We awoke and had the simple free breakfast at the hostel before heading out t
o cross the last couple things off our list before jumping on the bus towards Petra. We first headed to the ruins of the Roman theater and the associated simple museums showcasing Jordan
ian traditional costumes and way of life. It was probably the second most impressive roman theater I’ve seen to the Coliseum in Rome.
We then took some time to wander around the Sooq (market) and to the mosque. We then just heade
d another direction and headed out of downtown for a while to just check things out. What I found myself thinking was surprising to me. Amman was not unlike China! The way the city and the shops were set up was oddly reminiscent of Chinese city structure. There were totally random types of shops grouped together, people selling random cigarettes and junk on the street and crosswalks were rare and merely suggestions.
We headed back downtown in time to eat what I like to call the “king's hum
mus.” Really it is just a cheap alley restaurant called Hashem, but it is known to be the best falafel and hummus in town and the King himself eats there. It did not disappoint and as my sister and like to say, they put crack in the hummus for sure. The king also deserves mention; he is EVERYWHERE in Jordan. You can not walk a meter without seeing his face in a cute(with his kids) or manly pose for all to see, I guess that’s partly how you maintain one of the worlds last surviving monarchy's.
The bus scenario to go to Petra didn't much faze me, but I don't think my sister was expecting it. All the buses we'd had so far were large coaches with seat assignments and A/C. This was a real local minibus where we jammed it full with people (including plastic chairs in the isle) along with all of the luggage. It was tight, but manageable and after just 4 or 5 hours we arrived at the destination. Luckily for us, as we stepped out of the bus the car from the hostel we'd been recommended was there to pick up other people. We jumped aboard and two minutes later we were at the hostel checking in.
Before getting sleep for the next big day, we took part in “Petra at Night.” For about 15 bucks you can visit the ruins at night and they light the path by candlelight to the treasury (the crown jewel of Indiana Jones fame) and place hundreds of candles in front to illuminate it. We sat in the eerie quiet and listened to locals play traditional Jordanian instruments while gazing upon the massive ruin. It was a little touristy, but and excellent introduction to Petra.
o cross the last couple things off our list before jumping on the bus towards Petra. We first headed to the ruins of the Roman theater and the associated simple museums showcasing Jordan
ian traditional costumes and way of life. It was probably the second most impressive roman theater I’ve seen to the Coliseum in Rome.We then took some time to wander around the Sooq (market) and to the mosque. We then just heade
d another direction and headed out of downtown for a while to just check things out. What I found myself thinking was surprising to me. Amman was not unlike China! The way the city and the shops were set up was oddly reminiscent of Chinese city structure. There were totally random types of shops grouped together, people selling random cigarettes and junk on the street and crosswalks were rare and merely suggestions.We headed back downtown in time to eat what I like to call the “king's hum
mus.” Really it is just a cheap alley restaurant called Hashem, but it is known to be the best falafel and hummus in town and the King himself eats there. It did not disappoint and as my sister and like to say, they put crack in the hummus for sure. The king also deserves mention; he is EVERYWHERE in Jordan. You can not walk a meter without seeing his face in a cute(with his kids) or manly pose for all to see, I guess that’s partly how you maintain one of the worlds last surviving monarchy's.The bus scenario to go to Petra didn't much faze me, but I don't think my sister was expecting it. All the buses we'd had so far were large coaches with seat assignments and A/C. This was a real local minibus where we jammed it full with people (including plastic chairs in the isle) along with all of the luggage. It was tight, but manageable and after just 4 or 5 hours we arrived at the destination. Luckily for us, as we stepped out of the bus the car from the hostel we'd been recommended was there to pick up other people. We jumped aboard and two minutes later we were at the hostel checking in.
Before getting sleep for the next big day, we took part in “Petra at Night.” For about 15 bucks you can visit the ruins at night and they light the path by candlelight to the treasury (the crown jewel of Indiana Jones fame) and place hundreds of candles in front to illuminate it. We sat in the eerie quiet and listened to locals play traditional Jordanian instruments while gazing upon the massive ruin. It was a little touristy, but and excellent introduction to Petra.
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