Final day in Jordan

March 25, 2013

Jordan Rift Valley

On my last day in Jordan I decided to visit the Dead Sea, located in the Jordan Rift Valley. This valley is 400 meters below sea level which is the lowest point on the face of the earth. The Dead Sea is bordering the west side of Jordan.

The Dead Sea's large attraction is the warm and extremely salty water. The large concentration of salt in the Dead Sea results in a higher density of water allowing people to float. If you are floating in the Dead Sea make sure not to taste the salty water on accident!

This attraction is also called the "Dead Sea" because the conditions of the water are so harsh that few animals are able to survive in that area. The picture above shows a man floating in the Dead Sea while reading a newspaper.

Jordan in a Nutshell

 

Visiting Jordan was an amazing experience that made me appreciate culture. The people here were extremely friendly and made me feel welcomed by being invited to share a traditional Jordan meal. I am glad I visited Petra and Jerash because I learned about Jordan's history just by looking at the old and beautiful architecture. The Dead Sea was also a great experience because there is no other body of water like it. I had a completely different idea of what Jordan would be like when I researched before my arrival. I would advise anyone that is thinking of traveling around the world to stop in Jordan to explore and experience the culture.

Jerash

March 21, 2013

Visiting Jerash 
 

Tourists visiting Jordan often say that Jerash is a close second to Petra when it comes to attractions. Jerash contains paved streets, beautiful theaters, many fountains and tall temples and towers.

  To the left is an image of an amphitheater found in Jerash

In 63 BC Romans conquered the city of Jerash. During this time there was a large community of Christians who lived in Jerash. These Christians who inhabited Jerash donated constantly to continue building beautiful theaters, towers, baths and other buildings to show how wealthy their city was. A few thousand years later, Jerash later suffered a large earthquake and perished.  The majority of this city still stands and is beautifully built.


Below is a link to a video tour of Jerash. This video shows great video footage of what Jerash looks like and how large and old the city looks. The narrator of this film also gives great historical information.

Video Tour of Jerash

Petra

March 19, 2013

Petra

 

Out of the many beautiful sights in Jordan, Petra is the most famous and most commonly visited attraction. Petra was packed with tourists taking pictures and learning about the historical importance.     

 

Petra ages back to as early as 309 BC. Over the thousands of years Petra was home to the Egyptians, Romans, Israelites, and Arabs. Found in Petra are tombs like the ones found in ancient Egypt. These tombs are carved beautifully and are a good representation of Jordan's old history traditions. The history behind Petra make this ancient city a large tourist attraction.  

 

 

 

Below is the link to an article the Smithsonian Magazine wrote about Petra being one of the "28 Places to See Before You Die." This article explains in larger detail about Petra and its historical background. 

 Smithsonian Magazine: Petra

First impression of Jordan

March 16, 2013

 

 

Things I Immediately Realized:

 

While exploring Jordan's capital, Amman, I realized three major things I wish I knew before I had arrived:

1.) Dress Code:  I stood out in the crowd of Jordanians. I decided to wear jeans and a short sleeve t-shirt which I thought was the norm for the warm weather. The people in Jordan always try to cover up as much skin as possible in public and even though wearing jeans and a t-shirt is fine for the United States, it is considered scandalous in Jordan.

2.) Social Interactions: Jordanians in general are way friendlier to strangers than people in the United States. Being greeted by each person with a handshake and a friendly, "Hello" was nice to hear from strangers. I felt more connected to the people in Jordan than if I was walking the streets in Seattle. People who previously knew each other greeted by kissing or hugging which is rarely done in the U.S.

3.) Hospitality: Jordanians are very outgoing when it comes to meals. They like to share meals with new people to create relationships with and get very offended if you do not take them up on sharing a meal together.

While I was exploring in Ma'daba which is south of the capital, Amman, I met a family that invited me to eat lunch with them. At first I was hesitant to eat with them but I could tell they were serious about eating together because of how persistent they were. We walked up and down the street smelling the different street food being sold. The mixture of new, sweet, and spicy food choices intrigued my sense of smell. We ended up getting lunch at a small restaurant on the street which was very interesting. My meal was delicious, I ordered mahshi (shown in the image below) which is cooked vegetables stuffed with rice which is very popular in Jordan. Even though this dish may not look very appetizing to some picky eaters, this healthy dish hits the spot because of its unique taste!

 The image to the left is a dish of mahshi.

Preparing for Jordan

March 15, 2013

I am preparing for my week and a half long trip to Jordan. I have lightly researched and these are the things I thought would impact my trip the most.
 

Background History:

I found it very interesting that Jordan is still a constitutional monarchy which means they have a King and a Prime Minister. The King who is currently, Abdullah II has the majority of the power. He signs and vetos all laws for Jordan. The Prime Minister, Abullah Ensour, is appointed by the King of Jordan.
 

Things I Know Before I Arrive:

1.) Jordan is a year round destination. Best weather is in the spring time when it is warm but not scorching and the rainy season is over.
2.) Public transportation is difficult by bus because no bus schedules exist. Bus times are spoken by word of mouth and chance if you happen to be at the bus stop when a bus is. Taxis are easier to use but they get pricy if used for every occasion.

 

This map above shows where in the middle east Jordan is located. Jordan borders Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Israel. The Dead Sea also borders Jordan and is a large attraction to tourists. From the map above you can tell that the majority of cities reside in the western half of Jordan. The cities are not in the eastern area because of the dry climate of the deserts.

 

The map below shows a better representation of where the Syrian Desert and the Ard As Sawwan Desert are located in Jordan.