Stuck in Jordan

(Downtown Amman)

Had a lovely day in Amman. Heard the call to prayer from the Al-Husseini Mosque waft mystically through the streets right up to our hotel room window.

Streets reopened after marathon at 4 pm. Finally got everything together and into a cab heading for the border. Got to checkpoint to cross into Israel. Crossing closed early for the day, at noon, apparently without much notice -- hotel, cab, program organizers all thought we'd be good to go. In fact, we had been advised that it would be open until 8 or 10 pm.

In Jordan again for the night. Will try to get in tomorrow.

Very upset that we'll be missing first day of olive picking. Being restricted and denied the ability to move, frustrating; contemplating the arbitrariness of the restriction, and at a minimum, the lack of notice, maddening.

At least our cab driver, born in Jenin but living in Amman, had a sense of humor. He suggested at one point that we just sleep in the cab to make sure we get in early enough tomorrow.