Another Dig Day

I have made some headway with getting good internet by buying a dongle that connects to fast broadband. However, uploading videos is still being a technical challenge and not achieved yet. I brought the dongle at a shop I heard about about three bocks away. The directions and names were a little different from what I thought I was told but found the place eventually. One of the guys in the shop spoke good English, and as it turned out his brother lives in Auckland so we got on good. I took my laptop and he got me all connected. I'm no good following Arabic instructions. The most dangerous part of shopping is crossing those jolly streets.

Helen is still sick with the flu and has spent anothet day in bed, although she did go with me down to dinner tonight. She should stay in bed another day. I feel a little seedy myself but are fighting the bug OK or will be sick in a day or so.

The dig today was good. I came down on a stone foundation that is visibly curved like in a round house. I also found another two buckets of sherds with some good rims and bottoms for diagnostics. I am really enjoying it although it is hard physical labour. The newbies look exhausted after two days, must have been what we looked like our first week. The weather is a bit cooler that is making it easier, but the wind and dust means we are covered with dirt and wherever we walk or sit or just be, we leave our mark of beige.

I was looking through the photos and thought you might like to see the bagpipe player I mentioned at the Jerash Roman ruins. It sure was uncanny hearing "Amazing Grace" on pipes while standing in the Temple to Zues. The ampitheatre is in perfect condition and seats about 3,000. We noticed that every seat is number in Roman numerals. Got a couple of pictures of that too.

There has been no sign of trouble in Jordan and things seem to be going on as normal. We noticed today we no longer have security guards at the hotel, just doormen in suits. The police and army prescence is still pretty evident and they are all armed so it actually makes us comfortable. May it stay that way. Tomorrow we are halfway through our Jordan stay. Helen sends her regards, then coughs again.