Jerash and Chariot races

Today has been a very good day. After breakfast, we got on the bus and drove towards Jerash in the north. We stopped to see the Jabbok River. (Right - The Jabbok River. Somewhere along this river, Jacob wrestled with an angel before going to see his brother Esau). That was really pretty, despite it being polluted. Brother Draper taught about Jacob's wrestle. That was interesting but what was even more interesting was that Brother Ostler's explanation was completely different.
We then continued on and went to Jerash, an old Roman city in ruins. It is very well preserved. (Left - in Jerash). It was really cool. I felt like I could have been in Rome. We went into the theater there and some men played the bagpipes while we danced around. It was so much fun. (see right).
We walked around some more and saw ruins of churches and a temple for Artemis. Then we had just enough time to go to the RACE - Roman Army and Chariot Experience. It was expensive and not very good, but it was interesting. We got to watch it in a Roman hippodrome where real races and stuff went on in ancient times. It was mainly demonstrations and I would have been really disappointed if we wouldn't have been able to take pictures with them in the end. That was really cool. I think some day I may want to own a chariot.
Lunch afterward was amazing! (Left - Lindsay, Meghan, and I sitting in the hippodrome). It was so delicious! The bathroom attendant there was actually working for his money. He turned the water on for me, squirted the soap in my hands and handed me paper towels when I was done (there was one attendant for both the girls and the boys side). After lunch, we headed back to Amman. We went to meet with the district and branch president here. That was really interesting. (Right - one of my favorite pictures taken after the RACE. I was taken captive by the Gladiators!!!) Then we came back to the hotel for dinner.
After dinner I was going to go to an art museum, but none of the taxi drivers knew how to get there. So, we walked to the Supermarket where there is a place to buy cheap, pirated dvds. I didn't buy any because I don't like pirated dvds, but it was nice to not be stuck at the hotel.
(Left - in front of the branch building in Amman). When we got back, somehow I got invited to Megan's room with Aimee to watch TV. That was nice because my roommate was out with the key and I had no way to get into my room. We ended up turning on the tv just in time to watch The Illusionist completely. None of us had seen it. That was really interesting. Unfortunately, while I was there, I started hearing the groaning of the elevator. Now I can even here it in our room!