Our last night in Jordan

Well after two years that have flown by, we are on our way home.

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of going away parties for us and for others (most people leave in the summer to match the school year). The photo above was taken at Duffy's office going-away party. Kan Zaman is a centuries-old fort-turned-Arabic restaurant where you can dress up as a bedouin in front of a photographer. We also have an amusing shot of my whole office.

There is a lot about Jordan we will miss - new friends, shawarma and falafel dinners, mint-infused lemonade slushies, yielding for sheep, and the ability to drive less than an hour and see two-thousand-year-old ruins.

There are also some things we won't miss - the unmistakable scent of burning trash, speed bumps on highways, sudden left-hand turns by the mini-bus in the right-hand shoulder, and even after two years, it is still shocking to see toddlers waving at you from the open sun roof of their car. Caution: we ourselves have acclimated some, so give us a wide berth if you see us driving!

We are looking forward to a summer of U.S. travel and training (and friends) in DC. We will be easiest to reach on email and our (609) area code Vonage number is unchanged.

Our last tourist destination - Wadi Rum

Among Jordan's biggest tourist destinations - Dan and I had missed one - Wadi Rum - it is pretty far from Amman and I am not a camper (and it is mostly a camping destination). Lucy's arrival gave us an excuse to drive down, stay in a cottage, and then take a truck tour of the desert.

Petra with Lucy our last guest

On Dan's last day in Baghdad my cousin Lucy arrived. So pretty much as soon as Dan got off the plane we hopped in the car to play tour guide. First stop Petra.

We have been to Petra for fun and for work reasons a bunch of times but still are always happy for a hike surrounded by so much history and this time Petra had something new. In one alcove that used to be taken up by some gift shops are now historical re-enactors. We got a picture taken as royalty in Petra (historical significance unknown) but they also had displays of all of the foods and particularly medicinal herbs that are grown locally.

Touring the IZ in Baghdad, again

Gate decorated with Saddam's initials (in Arabic)

Outside the Al Rasheed Hotel, where there used to be a mosaic of George Bush, the 41st President. It was placed on the lobby floor, so that it was impossible for visiting diplomats not to step on it. After the 2003 fall of Baghdad, the mosaic was removed. Now there is a plain, polished marble floor. Missiles struck while Paul Wolfowitz was staying here, also in 2003. CNN's Peter Arnett covered Desert Storm from here in 1991.

Gate commemorating the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem

Goodbye, Baghdad.

While colleagues may disagree about the pace of reconstruction, all agree that flying in a helicopter window seat over Baghdad is the coolest thing ever.

I am back in Amman. Thank you all for your kind thoughts.