As promised, the traffic into Amman was epic. Driving in this city is not for the faint of heart, but it is fairly easy to walk to places once in the city center. We started at the top of one of the seven hills at the ancient Citadel. Occupied at least since the Bronze Age (2300-1200 BC), the area is still used by the locals as a meeting and picnic spot.

We then threaded our way through neighborhoods down the hill to the Roman theater, which remains a lively plaza.

The streets were lively and crowded, with many small shops, and many small arcades providing shade and diversion from the streets. We stopped for a quick dinner at a local restaurant that also served beer – not always easy to find – before heading back to Madaba for the night.