Jordan day 3

Hello...

I had the opportunity to come to Irbid today so I thought I would after doing nothing but travel yesterday. It was too early to go visit, and I came with Nazrene, who wanted me to come see something. Right now she's in class for computers of some sort, so I will meet her in a bit.

The 'aser call to prayer just began and there was a sudden cessation of sound in the cafe where I am--the music went off quite abruptly! It'll be back in a moment or two, as soon as the call is over. I love the sound of it and also the silence.

I can't tell if my back is improved or not. I am on some sort of medicine I got from the pharmacy for sports injuries which has a muscle relaxant and a pain killer in it. It takes the edge off, but I can still feel it pretty strongly. Today I did a bunch of stretches to try to help it go away quicker. It feels like a muscle spasm, like I had about 4 years ago, but not as bad at that time. The worst is the transitions between standing and sitting or lying. Walking is fine. The constant ache just makes me tired and a little irritable, but I am going to do my best to overcome that.

The bus trip yesterday from Amman to Malka was challenging because of the ache and the need to move slowly, but I managed it and got to Om Talha's house fairly early in the day. I spent the rest of it visiting with her and some others and going for a walk.

Several people have asked about security, and how people see Americans. So far I have observed no evidence of anti-Americanism in either Egypt or Jordan, but that doesn't mean it isn't there. I'm just not seeing anything. In Egypt, the security is obviously very important to them in the sense that they have installed metal detectors everywhere, going into every monument, and there are tourist police EVERYWHERE. Relatively as ubiquitous as the sand on the street. However, one has the sense going through them of going through the motions as no one was stopped when the detector went off. Major hotels have security as well--my father stayed in the fancy ones in Cairo, and they had metal detectors and were searching bags both by hand and by xray. They seemed much more serious about it than the police at the monuments.

Traffic in Cairo was the worst I have ever seen it. It was so smoggy the entire time we were there that it looked like a heavy fog over the city. I suppose in the states it would be one of those places where they'd issue warnings not to go out, not that it helps to stay in if you open the windows.

oh! have to go. I am late.