Travel Day
I could barely sleep Saturday night in anticipation of my big journey… No matter how many times I travel, I still get excited about riding on a plane and exploring a new place. My first flight, BOS – DOH, didn’t leave until 8:20 in the evening, and I spent most of the day working on one of my favorite hobbies: handbells. 😁🔔
By the time my Mom came to pick me up and drive me to the airport (Thank you, Mom!), I was exhausted. I got to the airport with plenty of time, but not quite enough time for a journey to the lounge to be worth it. It was a pretty hefty walk from where my departure gate was. Next time!
Before I knew it, boarding began, and surprisingly, I was in zone 2, which meant I boarded really early! Woohoo! As I’m making my way to my seat, an older couple starts speaking and pointing to their son, several rows behind me now. Instantly I understand they want me to swap seats with him. I DID choose a window seat so that I could look at the city of Doha as we were landing, but I’m also happy to help a family, not to mention, now I’d be in an aisle seat, with the premium ability to drink and pee as much I as please. Which actually turned out to be minimal, lol. I ate dinner on the plane and was able to sleep a good amount, although I’m not sure I agree with my Garmin watch telling me I had plenty of deep sleep…🤪
After landing in Doha, it was an easy walk to the transfers, and I had to go through security again. I checked the Amman departure gate and headed that direction, when I noticed the signs referencing the “garden lounge.” What’s this? It’s a must see, is what it is! So rather than go to the gate, I head to the jungle instead! Now, it’s no Singapore airport (I’ve only see pictures and videos), but it was stunning! I had no idea the Doha airport had something like that.
The only thing better than finding a garden in the airport was finding an OREO CAFE. I couldn’t believe my eyes, but there ahead of me, was an entire cafe dedicated to Oreos. They sold all kinds of pastries with Oreos and milkshakes and even coffee with Oreos. OMG. Obviously, I had to try something. I really wasn’t feeling anything sweet, and those pastries were enormous! So I opted for a slightly less sweet iced-coffee that had whipped cream and an Oreo on top. 😅 Works for me! I know the trip has only begun, and I know there will be breathtaking things to see in Jordan, but… for this Oreo lover, the Oreo Cafe is already at the top of my list. It should be one of the 7 Wonders of the World. 😍 Also, why have I never thought of opening an Oreo Cafe?
Eventually I decide it’s time to head towards the gate. I’m wiped and just want to plant myself down somewhere until the next flight to Amman. I had a bit of time, so I caught up on some texts and went though the pictures I had already taken.
If I thought zone 2 was great for the last flight, well, guess who nabbed zone 1 boarding for the second flight?! Me, it was me! 😁 They boarded nearly all of economy at the same time, so I assumed the flight was empty. I like to think I knew what I was doing when choosing my window seat in the back of the aircraft… I gambled that nobody would choose one back there if they had the choice. And I was right! I scored my window seat on a 2-seater side, with no neighbor. Amman, here I come! 🤗
I arrive to Amman and first go through the line to purchase my visa, and then off to wait in the immigration line. It didn’t take as long as I thought it might, and soon I was walking towards baggage claim to catch my ride to the hotel. I’m not sure I’ve ever been picked up from the airport like that, with my name on a sign. So fun! My driver was kind and outgoing and we chatted the whole 30 minutes to the hotel in downtown Amman.
By now it’s nearly 1am, and I check in at the front desk to get a key, head upstairs, and say a quick hello to Heather. After my long travel day, I shower and finally lay down to sleep. Thankfully, our day tomorrow isn’t starting until 10am. Phew! 😴😴😴
Day 1
The alarm went off sooner than I would’ve liked, and it was time to get up and take on the first full day in Jordan! I could already hear the cacophony of honking from the morning traffic, the wind, and…. unfortunately, the rain. It was supposed to rain all day, the one day we had planned for the city. But not to worry! Heather and I have faced some pretty severe rains in our travels before, and we always make the most of it.
Our driver for the day picked us up promptly at 10am, and we began making our way to Qasr Al Abd, on the outskirts of Amman. This palace dates from the Hellenistic period, sometime between 182 and 175 BCE.
On our way to this archaeological site, our guide stopped on the side of the road to purchase some Turkish coffee, Jordan style. Our driver, Ahmad simply rolled down his window, and a guy came up to take his order, and in a few minutes was back with three cups of coffee for us. I was totally expecting a small traditional Turkish coffee, but this was a larger cup of coffee brewed with cardamom. It was without a doubt, delicious, but not exactly what I know Turkish coffee to be. We could barely drink it at first it was so hot, but as we continued driving, it cooled off and we finally tasted the Jordanian delicacy.
The road towards the site was winding and we climbed higher and higher until the fog was so thick, you could barely see ten feet in front of the car. As soon as it came, it went, and we were snaking our way down the mountain. We found a beautiful lookout spot to take a panoramic picture of the valley, and our shoes got extremely muddy in the process. We tried out best to kick off the mud and scrap our shoes on the pavement. We must have been a sight to see. 😂
Finally, we make it to the Qasr Al Abd, and the rain seems to pick up quite a bit. We grab the umbrellas, and make our way in, trying to be expeditious, but also give it the time it needs. Soon a woman is yelling to our guide in Arabic, and we have no idea what she’s saying. Ahmad translates for us, and says we need to buy an entry ticket, and that we can hide from the rain inside the small ticketing building. We huddle inside with several other people, and the woman offers us some tea. It was pretty cozy inside, and the rain hitting the tin roof made for a relaxing ambiance.
Just 5 or 10 minutes later, the rain petered out, and we continued our self-guided tour of the grounds. This place seems to be in the middle of nowhere, and I wonder what other buried treasures lay hidden in the surrounding mountains.
Up next was the Jordan Museum, or so we thought. Turns out, the museum is closed on Tuesdays… womp womp. So, onto the next stop, the Citadel, one of the oldest known settlements in Amman. Some estimates claim the location has been utilized for 7,000 years, since the rise of civilization in the Nile Valley.
The Citadel is situated on a tall hill that overlooks the city of Amman. The surrounding hills are covered in limestone houses, and from one side, the Roman amphitheater can be seen below, nestled amongst the modern buildings. There was a notable mosaic still partially intact, the Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church, and so many other ruins. Walking around in the fresh air and seeing such ancient history combined with the surrounding modernity created a sense of perspective. How many people have called this place home over the last 7,000 years? How many more will come to visit in the next 7,000?
We got drenched while exploring the Temple of Hercules, and found shelter in the archaeological museum to warm up for a bit. After wandering around for nearly an hour, we met up with Ahmad once again to continue our day tour.
Next top is the Blue Mosque! I was particularly excited about this one, if only because I intended to visit the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, but the day I tried, it was closed to visitors. Amman’s Blue Mosque was beautiful inside and out, but nothing like the pictures of the one in Istanbul.
The entrance to the mosque is through a bazzar with all kinds of goodies and items to purchase. We pay for our entrance tickets and are guided to a back room where we can borrow a hooded robe to cover up before entering the mosque. Properly dressed, we head out of the bazzar and into the outside courtyard area of the mosque. We enjoy the architecture and the vibrant blue mosaic designs before heading inside. The mosque was nearly empty and felt inviting and peaceful. We enjoyed the serenity for a little while before leaving and returning through the bazzar to drop off the robes and continue on with our day.
Something we learned while in the bazzar was the red and white scarfs are specially representing Jordan, while the black and white scarves represent Palestine. These particular scarves are found nearly everywhere, and it was nice to learn their significance.
Our next stop for the day would be lunch… finally! I was pretty hungry by this point, and excited to see what was in store for us. Ahmad took us to Hashem, the oldest restaurant in the old town area. We got a few things to share, and it was a perfect light lunch before tasting perhaps my new favorite dessert ever. Before we get to that, the lunch included a simple lemon hummus drizzled with olive oil. That was without a doubt, the best hummus I’ve ever had, and store-bought hummus from the states may be ruined for me forever. It was SOOO good! Give me a trough of that and some pita, and I’ll be all set. I might need to invest in a good food processor to start making my own. 😁
Okay, but now… for the dessert. May I introduce to you, Kunafa! Melted cheese, topped with filo dough, sprinkled with pistahcios, and drizzled with sugar syrup. 😋 The pieces were so large, but I’m glad we each got one, because I’m not sure I’d have wanted to share. I cannot wait to sample that again, although Ahmad brought us to the very best location for it, and I hope when I try it again, it’s at least half as good. But how could it not be?
We had to walk off all that we ate, so we started to make our way to the Roman Amphitheater. Along the way we passed all sorts of shops, from spice shops, free standing books shops, and my personal favorite, dress shops. 😍 The Jordanian dresses are gorgeous, and it is highly likely I will end up bringing one home. The most difficult part about that will be choosing which colors. The dresses are ornately decorated with colorful and sometimes sparkling embroidery. I just have to have one!
Before we know it, we are standing in front of the incredible amphitheater and are excited to explore the area. We purchase tickets and head inside. I’m always amazed at how the Romans were able to build ampithears with natural acoustics. I have learned before how if someone stands in the middle and speaks loudly, the voice can carry all the way to the nosebleed sections of the stadium…
… What I didn’t know was that if you crouched on either side of the semi-circle below the seating area, and one person speaks in a normal voice, the other person could hear it as if you were standing right next to them. Amazing! It was so neat to play around with this. One of those “see it to believe” things, or more like, “hear it to believe it.”
After exploring the amphitheater and taking several pictures, we begin our trek back to the car and back to the hotel. With the help of Ahmad, we crossed the street like frogger, and learned how the local Jordanians do it. I sure wouldn’t want to cross those streets alone, lol. Ahmad kept stopping in little convenience stores, looking for something. When Heather asked him, he said he was looking for a specific brand of ciagarettes. Well, when he finally found what he was looking for, it wasn’t cigarettes at all, but rather two packages of Oreos! During the course of the day, I shared a bit about my layover at the Doha airport and how excited I was about the Oreo Cafe, and Ahmad remembered, and got us Oreos as a parting gift. How sweet is that? A perfect ending to a perfect day. 🤗
Back at the hotel, we had just enough time to drop out bags, freshen up, and head back downstairs for the G-Adventure trip orientation. We met our guide, Hatem, and the rest of the 14 members of our group for the week. Hatem gave us an overview of what to expect for the next several days and acquainted us with some important information for our first day tomorrow: the ancient city of Jerash and the Dead Sea! It’s going to be a long day, but a wonderful day.
After the meeting, we grab some Ubers and head to a restaurant called Mo’s where we shared a family style meal. Multiple small appetizers were arranged on the table and the main course was delivered right as we were finishing loading up our plates with all the apps. There was so much food to be passed around, and all of it was super tasty. We needed some good food so we could sleep well and be prepared for the next day.
As we were finally tucked in bed and ready for a good night’s sleep, Heather dropped her phone from the bedside table. She leaned over to get it and dropped something else. Giggling, she went to grab that item, and something else fell. By this point, I’m loosing it, haha. We cackled together for a good 5 minutes or so before we finally calmed down enough to try and sleep. It’s always something with us 🤣.
Day 2
Good morning! Time for another delicious breakfast at the hotel… except today, there was a huge tour bus of people on a pilgrimage tour. My best guess is there were 50 other people in the breakfast area. It was pure chaos… the lines were all so long and navigating the crammed tables was a challenge with a full cup of coffee. That’s if you could even get a cup of coffee. 🥴 That “line,” or better yet, crowd at the coffee station was near impenetrable. Not exactly the relaxing morning we were hoping for, but I’m in love with the Labaneh (a soft spicy cheese made from strained yogurt) and as long as I get some of that, I’m good. 🤗
After a more stressful breakfast than anticipated, the whole group got situated on the bus and we officially set out on day one of the Jordan Highlights Tour. First stop: Jerash, an ancient Roman city in the north of the country.
During our drive, Hatem, our guide, told us all kinds of fascinating facts about Amman and Jordan:
The oldest known name of the city was Rabbath Ammon, followed by the Greek name Philadelphia (How did we not know this?), and finally, Amman. The city was built on 7 hills! I didn’t know what to expect, but I don’t think I was imagining a hilly city when I thought of Amman. Did you? The Jordan River and the Dead Sea create the natural border between Jordan and the Westbank. The buildings are mostly constructed from limestone because that’s what the Romans did back when they occupied the land. The Romans ventured this far to conquer because their enemies, the Nabataeans (who carved Petra), were living here.
We passed by the Jabbok River, currently known as the Zarqa River, which had important significance in Jacob’s story in the Bible. This is where Jacob camped with his people and was met by an angel and told that his name would cease to be Jacob and instead would be Israel.
After an educational drive, we finally arrive to the ancient Roman city of Jerash. Within this large archaeological site, there are several fairly well preserved buildings. Hadrian’s arch was one of the first things we saw and what a majestic beginning to our journey through the ancient city. Technically though, this was not the entrance point to the city, and was rather a commemorative arch built in honor of Emperor Hadrian’s visit to Jerash in 129 AD.
Up next we saw the remains of a 5th or 6th century church that had a beautiful mosaic floor still mostly intact. I always get excited by the mosaic floors and cannot imagine how much patience it requires to create something like that. Little did I know how many mosaics were in my future 🙃.
Jerash also has a hippodrome, two amiptheaters, the Temple of Zeus, the Temple of Artemis, a colonnaded street (cardo), baths, and so much more. The sheer size of this place was hard to wrap your head around, and we certainly didn’t have time to see it all, but Heather and I did our very best.
A really interesting and inventive fact we learned was that the friezes above the columns in the oval plaza are constructed to be hollow. This acted as a warning system should an earthquake strike the city. There was an underground sewage system as well as an underground water cistern that brought in and stored water for the bustling city. The large amphitheater is still in use today with various festivals.
On our way up to explore the Temple of Zeus, Hatem showed us a pepper tree! When rubbed in your hands, the leaves smell just like crushed black pepper. Once at the top where the temple is situated, the view of Jerash was unbeatable. Panorama views of all the ruins had me wishing I could have seen this place back in its heyday.
Near the temple of Zeus was an amphitheater that can seat 3,500 people. It features a microphone system, and I was thoroughly impressed after testing it out. The inner curved wall had circular cut-outs that when spoken into, project your voice to the others. It sounded just like a microphone!
Something completely unexpected was a short demonstration by two gentlemen of traditional music. One played the drum and the other, the official instrument of Jordan. Any guesses?
I bet you won’t guess it…
…. The bagpipes! We had a Scottish couple on the trip and they knew about that, but I’m pretty sure the rest of the group was quite surprised. We listened for a while as they performed in the ancient amphitheater.
While walking around we saw so many ruins of different buildings and even the ancient road, or the “cardo.” Ruts were still clearly visible in the rocks where the chariot wheels dug in deep and left their mark for us to see today. Heather and I wanted to see the north gate, which was at the total opposite end of the site, and we hoofed it over there, passing the other amphitheater, which of course, we had to check out.
We made it to the far gate and began our journey back down the cardo. We were rushing to get back, but also trying to see every nook and cranny we could. We missed out on some things and decided there just simply isn’t enough time, ever. I generally prefer to stay in one place for as long as possible, spending at least three weeks somewhere before moving along, but that’s just not always practical. Jerash alone could take nearly a whole day, if you wanted to see everything.
After taking a stroll through the marketplace and using the restrooms, we piled back onto the bus and started our way towards the Dead Sea. We stopped for lunch along the way and got a small chicken wrap at a seemingly VERY popular restaurant. We paid at the cashier and then took our slip to the counter to be given our goods. The people working there made the wraps in an assembly line fashion, and it was almost like Mike’s Pastry’s in Boston, if you’ve ever been. Utter chaos. A ton of people vying for the attention of the next employee to try and get their ticket up on the counter to receive their lunch. At Mike’s, you just have to push through the crowds to the front and order what you would like. No lines whatsoever. It’s part of the charm, but is a bit stressful if you’re unprepared. 😅 We all successfully got our lunch and hit the road to the Dead Sea!
The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth at 430 meters or 1,1410 feet below sea level. The salinity is nearly 10% more than the ocean, and yes, I did taste it. And yes, it was gross and VERY salty. So much so it almost hurt my mouth, haha. High in sought-after minerals, Jordan capitalizes on exporting the bromine, potash, and magnesium, and has diverted some of the water to collection pools, causing the Dead Sea to shrink.
On our way down to the beach area, the resort we were visiting had placed signs showing the water levels for the past several years. It was quite a shock to see just how much it has receded. It’s unfortunate, but there is a real possibility that it could dry up if the system continues the same without any intervention.
Once we had changed into our swimsuits, the first step to enjoying the afternoon was to lather up with mud. The resort had a lovely basin filled to the brim with wet, slimy, mud. We did our best to cover our entire bodies to reap the supposed health benefits. After letting it dry for about 10 minutes, we washed it off at the showers, conveniently located right at the beach. We all commented on how soft our skin felt after washing the mud off. I’m not sure I’ve ever had my skin feel so buttery after a mud mask.
Finally, it was time to get into the salty water and test out the floating. After some difficulty walking in due to so many rocks, we were in and floating with ease. I tried to sort of shimmy my way deeper, but it was impossible! And no matter what position you tried, you floated. Vertical, on your back, side, stomach. It was so strange to see just how much you could get away with. We stayed in just about as long as we could manage. At some point, your skin felt a bit prickly and spicy. Probably a good idea to get out.
Once we had enough of the sea, we walked back up to the pool areas, and when I tell you that pool was cold, it was COLD. Only way in…gotta jump in and commit! I didn’t make it very long, and got out to rinse off and change back into regular clothes.
After gathering our belongings, we walked up to the reception area of the hotel and found a little bar for a refreshment. First Jordanian beer! And it hit the spot! Just what we needed after being in the sun all day.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by the “Jordanian Starbucks,” otherwise known as Marouf Coffee. They serve the most amazing pistachio latte! That helped wake us all up. We learned that Jordan essentially boycotted Starbucks and McDonalds, and many of the locations have since closed. That’s the power of the consumer… we have a shared responsibility to purchase ethically and it CAN make a difference.
Back in Amman, some of the group went out to dinner, but Heather and I chose to eat at the pub right next door. We hoped to have a quick dinner and get some rest. The menus were in English, and we both wanted the Gyros. Our waiter didn’t speak English, and we didn’t speak enough Arabic, so after a lengthy game of charades, and being rescued by our new friend Paul, we finally were able to order our dinner. We expected some sort of Greek/ Mediterranean gyro, but got a fried chicken sandwich with fries. 😂 Not exactly the dinner we had in mind, but it got the job done, and post dinner, we were back in our room within 3 minutes.
Time for a shower and some sleep, up next is our journey to Petra! 😁
Taking Off With Amelia 