On Sunday, Rob and I picked up our rental car and drove out to Jerash, about an hour north of Amman. The Roman ruins there are meant to be spectacular, and we were not disappointed!
We got a bit of a late start, having some trouble finding the rental car office and then getting stuck in traffic leaving Amman. By the time we got to Jerash, we were ready for lunch. Lonely Planet recommended Lebanese House, a lovely Lebanese restaurant in an open air villa just south of the ruins. Lunch was absolutely delicious, and we no doubt ate more than we should have.
The ruins of Jerash are spread out over a few kilometers. Visitors enter through the Gate of Hadrian at the south (see below).
Then you walk up through ruins of a hippodrome, into an amphitheater and the beginning of the cardo. The site is stunning, especially because directly across the street, contemporary Jerash hums busily away. It seems unthinkable that such history has been preserved, such a large archaeological park, and also exciting to think of how much more is yet to be excavated.
On the way home, exhausted and sweaty, we navigated rush hour traffic in Amman. What can I say, this ass was holding up traffic for a mile or so...
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