This was the long ride through the winter desert. It took from 6:30 am until 4 pm to get to our hotel in Amman, but we did make one significant stop. Besides the “coffee out” stops, as Sal likes to call them, we stopped at Gerash, the most significant Roman site outside of Italy. 

When we arrived, however, a Bollywood movie was being filmed. We had to walk by all the dancing extras dressed like Romans dancing to the boom boom boom. The drone flew up for each take… and, because of the filming, we couldn’t see the front of Hadrian’s gate/large arch. (Emperor Hadrian of Hadrian’s Wall, was one of our favorites.)

Inside the site were great examples of arches, pillars, and a hippodrome for horse racing. Then, an oval forum and the center of town with lots of pillars and a cathedral. Pretty uppity place here. On the way back, the Bollywood cast had moved, so we were able to walk through Hadrian’s Gate. Hugh and majestic!

Back at the Fairmont Amman (the best hotel so far!), we met with our party friends and had one last great meal before the early flight tomorrow and tough ride to Chicago. These are friends I think we’ll see again. We bonded through laughter and terror together. Two weeks of stories and memories—and ancient history that never disappears! Dear friends, until we meet again!