A Week in Amman
Visitors to Jordan are usually told that this is among the most tourist-friendly and fascinating destinations in the Middle East but not necessarily a good choice for those on a budget. Amman has been ranked among the priciest capital cities in the region, and a week or two at leisure and comfort in Jordan can easily ruin your bank account. Many budget guide books therefore recommend covering the highlights of Jordan like Petra and the Dead Sea in as little time as possible and then to swiftly move on to more affordable destinations. For a local perspective on life in Jordan, however, it may be worthwhile to linger on a bit longer in the fascinating capital Amman despite its high prices and to seek local budget alternatives in order to keep expenses low and cultural learning high during an enriching sojourn here.
A bustling metropolis of 2 million people, Amman is a city caught between tradition and modernity and a place of hope for so many who come to Jordan to seek refuge from their troubled lives in neighboring countries. Among the 6 million Jordanians, only 40% are of true Jordanian descent mostly derived from tribal groups in the North and South of this quite artificial and arbitrary construct of a country, recently created only in the early 20th century. The majority 60% of Jordanians are of Palestinian origin and have settled here in hopes of better and more peaceful lives. Yet modern-day Jordan is a melting pot of numerous groups of immigrants mostly from troubled neighboring countries such as Syria, Iraq or even Libya, whose many residents have been escaping civil war there by way of Egypt. To all of them, King Abdullah´s modestly reformed state constitutes a beacon of hope in what is otherwise a rather grim and troubled geo-political landscape in the Middle East.
Most sights in central Amman may be covered by foot along the 2 most central hills of the city. Amman was originally built on 7 hills although with its surrounding suburbs it covers more than 19 hills nowadays. In central Amman we find the tourist highlights including the Al-Hussaini Mosque and several arqueological sites, while in nearby Jebel Amman we may explore beautiful villas dating back to the British colonial period. The modern Mosque was only completed in the 1980s and holds ample space for 3000 worshippers - across the street we find an Anglican and further down a Greek-Orthodox church built in the spirit of religious tolerance and diversity here. There is a 5% Christian minority living peacefully here in Jordan as well. Many of these buildings from the 1980s are already in need for some restoration due to water leaks and damage casting doubt on the structural integrity of their design and construction.
Towering between Downtown Amman and the bustling residential district of Jebel Al-Hussein we find the citadel Jebel Al-Qalaa with important relics of antiquity including the 2nd century a.d. HERCULES TEMPLE and the impressive entry hall of the 7th century Omayade Palace. From here we enjoy sweeping views over central Amman - particularly picturesque at dusk or dawn covering the rather uniform white and beige stones of Amman´s buildings into a pretty pinkish glow. Not far from the citadel in downtown Amman, we also admire the 2nd century Roman Amphitheater on the Jebel Al-Taj with room for 6000 spectators and regular concert events in the summer months. Included in the 2JD admission to the theater is the entrance to the adjacent Museum of Folklore and Ethnography.
In order to savor all of Amman old and new, however, transportation around town becomes necessary and is most easily done by way of the many inexpensive yellow taxis. Starting at a low 0.25JD base rate - almost anywhere within central Amman is rarely more than a 2 JD cab ride away making this by far the most convenient and reliable form of transportation. It allows us to disover all of the 8 modern circles around which the city has been built including the more upscale neighborhood of Shmeisani and Abdoun just North of the 4th circle, or the modern commercial areas around the 6th and 7th circle. Here gigantic shopping palaces such as MECCA MALL and CITY MALL attest to Amman´s commitment to modernity and reform while holding on to Moslem tradition and values. Nowhere may this commitment and dialectic be felt more tangibly, however, than in the residential neighborhood of JaBaL AL-HUSSEIN where local Amman may be savored in its purest form. Numerous boutiques and small enterprises line the streets of this recently refurbished district, among the only one in town with wide even sidewalks. From the 430am morning prayer call of the nearby modern neighborhood Mosque to the numerous Humus and Falafel shops along its main street, Jabal Al-Hussein invites us to explore a true slice of Amman present and past in ways only a local could otherwise.
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