Roman Ruins

Again, after a solid night of sleep we awoke to a terrace breakfast under blue skies. Today’s agenda was to explore the Roman forum  (a massive area of uncovered ruins) and the grand Colosseum. We met up with another guide, also named Christina, who was just overflowing with historical facts and excitement over the ruins. These millennia-old ruins seemed to sprout up like weeds between the modern day buildings. 

Massive structures being unearthed every year and with great care to restore them to their former glory. We ambled through old Roman markets, political amphitheaters, and an average neighborhood complete with the foundations of lower class houses. It seemed like a massive graveyard of marble, brick, and stone.  Christina showed us overlay pictures of the landscape so we could further appreciate what Ancient Rome looked like when the ruins were intact.  Like sedimentary rocks there was history piled over and over on various sites. 

Visiting the Colosseum in Rome was an awe-inspiring experience. The colossal amphitheater, built in AD 70-80, stood as an enduring testament to ancient engineering prowess. Its grandeur evoked a sense of wonder, with colossal arches and weathered stone bearing witness to centuries of history.  As we stepped inside, we were transported back in time, imagining the roars of spectators and the epic battles that once unfolded in the arena. The atmosphere was palpable, a blend of reverence and excitement.  The sheer scale of the structure was humbling, and as we strolled through its echoing corridors, we couldn’t help but feel a profound connection to the past. 

Three and a half hours later we returned to our hotel to grab a quick bite before we set off for the train to Florence. We had pizza and wine on a rooftop and recounted our amazing visit to the colosseum. One last time our Italian stallion driver Mateo picked us up from the hotel and took us to the vibrant Rome train terminal. It was bustling with travelers darting in all directions. We got there 1 hour early and were anxiously awaiting our train to be assigned a platform.  There was more chaos than usual because a man had thrown himself on the tracks and died, this delayed nearly every train in and out of Rome. Our train was delayed by 50 minutes. So the Ecks and the Rosenfelds sat on the ground surrounded by our luggage and waited for our train.  More and more people filled the giant station and all of a sudden our train fell off the departure board!! Panicked, I rushed to the help desk where a throng of angry passengers had already collected. Our collaborator (trip manager) was… less than helpful. While I waited in the ever growing crowd of stranded passengers I lamented with several of them who had had the same experience. Finally I reached the front where frantic attendants were rapidly rebooking any and everyone on the VERY next trains. Sprinting back to our little encampment we gathered our gear and ran for the next departing train. What a rush, only to then sit on the train which was now delayed 50 minutes… the Rosenfeld travel luck struck again! But the fun didn’t stop there. When we arrived there was such a cluster of disrupted travelers that the car services were overwhelmed and we didn’t have anyone to pick us up. Our coordinator advised that we try to get a taxi and when we rounded the corner of the station there was a taxi line nearly a half mile long!!  Exasperated, I let Emily ‘talk’ to our coordinator to help ‘resolve’ the travel issues.  Needless to say, we had a driver within 10 minutes. 

Oh Florence! This is one of my favorite cities and it did not disappoint as we drove through picturesque narrow streets leading to unimaginable Italian structures and hidden gems. This late, the streets were crowded with vendors, tourists, and anyone with a desire for adventure. People were everywhere! It felt like driving through a sea of energetic people. And our hotel…. Wow. A boutique hotel tucked in a narrow back alley next to a lively street where jazz musicians serenaded passersby. 

After a much needed shower we wondered out into the night life and got swept up by the crowds and flocked to open squares with lighted fountains and marble statues. It was dreamlike on the streets. I felt like I was walking on a movie set.  We settled in a little hole in the wall restaurant ‘Da Lino’ where yet another charismatic waiter served us homemade pastas with rabbit ragú and shaved truffles. We talked about wine and sampled some of there homemade cured meats. As our chairs began to grown beneath us we threw in the towel and push out plates away. Fully satisfied, we were set to leave but our waiter, charmed by our party, offered us some house made limoncello as a night cap. It was delicious. We floated back to our hotel and called it a night. Tomorrow we wine! 

When In Rome…

We almost did it. Siphoning off some of the Eck’s karma we nearly had a flawless flight to Italy. We arrived without delays or cancellations, the flights were comfortable, but our wine cases did not arrive… luckily our main bags did. Abandoning them to the fates (our collaborators) we drove through the city at night wrapping around the lit up Colosseum, under beautiful Mediterranean pines, and weaved through the throngs of dinner seeking pedestrians. Our hotel was quaint and in a narrow Italian street lined with cafes and outdoor restaurants. After a much appreciated shower we meandered to the nearest outdoor restaurant and sat on the sidewalk under a canvas of lights and plants. The air was warm and welcoming and our waiter was a character, winking and smiling as he touted the evening’s delicacies.  We feasted on fresh buffalo mozzarella, silky prosciutto, and various pastas shared around the table.  All of this while sipping on an earthy Sangiovese wine.  The evening was made all the better when Mary Jo went to offer up a gnocchi and in a skillful accident dropped it right into my wine glass. Wr all laughed loudly, scaring the neighboring tables. Swaying slightly from the amazing wine and also from the long travel we returned to our hotel for the night. 

After a deep night of sleep following 24 hours of travel we awoke to a rooftop breakfast under a warm summer rain overlooking the city. Sipping on cappuccinos and munching on warm croissants we planned the day. Our task for the day was to tour the Vatican museums, Sistine chapel, and St. Peter’s basilica.  Unfortunately the pope decided to use it in the morning thus tossing a holy wrench in our plans. Regardless, we met up with our hilariously flamboyant Italian driver who took us to the Vatican. As we drove past a line of people that was miles long, he laughed and told us how lucky we were that we had fast line tickets and a guide. 

We met Christina, our Vatican guide, who was amazing!! A beautifully short Italian woman who knew all the right spots to stand and how to cut across large crowds. She was knowledgeable and entertaining.  In the hot weather we crawled from magnificent rooms to even more opulent corridors. The ancient art and marble carvings inundated us at each turn.  Walking where famous artists and historical figures once roamed left us feeling inspired as we toured the popes’ private offices painted by Rafael and stood under Michelangelo’s depiction of genesis in the Sistine Chapel.  Through the smells of sweaty tourists we could catch wafts of ancient plaster and paints. Even the floors were ornately designed and demonstrated the wear of centuries of millions of visitors.  It was surreal. The detail and durability of these massive works of art were hard to comprehend. After a mind bending and neck straining stent in the chapel we finally made our way out of the Vatican. It was midday, hot, and we had walked for miles. We bid adieu to Christina and headed off for a midafternoon lunch along a square surrounding eloquent fountains.  We sipped chilled Pinot Grigio, enjoyed flavorful pasta, and capped our little siesta with some coffee before setting out on a long stroll of the city.

Our first stop was the Pantheon. This is the largest unreinforced cement dome in the world. We just happened upon it while searching for gelato. We waited in line for access and nearly missed getting in as they cut off the line right in front of us to make way for a Saturday mass. I sweet talked the guard into letting just 4 more in and we were the last ones to have access to the giant relic. Emily and her parents enjoyed gelato while we waited in the sun.  The inside of the pantheon was impressive. Massive and ancient columns and the dome did not disappoint. The magnificence of roman architecture at its finest. 

After we left the pantheon we walked towards St. Peter’s basilica, now this was truly jaw dropping. After waiting in a line that wrapped around the impressive St. Peter’s square where the pope does mass with a giant Egyptian obelisk in the center, we entered the church of all churches. Every square inch of this place radiated power, wealth, and opulence. Gargantuan pillars held up heavily ornate fresco ceilings, and lined massive alters. It was by far one of the most impressive man made places I’ve ever visited. There was a small sermon at the head of the church with a choir echoing throughout the cavernous corridors while tourists meandered amongst gold ladened alters and huge marbles statues.  It. Was. Too. Much.  Dazed, we wondered out and fell into a taxi back to our hotel. Delirious with exhaustion we napped until our 10 pm dinner. 

Tonight we dined at a Michelin recognized restaurant and enjoyed some of Italy’s best wines while we slurped down pasta and seafood.  The dinner ran late into the evening with laughing and toasting to the good life. Finally we returned to our hotel to crash. Day 1 complete. 

Touring Among Amman

Yet another restful night followed by a mind blowing breakfast. Only this time, with the added benefit of no hangover from the wedding the previous night. The grand plan was to tour all over Amman today then poolside and relax all day tomorrow (sorry, last blog of the trip, barring any craziness). 

After our amazing morning feast we headed out towards the Amman Citadel.  It is an archaeological site at the center of downtown Amman. The Citadel has a long history of occupation by many great civilizations (Greeks, Roman’s, cavemen). There is evidence of inhabitance since the Neolithic period and it is considered to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited places.   The Greeks built an enormous temple to Hercules which was all but destroyed during the great earthquake and now all that remains are some marble fingers and an elbow.  We were able to climb all over these ruins as our guide, Ahmed, explained all of the different structures and when they were built. It was hot today, 95°F, but we had experienced hotter earlier in the trip.  Looks like we are acclimatized to the unforgiving heat. At the top of the hill the daily prayer began and all of the mosques in Amman were blaring the prayers, it was a unique sensation hearing an entire city praying. Our guide (after doing his own praying) offered to show us around the city and took us next to the largest Roman amphitheater in Jordan which held 6000+ people and is still occasionally used for concerts and shows!  The acoustics off of the stone was mind boggling. Next he took us to the only mosque that allows visitors. We were not appropriately dressed, me with shorts and Emily being a woman.  So we had to donn Thobes to enter the mosque. It was enormous and quiet. We sat on the ground and leafed through the Koran as he talked about his religion and entertained my questions about his beliefs and the actual religious practices.  His earnestness, and pride while speaking in that holy place was what makes traveling to far off lands worth it.  After the mosque we meandered through an open air market, sampled some sugar cane drinks, and tried the best Kanafeh in the country.  It is made with spun pastry called kataifi, soaked in a sweet, sugar-based syrup called attar, and typically layered with a gooey cheese, and pistachios.  It was delicious. Then we parted ways and headed back the our hotel to rest before dinner. 

Zenith, the rooftop steakhouse at our hotel, left us utterly enchanted with an exceptional dining experience. From the moment we walked in, the spectacular sunset and cityscape view set the perfect backdrop for a memorable evening. Our waiter Khalid's service was beyond compare; his attentiveness and genuine care made us feel like VIPs. 

The foie gras with berry compote and maple cotton candy, alongside the seared scallop appetizer, were heavenly starters that teased our taste buds.  The off-menu strip loin steak, personally recommended by Chef Omar, was a revelation, boasting a succulent 9+ marble rating. 

Phenomenal cocktails elevated our dining experience to new heights, perfectly complementing the flavorful dishes. Ahed, the warm and gracious hostess, surprised us with a delightful anniversary dessert personally delivered to our table. It turned out to be a magical pre-anniversary night! We can’t wait for a relaxing day tomorrow!! 

The Wedding

Today was a relatively uneventful day. The bed we were sleeping on was soooo comfortable that we slept in hard this morning. Our hotel did a turn down service last night before bed and our wedding attire was pressed and hanging in the closet when we returned from Khalid’s home. After and amazing waterfall shower we headed down to the lobby for breakfast. This was the largest and most impressive spread I have ever seen. It took up 3 rooms!! There was a chocolate fountain, a whole honey comb for scraping honey, and foods from all over!! I tried to stick to fruits but the spread was too enticing. After that we retired to our own cabana by the pool. We spent the day reading, swimming, and relaxing in anticipation for the wedding. The moment came and we readied ourselves. We didn’t know what to expect. So we showed up at Khalid’s house where his family was preparing him for the wedding. All of a sudden the entire house broke out in chanting, singing, clapping, dancing, and ululating. There as a sort of ‘band’ of men dressed similarly and playing bagpipes and drums while clapping and singing. It gave the vibe of pumping the groom up for the marriage. We (the American contingent) stood awkwardly as no one explained what was happening, but Khalid’s family and friends encouraged us to participate nonetheless. We each took turns dancing with the groom in the center of the crowded space. This went on for about an hour! Clapping and singing and dancing. Then we all piled into cars and headed to his bride’s house where she was undergoing the same ritual. We sang and clapped him all the way into her house where their parents quickly wed them and then both families sang and clapped them out and into a car. We all then piled into cars and headed to the reception. I guess photos took a while as we all sat around for about 1.5 hours just outside the beautifully decorated hall. Given it was a Muslim wedding there was no booze which made the long stretches between activities feel slightly longer. Finally, we were permitted into the main/decorated reception hall (which was a part of a huge multi-event venue with multiple other weddings/events occurring in other parts of the venue). We were told that the newly weds would make not one but FOUR grand entrances. The first came when they ‘arrived’ by car. The singing, clapping, and dancing carried them into the reception hall where they promptly disappeared again. About a half hour later they made their grandest entrance through the main façade, under fireworks, to the sounds of a great trumpeting orchestra (via speakers), and waltzed down the center of the hall. They looked happy. Then we sang, clapped, and danced the traditional way for 2 more hours! We felt a little bad for the poor bride who was in an enormous dress and who had probably not stopped dancing for the last 6 hours. Finally the music stopped and they opened a MASSIVE buffet that looked to feed an army. 

The food was great and interestingly eclectic! After eating, the music, clapping, and dancing returned. It was an interesting experience but the exhaustion and sore palms from clapping started hitting all of the non-Arab guests hard. We all wished Khalid and Dina good luck and good fortunes and slipped away. What a wedding! And bonus, no hangover tomorrow!!

Wadi Rum and the family

Talk about your early mornings!! Emily and I were up at 3:30am and piled in to the backs of multiple trucks to transport us to our balloon ride. It was a surreal experience, bumping in the back of a truck over the dark desert under a sky dusted by stars while warm air whipped around us. We traversed the open sands in a seemingly random fashion leaving us wondering how they knew where they were going. At one point during this trip Emily yelled at me, “stop trying to be one with the desert” as I was having a mind blowing experience. 

We met up with a Floridian family who rode the balloons with us. When we arrived they were setting up the balloons and our pilot, Bill, with 25 years of experience, gave us our safety briefing and explained the process. He was a jovial guy with an interesting path. Then we were off, literally, off the ground and floating up to 5000 feet above the desert floor. We couldn’t feel acceleration or the speed as we floated with the winds. Up and up we went soaring over massive rock formations, herds of camels, and at the peak we watched the sunrise over the monolithic desert. The colors became more vibrant with each passing moment. Fortunately we were with a group that appreciated the spectacle as much as we did and we all stood in silence with the occasional burst from the propane flamer of the balloon. We were all just so speechless. We coasted around for an hour snapping photos and staring out at the wide expanse.  The landing was smooth and we disembarked and rode another truck back to our hotel. After another filling breakfast with returned to our glass domed room and relaxed with a panoramic view of the desert at our feet. Then we went for a short ride on two handsome camels. It was only an hour but the desert sun was making its presence known. They are interesting creatures.. similar to horizontal giraffes. The ride was not only peaceful but a great stretch for my hips. After the ride we fell asleep in front of our panoramic view and awoke just prior to checkout. We met our driver at the edge of Wadi Rum and began the 4.5 hour drive back to the capital, Amman. It was uneventful but very restful. Our hotel, St. Regis, was incredible! We had 9 people greet us at the door, a butler take us to our room, and the view of Amman was expansive.  We rested for a bit and sent our wedding clothes to get pressed for free! We got dressed then headed to Khalid’s house for a rehearsal dinner. His family was amazing! As soon as we walked in the the door we were almost tackled by this short and bubbly woman wearing a sash that read ‘mother of the groom’. She was beaming! It reminded me of the movie ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ when the mom was pushing everyone one to eat. She filled the room and her husband was just as engaging and sincere. Then Khalid’s siblings poured out with immense social energy hugging us and wanting to know everything about us. We met Khalid’s international cohort of friends and they all seemed to be good people. We discussed traveling in Jordan, then the food came out. OMG! Khalid’s mom had homemade Mansaf (a traditional Levantine dish made of lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt and served with rice or bulgur)! It was incredible, a wonderful orchestra of spices, textures, and perfectly cooked lamb. We all went back for more helpings while singing her praises. We chatted and then ended the night with dancing.  Khalid’s family dancing on one side of the living room and all the non-Arabs standing petrified on the other. But that didn’t last long as his joyous family pulled us in one by one showing us the traditional Jordanian dance moves, clapping, and ululating (look it up). It was so fun! Exhausted we called it a night and we slunk back to our hotel. What a day! Tomorrow is the wedding!