Jordan Day 10, June 21

A great sunrise this morning. The desert is stunning in its beauty. Life thrives here, even in the heat. We are expecting temperature in the high 90’s and low 100’s over the next week. A heat wave is on its way. Water is being pushed as one of our girls was rushed to the hospital with severe dehydration. We have her IV bag hanging up on our window to remind us to drink up!

A good day on site, no finds, but lots of work done. I got to join Connie Gane on the run to pick up second breakfast. Madaba was a fun trip (again!) though this time the food shops were where we went. I did not take a camera, but it was great. The first fruit stand we hit was an open air fruit and vegetable stand. We got 4 watermelons. Cost – 7 JD Generally we feed all of us (about 50 people) for 20 JD. Next stop was the pharmacy for pink eye ointment and then Connie let me go on an adventure. I got to go buy dessert. Off into a sweet shop a raced to get 3 kilos of baklava. I thought baklava came in one form, but boy was I wrong! I got to try sample after sample of delicious pastries while the owner and son loaded up 3 kilos for us. Yum galore! Pistachios on everything, and none of it was overly sweet. I have got to get recipes! Ordering food when you speak no Arabic is an adventure. The owner knew some English… ‘Hello’ and ‘Welcome’. Phew! And I thought it would be hardJ

After returning to the site, I raced off with the girls from Field D to have second breakfast at one of our workers homes. Zayeed had invited us all and we had a blast. Instead of ½ an hour to eat, we took an hour and loved every bite. Zayeeds mom cooked a fabulous spread and we chowed down. Lots of flatbread with all sorts of spreads and meat and veggies. Sooooo good! No wonder our workers go home to eat.

And while there, we got an invitation to Mensiff. Mensiff is a big deal and we got invited to the sheiks house. So at 6:30 we loaded into the truck. I got to ride in the back! Must say, a white girl in the back of a pick up wearing a traditional Jordanian dress with no head cover gets MANY stares here.

Mensiff was amazing. Coffee and tea is offered, and you sit and talk. We met the grandmother, the mother of the current sheik and took pictures when she ordered us girls dressed properly. We got proper Bedu headdresses put on us. Surprisingly comfortable and very breathable.

Then it was off for more coffee (you get about 1 swallow full in a tiny cup that is shared by everyone, no washing it) and then the call for dinner. You eat with your hands here. Forks are uncivil! I am so moving! After a feast of rice and chicken and veggies we moved back to the living room for more coffee and then fruit for toppers.

WOW!

On the way home, Stephanie, Jenny (aka toasted almond) and I all sat in the back of the truck and sang songs at the top of our lungs all the way back to the hotel. Amazing day all around.