Last day in Amman

This is the view from the walking trail at the Sports centre in Amman.

The view from the balcony of the MCC "Motel," looking down on Jebel Amman

Lunch in Amman

My parents' Arabic tutor, Asma Ma'ayah, invited our family over to her house for a delicious traditional Jordanian meal.

Petra

Petra

Petra

Al-Khazneh (Treasury)

As-Siq

The As-Siq connects the ancient city of Petra with the outside world. It is beautiful as you wind your way down through this narrow passage way.

Petra

Petra

It seems no work of Man's creative hand,
By labor wrought as wavering fancy planned;
But from the rack as if by magic grown;
Eternal, silent, beautiful, alone!
Not virgin-white like that old Doric shine,
Where erst Athena held her rites divine;
Not saintly-grey, like many a minster fane,
That crowns the hill and consecrates the plane;
But rose-red as if the blush of dawn
That first beheld them were not yet withdrawn,
The hues of youth upon a brow of woe,
Which Man deemed old two thousand years ago,
Match me such a marvel save in Eastern cline,
A rose-red city half as old as Time.

From Dean Burgon's Newdigate Prize Poem Petra

Desert Highway to Petra

The wilderness

Evening out

View across the gulf...towards Israel.

Enjoying Aqaba

Beautiful local aquarium

Shipping ports of Aqaba

One of the goals of visiting Aqaba was to get some pictures of ships and containers similar to the ones used to ship MCC school kits to this region.

Gulf of Aqaba

We spent two nights in Aqaba which sits on the Gulf of Aqaba on the Red Sea. Aqaba and the Red Sea were absolutely beautiful.

On the Dead Sea Highway to Aqaba

Dead Sea

Roman Theatre, Amman

Tea at the Roman Theatre

City Center, Amman

Amman, Jordan

Finally in we arrived in Amman, although without our luggage which we finally got four days later on Saturday.

This is the view down the street from my parent's house in Jebel Weibdeh.

The Abdali market about a block from my parent's house where they can buy local fruits and produce.

My mom told me that people refer to Amman as "Basic Beige," I can see why.

Finally in the air to Amman

The Alps

More Amsterdam

Our flight to Amman was fittingly delayed, so we wondered around the airport looking to waste some time.

Christmas carolers

Amsterdam

We made it to Amsterdam in route to Amman. It was quite a festive place.

Hyatt stay

We were put up in the Hyatt Hotel overnight, we got there at about 3 a.m. and left to go back to the airport the next day (Monday) at noon for more airport fun.

Airports...sigh

Well this travel experience for Jeremy and I was interesting to say the least. We spent about fifty hours in transit between here in Dulles and Jordan due to canceled flights, delayed flights, and waiting in lines.

Lines

It was about 2 a.m. at this point, and this is when we learned that our flight scheduled for 2 a.m. was indeed canceled.