Dead Sea and Jerash

After our desert adventure, we drove straight for the Dead Sea to confirm our buoyancy.  I guess I am happy to report we bob in the water like a bunch of corks.  When we reclined back in the salty sea, it felt like we were sitting on a chair just barely below the surface.  Swimming in the Dead Sea is more of a 100 meter sprint versus a English Channel crossing, as it quickly starts to sting the undercarriage. Yow!

After a couple of luxury nights with down pillows and serious shower water pressure, we drove to Jerash to visit the ancient Roman ruins known for their remarkable state of preservation, thanks to the dry desert air.  Here it was easy to picture the opulent life of Romans with the superb colonnaded cardo maximus extending 800 meters and many temples, gates, baths, theaters and other structures still intact.  Our Latin student was thrilled to place her foot in the ruts made by chariots of yesteryear on the grand colonnaded main drag.  We missed our fourth member of the squad back in D.C. who listens to podcasts about Romans and takes university courses on the rise, thrive and fall of Romans.  We think he may know something about this.  After exploring the ruins, we celebrated the end of our Jordan journey with a multi-course feast along with those breaking the fast of Ramadan.  Timing is everything when crashing a party.