Day 13:68 Gathering Around the Dinner Table

One of the paid excursions Viking often offers on many of their tours is dinner in a local home, provided by the family. This is an opportunity not to pass up. We visited a home in Jordan for an evening and met a wonderful family. They graciously welcomed us into their home. We shared coffee, conversation, and a wonderful meal.

In the kitchen, a couple of the ladies helped prepare the meal under the watchful care of our host daughter — a world-class chef. She has prepared meals for Chef Ramsay and even hosted the Queen of Jordan in their home. No big deal… just casual dinner company!

I am writing this post about a month and a half after it happened, so I don’t remember all the details — people’s names, exactly what we ate, all the spices and flavors. But looking at these photos, I remember the feeling. We were welcomed into a stranger’s home as strangers — and left feeling like part of their extended family. They even gave us their contact information and said to just show up if we are ever in the area again. That would be great.

Many times, with all of our travels, the first question we get asked is, “What was your favorite country?” We understand the reason for the question. And yes, part of traveling for me is checking the box and getting my country count up there.

But our answer is always the same: it’s not about the countries — it’s about the memories and experiences we had. It’s the people. It’s the rare opportunity to touch another part of the world at a deeper level than just a brochure photo.

This was one of those moments.

#Jordan #DinnerWithLocals #CulturalExchange #TravelMoments #VikingCruise #SharedTable #WorldTravel #TravelReflection #ItsAboutThePeople #MeaningfulTravel #FindPenguinsRead more