Who: Mary and Don Gibson of Denver and Connie Dineen of Arvada
Where: The ancient Greco-Roman city of Jerash, an hour north of Amman. Beautifully preserved and one of the best examples of Roman architecture in the Middle East, it still has the paved streets lined with colonnades, temples, theaters, plazas and baths of the past.
Best meal: Jerash Rest House at the entrance to the ancient city. If you’re on a budget make lunch your main meal at the expansive buffet of excellent Jordanian dishes at a reasonable cost. Be sure to try the wonderful breads and the honey- drenched baked desserts. The restaurant also serves beer and wine, unlike many restaurants in this Islamic country.
Best deal: For a voluntary donation, a Jordanian bagpipe band will entertain you in the open-air amphitheater with Jordanian songs and one or two American tunes (“Yankee Doodle Dandy”). The band loves to pose with tourists for photos.
Best time to go: February through April, after the winter rains and before the hot summer. In February, we enjoyed sunny days with temperature in the mid-60s.
Best travel tip: Bring a lot of one- and five-dollar bills for shopping on the streets. For store purchases, get Jordanian dinars in Amman at the numerous ATMs or foreign money exchange offices.
