#110 sightseeing in Amman: what to see in a half a day

Usually souvenirs are the best indicators to tell what are the top, must-see places in a particular city or country. And, soon after I arrived in Amman, i realized that Jordan’s top attractions are not really in Amman. 55% of the souvenirs will be either with Petra city landmarks and 40% will be made of the Dead sea salt or mud or some other under-the-sea goodies. But, though it was tempting to check out the Dead sea, I chose to explore Amman city.

Nowadays in any (relatively) developed urban environment one can expect pretty much the same: shops, busy streets with people, traffic jams, smells from food shops, traders, poverty next to luxury etc. Amman was not an exception, but still it has its own character: welcoming and helpful, kind people, whiteness (seemed like there is some kind of architectural code of conduct – almost all the houses were in white, beige, light yellow/brown color which made at times easy to lose my way as the buildings and streets looked so similar), entrepreneurial spirit and pride about Jordanian culture.

So, my top three places to go if you have a half a day to spare:

Al-Balad Souk (market) – this is located in the Old town where you can walk around, visits lots of small shops, meet locals and buy sweets and gifts (much cheaper and better than in the airport);

Roman amphitheater: when i got here, i was just thinking: is there a place on this planet where Romans have not been?? It was truly amazing to find this well-reserved footprint of Western civilization in Amman.

the Citadel: located on one of the 7 hills it offers fantastic 360o view over the city. It is an evidence of various cultures, regimes which have over the centuries influenced the history and destiny of today’s Jordanian people. The citadel reminded me of Athens.

Price: about JOD10 to go around with taxi;

Duration: 3-4 hours;

Amazingness; joy of adventure

May 11, 2014

 

#109 dining with a view: Wild Jordan cafe

When i travel and visit new places, exploring cafes and dining places is one of the most exciting things. Though hotel where i stayed (Toledo hotel, highly recommend it) offered great variety of local cuisine, I just had to check what Amman has to offer. For vegetarian and non-vegetarian people, but who value quality, organic food, Jordan wild cafe is a must-visit place.

Well, first of all, before i even sat at the table, i was amazed by the beautiful scenery and the city view and got stuck on the terrace for a while as i enjoyed the view. The cafe located on several floors has probably one of the most stunning views over the city.

Wild Cafe in essence is a an arm of a social enterprise which uses only locally produced products and prepares healthy, low-fat meals including also various local herbal teas and awesome smoothies.

So, finding a place with beautiful scenery and healthy, tasty food – that’s a bliss.

Price: for a salad, tea and smoothie – about 10GBP/10JOD.

Duration: 2 hours (they have there free wi-fi and interesting shop with handmade things made in Jordan (Death sea mud soaps!!);

Amazingness: definitely one of the must-visit places when in Amman;

May 9, 2014

 

#108 moving around Amman by taxi

During my stay in Amman i had many meetings and therefore had to use taxi a lot to move from one place to another. Overall, there was no problem: plenty of taxis, taxi drivers using taxi meters or agreeing on the fee before the ride, reasonable prices, good roads and not too bad traffic. However, every time my taxi journey became a real adventure because in Amman taxi drivers have a car (with petrol), they can drive, some of them can understand and speak some English, but basically they do not know where to go. They can take you wherever you want, as long as you know where it is. It is very helpful if the place you need to get to is a hotel (overall, everyone knew the main hotels, so it was easy), or a major landmark inside or outside Amman (everyone will offer you to take you to the Death Sea). Otherwise, they do not know really street names.

So, if you have a very good map with you and you make the driver actually listen to you (some drivers were not very happy following my instructions; i recon, it was something to do with my gender), and you have very good topographic thinking and quick understanding of traffic system when arriving to a new city, then you will be ok. If any of these elements are not there, you will have a chance to speak to several random strangers stopped on the road asking for their opinion about the location of the place you want to go. You may also have a chance to miss a meeting or arrive very late because driver could not find the location. Overall, i quickly learned, that every time i sat in the cab, it was a beginning of a new daily adventure.

Price: average from 2-5JOD per ride;

Duration: you need to plan at least 30min for a ride, more if you do not know exactly where you need to go;

Amazingness: looking from a positive side, sense of adventure is amazing.

May 8, 2014

 

#107 first time in the Middle East: Jordan

I love to travel, and when i have a chance to travel with work – it’s even better. However, when i have a chance to travel with work to places where i have never been – it’s amazing!

Welcome to Jordan!

This is a phrase you will hear in Amman a lot. Hotel staff, taxi drivers, random people in the city or sellers in the market – they will all make you feel welcomed in their country. It used to be one of the most popular Middle East countries among tourists, however now with the troubles in Syria it has made a negative impact on the travel sector and people are literally thanking for coming over and not being afraid to visit Jordan.

Amman reminded me a little bit of Greece. A city of white/ beige color houses spread across the hills and with a bit of Mediterranean vibe.

It’s my 33rd country i have ever visited.

Price: from London returns are for as little as 400GBP now;

Duration: a week;

Amazingness: fascinating to get to know a different culture and people.

May 7, 2014