People have often asked Carisa and me why in the world we chose to go to Jordan for our recent vacation.  I usually answer politely, but internally I’m often thinking, “Why the hell shouldn’t we have gone?”  It’s a stable secular state with clean, safe cities; interesting Roman ruins; resorts on the Dead Sea; mind-blowing desert landscape; very tasty food; diving in the Red Sea; all the wonder and beauty of Petra; and some of the nicest, most polite, and sincere people we’ve met anywhere in the world.  I felt safer in Amman than I have in many cities here at home, and I have felt as welcome in Jordan as I have anywhere else in the world.  There should be no good reason not to go to Jordan.

That bit of annoyance out of the way, I can report that our trip was truly wonderful, all the way from Amman to Aqaba.  I’m still working on the photos, but soon you’ll be able to see that there’s really a ton to see and do in Jordan.  And then there’s the food, admittedly – for us – one of the primary attractions of any trip.  I had the best hummus and shawarma of my life, became a big fan of baba ganoush, and greatly enjoyed the various permutations of cheese, pastry dough, and honey that Jordanians love to have for dessert (or at any other time of day).  There are several new words in my food vocabulary – galaya, fatteh, knafeh – that I hope to put to use more in the future.

Petra is truly one of the wonders of the world and needs to be seen by everyone with even the remotest interest.  Walking through the slot canyon that is the Siq and then seeing the red sandstone facade of the Treasury suddenly appear around a bend will make even the most jaded traveler catch his breath.

Those of you who know me well know that I am greatly enamored by the night sky.  Spending a night in the Jordanian desert around Wadi Rum, away from almost all of the lights of civilization, provided a night sky the likes of which I hadn’t ever seen before except in the Outback of Australia.

These are just a couple highlights.  They don’t include the chariot race in Jerash, the surprisingly comical visit to Jesus’s baptism site, the obligatory dip in the Dead Sea, or any of those wonderful unexpected experiences that make travel what it is.  Of course Jordan has its fair share of problems – worsening water shortages, a limited economy, a shifting national identity with large refugee populations – but it remains safe and welcoming to travelers.  Whatever your brand of travel – leisure, adventure, active – I recommend it highly.