly father comes in all smiles, and serves the special tea. “Welcome to Jordan” he says.

We head to our room for a shower and sleep.