So we've left the Jabbok River, had lunch and now we're at a place called Jerash, which was a Greco-Roman city:

These are all at the entrance

 This is the hypodrome

Central Plaza - it's oval

 These are all the cardo - or main street of the city

Some close-ups of the columns etc.

This area was once the market of the city

 Those are animals carved in the stone, so this was the meat market

 This is the North Tetrapylon - tetra meaning 4 and pylon meaning pillar, support etc. This was at a major intersection within the city. There was also a South Tetrapylon, but not as clearly recognized.

North Theater

One of our students is a dancer.

This is one of our faculty - also a member of the Tab Choir

He's singing "There once was a farmer who took a young miss . . . ." She's responding

The group singing

Sorry the videos are so short but I can't download them to the blog if they are much longer. :(

Nymphaeum - dedicated to nymphs

South Theater

Other stuff

Getting a lesson on how to put on a kafia

This was the end of day 3 and we spent a nice evening in the hotel.

On me and us

Just a quick update on my health and our general life here in Jerusalem. Then, more Jordan:

I feel as normal as I can, considering. The fatigue seems to be getting less and less, which is good. I have my first oncologist visit here, on April 2. Most of the time I am very happy to be here and I love what I am doing and the people I work and live with. I have days when I feel down, tired, unmotivated, and very homesick. But, I have days like that in Orem too [well, not the homesick part :)] so I might as well be here, hopefully doing something good and helpful for someone else.
Kent is also enjoying being here. He does such a good job and those he works with really love him! The students think he's hilarious - announcement sessions are a laugh a minute!
We try to get away once a week if we can. I'll tell you about our latest afternoon off after I finish Jordan.
This Saturday is District Conference. Elder Rasband, the president of the First Quorum of Seventies, will be our visiting authority. Rumors are that we are getting a new District Presidency - we'll see. Our Branch president has gone home and he has not yet been replaced. His counselors carry on.
Anyway, Elder Rasband and his wife, and their daughter and her husband have already arrived. Yesterday and today they are being shown around the Galilee area by our Service Couple up there. Tomorrow they arrive here at the Center and then Kent and I will be their tour guides through Sunday.
I am so grateful for Kent - who is a terrific tour guide and doesn't get stressed over it! I'd be a mess if I were on my own!!
So, that's life in Jerusalem. I know that the news at home paints a scary picture of Israel vs. Iran but we are not worried here. There is no sense that war is brewing - so please don't worry about us. Don't believe most of what you read in the papers - they're just trying to sell papers!
Love to you all,
Kent and Nancy

More Jordan

After leaving Petra, we drove to Amman where we would spend the next 2 nights. When we arrived in Amman we decided to pay for the whole group to go to the Royal Automobile Museum. We got a special rate for a large group. It was a lot of fun - it is full of cars and motorcycles driven by the Royal Jordanian family.

I liked this one because it turns into a boat!

I could see myself driving this one:

 Or this one - the doors slide in and out and their is a convertible top too!

 These were Kent's favorites:

Anyway, we had a lot of fun and then drove on through the city to our hotel. Here are some pictures of downtown Amman. I actually took more, but they didn't turn out -- taken through the bus window, at night.

The next morning We went to the King Abdullah Mosque where all of the women were required to wear long black cloaks with hoods! They were to preserve modesty in the mosque.

Here is the outside

 Here we our in our cloaks

Inside

This is our doctor and his wife.

The next stop was at the Citadel and a museum there.

This is from the top looking out over Amman.

 And this

 On the citadel

 Two of our service couples, and our guide Yusef.

 This flag is so big that it would cover our entire property in Orem and Pocho's too!

Church

Shops around the church courtyard

More church

 The museum is quite small and they are in the process of moving into a bigger museum in downtown Amman. So, some things that were here last time we visited, had been moved. Here are some of the things we saw:

 Miniature jug, representing a woman: Middle Bronze Age. Found at Jericho

 

 

This was a popular stop where Kent explained one of the artifacts.

 Not just any artifact, but the original source of the 3rd chapter of his dissertation. The tablet next to my head!!!! :)

Chapter 2 has already been moved to the bigger museum.

 On our way to lunch we stopped at the Jabbok River - where Jacob wrestled with an angel. It was so beautiful!!

 Those are sheep on the hillside

There is still quite a bit more on this day - I think I will continue tomorrow! :)