Kuwait celebrated it's National Day/Liberation Feb 25-26 which means we had time off of school. yea! We had a 4 day weekend so a few friends and I took advantage of living near a bucket list location and we went to Jordan to see Petra.
When I talked to people that had been to Jordan, Jerash was always the other must see place. Well, Jerash and the Dead Sea. People in our group didn't want to go to the Dead Sea so we had cut that out of our trip, which just means that I have to go back. :)
Jerash is the site of the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. A strong earthquake in 749 AD destroyed large parts of Jerash, while subsequent earthquakes along with the wars and turmoil contributed to additional destruction. Its destruction and ruins remained buried in the soil for hundreds of years until they were discovered by German Orientalist Ulrich Jasper Seetzen in 1806. (all info stolen from Wikipedia)
We arrived in the afternoon so we didn't have a lot of time to get to Jerash before it closed. There was some castle or something that we were supposed to see as well on the same day but we just cut that out so we could have enough time in Jerash.
It was beautiful and amazing. Jerash is only the second Roman ruins that I've visited- the first being in Morocco- so I don't have a lot to compare it with. Karyn, who was in our group, said she's been to a lot of ruins and Jerash was one of the biggest and best she'd seen.
It was just lovely and it was really amazing to think of people living in these places. I'll let the pictures tell you the rest. (the pics are not really in order- they are in order by camera and I had two. Sorry, but I can't be bothered to put them in proper order right now)
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| Yes- bagpipes |
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| reserved seating |
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| that funny looking different stone there-- that's the keystone |
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| apparently virgins were sacrificed on the alter behind me. I was like, should I be worried? ;) |
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| This guy was in love with Sybil. He was showing how the columns actually move when you push on them. |
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| manhole in the street |
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our first boy band picture of the trip, complete with Asian backup singers.
I took the picture so my presence is implied. |
Jerash is one of those places that if I did live in Amman I would be driving to all the time just to be there and soak it all in. I highly recommend the touristy gladiator show they do there in the arena if you get back again. My kids were so embarrassed when we bought the tickets because we would look like 'tourists' instead of guests, but afterword couldn't stop talking about all they learned and how awesome being a tourist there really is. Love your photos - a great trip down memory lane for us!
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