<pclass="lead blog-description">Sharing Jordan with the world—one picture at a time.</p>
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<h2class="blog-post-title"><ahref="https://picturingjordan.com/2016/10/sheikh-zayed-mosque-pearl-aqaba/">Sheikh Zayed Mosque: the Pearl of Aqaba</a></h2>
<pclass="blog-post-meta"><timedatetime="2016-10-11T12:06:06+03:00">Tue Oct 11, 2016</time> by Alan Orth in
<imgsrc="/2016/10/DSC_0024.JPG"alt="Beautiful mosque by the sea, surrounded by palm trees"/>
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<h4>Beautiful mosque by the sea, surrounded by palm trees</h4>
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<p>The best way to describe the Sheikh Zayed mosque would be “the pearl of Aqaba.” There is a lot to love about this picturesque mosque by the Jordanian seaside, but its crown jewel—to continue the analogy—is the impeccable Arabic calligraphy inlaid in its facade. Sadly, Aqaba itself <ahref="/2016/10/aqaba-dirty-disappointing/">isn’t much to write home about</a>.</p>
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<ahref='https://picturingjordan.com/2016/10/sheikh-zayed-mosque-pearl-aqaba/'>Read more →</a>
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<h2class="blog-post-title"><ahref="https://picturingjordan.com/2016/10/aqaba-dirty-disappointing/">Aqaba is Dirty and Disappointing</a></h2>
<pclass="blog-post-meta"><timedatetime="2016-10-05T10:46:23+03:00">Wed Oct 05, 2016</time> by Alan Orth in
<imgsrc="/2016/10/IMG_20161002_131313.jpg"alt="A picturesque view where you can't see the trash on the beach"/>
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<h4>A picturesque view where you can't see the trash on the beach</h4>
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<p>I’m struggling to find words to describe my trip to Jordan’s coastal city Aqaba. Initially, the contrast between dry desert, rocky mountains, and the turquoise water of the Red Sea is visually striking—imagine Matt Damon in <ahref="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(film)"><em>The Martian</em></a>, but where he goes snorkeling on a coral reef instead of growing potatoes.</p>
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<ahref='https://picturingjordan.com/2016/10/aqaba-dirty-disappointing/'>Read more →</a>
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<h2class="blog-post-title"><ahref="https://picturingjordan.com/2016/09/king-hussein-mosque-night/">King Hussein Mosque at Night</a></h2>
<pclass="blog-post-meta"><timedatetime="2016-09-29T11:54:07+03:00">Thu Sep 29, 2016</time> by Alan Orth in
<imgsrc="/2016/09/DSC_0010.jpg"alt="Amman's King Hussein mosque at night"/>
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<h4>Amman's King Hussein mosque at night</h4>
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<p>The <ahref="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Hussein_Mosque">King Hussein mosque</a> was built in 2005 and is the largest mosque in Jordan. I haven’t visited it yet, but I’ve spent quite a few evenings admiring it from a balcony in the <em>Khalda</em> neighborhood of West Amman.</p>
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<ahref='https://picturingjordan.com/2016/09/king-hussein-mosque-night/'>Read more →</a>
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