One last pit stop.....

I spent the day Tuesday at my hostel planning my trip to India, which helped me get over some of my nervousness. I am really excited to experience it and know that I will be able to navigate the adventure that is India, as so many others have done before me. On Wednesday I went on another tour. We started in Irbid and saw Um-Quai. An Ottoman city that is in ruins. I stood on the top of a mountain and saw Syria on my right, Israel in front of me, and way off in the distance to my left was Palestine. Pretty cool to be at the crossroads of 4 countries. Don't worry dad, I was in no danger! After another two and half hours (after the two and a half to get there) we arrived at a hilltop castle. It's was pretty neat. Besides I do love castles. We stopped at Our Lady Of The Mountain and heard about the statue of the Virgin Mary that was brought from Italy over 200 years ago. Since then many miracles have happened at this site (though no specific details were given). Most recently, in 2010, 9 women saw red tears coming from her eyes. I do believe in miracles but I also believe that 1) they wouldn't have washed her face of these miraculous tears of which there was no trace, and 2) there would be flocks of people pouring in to see this special statue.

From there we went to Jerash which are the ruins left by the Greeks. They are beautiful. I don't know what it is about big white columns, but they remind me how amazing people of the past were. As we wandered through the rocks a Shepard came by with his flock of goats. And then as entered the amphitheatre I could hear the sounds of a bagpipe. Sure enough, an Arab Bagpiper entertained the audience!

I went to Hashim's delicious falafels with a group from the hostel for my last taste of falafel. It was a superb meal. A great end to my time in Jordan.

As I wait now in the airport in Bahrain I watch as women covered head to toe, literally, in black stream past and wonder what they think of my bare ankles and uncovered head and face. I think I may be the only blond person here. I don't feel completely uncomfortable but I definitely feel different, like a minority. Everyone should experience this once so they can walk in someone else's shoes. I'm getting anxious to begin my adventure in India......although I sure wish I would be sleeping first!