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content/posts/another-beautiful-hand-painted-ceiling.md

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+date = "2016-09-26T14:28:23+03:00"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+title = "Another Beautiful Hand-Painted Wood Ceiling"
+slug = "another-beautiful-hand-painted-ceiling"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/another-beautiful-hand-painted-wood-ceiling/"]
+description = "An old Syrian man creates jaw dropping, hand-painted wood panel ceilings in Amman."
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+tags = ["Painting", "Art"]
+images = ["/2016/09/DSC_0008.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/DSC_0008.jpg" title="A colorful floral pattern pops out of the ceiling" alt="A hand-painted floral pattern on wooden panels on the ceiling" >}}
+
+Another day, another exquisite, hand-painted ceiling in Amman. Just like the [other hand-painted wood ceiling]({{< relref "post/beautiful-hand-painted-woodwork.md" >}}) I posted about two weeks ago, the work was done by an old Syrian man. This one is actually in my flat, and I may or may not have taken this picture while laying on my back on the living room floor.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+*Technical: Nikon D3100, post processed from RAW with [darktable](https://www.darktable.org/).*

content/posts/aqaba-dirty-disappointing.md

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+date = "2016-10-05T10:46:23+03:00"
+title = "Aqaba is Dirty and Disappointing"
+slug = "aqaba-dirty-disappointing"
+tags = ["Red Sea", "Aqaba"]
+author = "Alan Orth"
+images = ["/2016/10/IMG_20161002_131313.jpg"]
+description = "After a few days in Aqaba you'll be wishing you were stranded on Mars."
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/10/IMG_20161002_131313.jpg" title="A picturesque view where you can't see the trash on the beach" alt="A picturesque view where you can't see the trash on the beach" >}}
+
+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 [*The Martian*](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(film)), but where he goes snorkeling on a coral reef instead of growing potatoes.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+If that sounds too good to be true, it is! Sadly, I found Aqaba to be dirty — used diapers on the beach, locals arrogantly throwing trash on the street, trash floating around the reef, etc — and full of obnoxious, poorly behaved tourists.

content/posts/azraq-wetland-disappearing-oasis.md

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+date = "2016-09-24T21:28:31+03:00"
+title = "Azraq Wetland, a Disappearing Oasis"
+images = ["/2016/09/IMG_20160924_101454.jpg"]
+categories = ["Nature"]
+tags = ["Wetland", "Oasis"]
+slug = "azraq-wetland-disappearing-oasis"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/azraq-wetland-a-disappearing-oasis/"]
+description = "A thriving oasis in Jordan's desert is at risk of disappearing."
+author = "Alan Orth"
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/IMG_20160924_101454.jpg" title="A one of a kind oasis is at risk of disappearing soon." alt="Small lake with bridge and vegetation in the Jordanian desert." >}}
+
+There's a unique wetland nature preserve an hour and a half from Amman — in thirty minutes of walking around, I saw birds, snakes, crabs, fish, and even water buffaloes! For thousands of years Azraq was a massive, thriving oasis whose ecological diversity supported human settlements, but in recent decades it has come dangerously close to drying up due to increased water usage from surrounding cities.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Learn more about the wetlands on a trip with [Wild Jordan](http://wildjordan.com/) or [Experience Jordan](http://experiencejordan.com/), and *turn off the water in your shower or sink when you don't need it!*

content/posts/beautiful-hand-painted-woodwork.md

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+date = "2016-09-17T15:48:23+03:00"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+title = "Beautiful Hand-Painted Woodwork"
+slug = "beautiful-hand-painted-woodwork"
+description = "An old Syrian man creates jaw dropping, hand-painted wood panel ceilings in Amman."
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+tags = ["Painting", "Art"]
+images = ["/2016/09/IMG_20160916_174409.jpg"]
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/IMG_20160916_174409.jpg" title="Beautiful hand-painted wood panels on the ceiling" alt="Beautiful hand-painted wood panels on the ceiling" >}}
+
+There's an old Syrian man who does this fantastic hand painting on wood panels in Amman. Three flats in our building have them installed on the ceiling, but this one takes the cake. I'm not sure if it's typical for the region or not — the man was referencing pictures from a Russian art book — but they are exquisite.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/buying-baklava-amman.md

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+date = "2016-09-23T11:15:16+03:00"
+title = "Buying Baklava in Amman"
+slug = "buying-baklava-amman"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/buying-baklava-in-amman/"]
+categories = ["Food"]
+tags = ["Baklawa", "Amman"]
+description = "Buying baklava from a jovial young Jordanian in the market."
+images = ["/2016/09/IMG_20160810_160953.jpg"]
+author = "Alan Orth"
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/IMG_20160810_160953.jpg" title="Everybody likes baklava!" alt="Young child smiling and wrapping up baklava in a shop in Amman" >}}
+
+There's a shop in one of Amman's downtown markets that sells traditional sweets. I'm not sure who was more excited about this half kilo of _baklawa_ — me, or the jovial young Jordanian selling it.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/camping-dana-biosphere-reserve.md

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+date = "2016-09-19T09:48:23+03:00"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+title = "Camping in the Dana Biosphere Reserve"
+slug = "camping-dana-biosphere-reserve"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/camping-in-the-dana-biosphere-reserve/"]
+description = "Picturesque camping in the Dana Biosphere reserve atop Jordan's Rift Valley."
+categories = ["Nature"]
+tags = ["Camping"]
+images = ["/2016/09/DSC_0031.JPG"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/DSC_0031.JPG" title="Just after sunrise at a camp in the Dana Biosphere" alt="Just after sunrise at a camp in the Dana Biosphere" >}}
+
+A few weeks ago I slept in a tent on the cusp of Jordan's Rift Valley. [Wild Jordan](http://wildjordan.com/) has regular hiking and camping trips to the reserve and they are very affordable. The staff are friendly and genuinely care about nature conservation. Trips to this and other national parks are part of an impressive [government effort](http://www.rscn.org.jo/) to preserve Jordan's natural spaces.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/cleanliness-comes-from-faith.md

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+title = "Cleanliness Comes From Faith"
+slug = "cleanliness-comes-from-faith"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+date = 2017-07-25T16:15:22+03:00
+images = ["/2017/07/IMG_20161120_143235.jpg"]
+description = "Graffiti in downtown Amman encourages Jordanians to keep the city clean by appealing to their Muslim faith."
+categories = ["Islam"]
+tags = ["Graffiti", "Amman"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2017/07/IMG_20161120_143235.jpg" title="Graffiti in downtown Amman appeals to the faithful" alt="Graffiti with Arabic inscription depicting someone putting trash in a trash can" >}}
+
+There is a popular notion that cleanliness is an important part of the Islamic faith, though you wouldn't know it from walking around Jordan. I have never seen people throw coffee cups, half-eaten sandwiches, tissues, etc on the street so carelessly — and often times with such <em>finesse</em> — as here in Jordan.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+I saw this graffiti while walking around downtown Amman and thought the irony was too much to not share it. Loosely translated (this apparently comes from the [words, actions, or habits of the prophet Muhammad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadith)), it says "cleanliness comes from faith" (al nadafa min al iman).

content/posts/contemporary-arab-design-jrf-showroom.md

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+date = "2016-11-07T15:28:23+03:00"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+title = "Contemporary Arab Design at the Jordan River Foundation Showroom"
+slug = "contemporary-arab-design-jrf-showroom"
+description = "Contemporary Arab design is on display at the Jordan River Foundation's Amman showroom."
+categories = ["Design"]
+tags = ["Amman","Community"]
+images = ["/2016/11/IMG_20161104_130900.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/11/IMG_20161104_130900.jpg" title="Simple, rustic design fuses traditional objects with new styles" alt="Simple, rustic design fuses traditional objects with new styles" >}}
+
+The [Jordan River Foundation](http://jordanriver.jo) has a showroom on Rainbow Street where they _brilliantly_ showcase traditional, everyday objects from the region in a fresh, modern way. It's like someone went and replaced all the things in your grandma's rural kitchen with newer, brightly accented ones. All of the wood, cloth, and clay work here is produced by people in local communities, and, as far as I know, the proceeds from sales go back to supporting them.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+I commend the [Queen Rania Foundation](http://www.qrf.org/) for another seriously impressive initiative. Keep up the good work!

content/posts/dome-of-the-rock.md

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+description = "The Dome of the Rock is one of Jerusalem's most sacred and beautiful artefacts."
+images = ["/2017/01/IMG_20170117_083551.jpg", "/2017/01/IMG_20170117_092406.jpg"]
+date = "2017-01-23T08:53:53+02:00"
+title = "The Dome of the Rock"
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+tags = ["Jerusalem"]
+author = "Alan Orth"
+slug = "dome-of-the-rock"
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2017/01/IMG_20170117_083551.jpg" title="Golden dome, vibrant tiles, and elegant Arabic calligraphy" alt="Golden dome, vibrant tiles, and elegant Arabic calligraphy" >}}
+
+While not _technically_ in Jordan, Jerusalem's [Dome of the Rock](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dome_of_the_Rock) is basically just a stone's throw away from Amman (pun intended). Not only is this shrine capped with a golden dome, covered in vibrant Ottoman-era tilework, and adorned with elegant Arabic calligraphy, it also boasts an [impressive resume of sacred claims to fame](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_Stone).
+
+<!--more-->
+
+{{< figure src="/2017/01/IMG_20170117_092406.jpg" title="The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount" alt="The Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount" >}}
+
+The shrine, built nearly 1,000 years ago, stands atop a hotly contested complex called the [Temple Mount](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_Mount) ("Noble Sanctuary" in Arabic) that dates back to the Canaanites four thousand years ago — like I said, an impressive resume!
+
+As a secular person it's all a bit too heavy for my taste, but there's no doubt that the complex is stunningly beautiful. Visitation of the Temple Mount is open to the non-Muslim public from 7:30 to 11:00 AM from the access bridge at the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter of the old city.

content/posts/dont-whatsapp-and-drive.md

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+date = "2016-09-15T14:10:48+03:00"
+title = "Don't WhatsApp and Drive"
+slug = "dont-whatsapp-and-drive"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+tags = ["WhatsApp", "Driving", "Amman"]
+description = "Certain common sense public safety considerations haven't reached Jordan yet."
+images = ["/2016/09/IMG_20160810_162505.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/IMG_20160810_162505.jpg" title="Billboard in Amman cautions against using your phone while driving" alt="Billboard in Amman cautions against using your phone while driving" >}}
+
+I can't even read Arabic but I'm pretty sure that billboard is telling people to *put their fucking phones down while driving*. It's like an epidemic here. I've never seen people look less at the road while driving than here in Amman.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/eid-mubarak-neighborhood-dumpster.md

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+date = "2016-09-14T09:36:00+03:00"
+title = "Eid Mubarak in Your Neighborhood Dumpster"
+slug = "eid-mubarak-neighborhood-dumpster"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/eid-mubarak-in-your-neighborhood-dumpster/"]
+author = "Alan Orth"
+tags = ["Eid", "Sheep", "Amman"]
+description = "Happy Eid to the lazy bastard who threw his sheep carcass into our local dumpster."
+images = ["/2016/09/sheep-dumpster-eid-al-adha.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/sheep-dumpster-eid-al-adha.jpg" title="Sheep carcass lazily discarded in neighborhood dumpster" alt="Sheep carcass lazily discarded in neighborhood dumpster" >}}
+
+As Muslims around the world are busy wishing each other a blessed [Eid al-Adha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eid_al-Adha), some poor bastard has to clean up this lazily discarded sheep carcass from my local dumpster (note the entrails spilled below). Keep it classy, Jordan.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/emperor-hadrians-arch-jerash.md

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+categories = ["Architecture"]
+date = "2017-06-13T15:24:57+03:00"
+description = "Emperor Hadrian's Arch in Jerash is uniquely detailed and very well preserved."
+images = ["/2017/06/IMG_20170606_101711.jpg"]
+tags = ["Jerash", "Greek", "Roman"]
+title = "Emperor Hadrian's Arch in Jerash"
+slug = "emperor-hadrians-arch-jerash"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+
++++
+
+{{<figure src="/2017/06/IMG_20170606_101711.jpg" title="The Arch of Hadrian welcomes you to Jerash" alt="The Arch of Hadrian welcomes you to Jerash" >}}
+
+There are apparently two arches built around 130 CE to honor Roman Emperor Hadrian—one in [Athens](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Hadrian_(Athens)) and one in [Jerash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arch_of_Hadrian_(Jerash)). The former is undoubtedly more studied, but the latter is objectively more beautiful! Maybe it's the color of the stones in the afternoon light, the unconventional architectural features, or just the sheer size of it.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+In any case, it's hard to miss this large stone arch near the beginning of the Greco–Roman archaeological site as you enter Jerash. I recommend visiting in the morning or late afternoon hours, as the midday sun can be intense.

content/posts/grandeur-petra.bg.md

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+tags = [
+  "Петра",
+]
+date = "2017-01-24T20:13:21+02:00"
+title = "Величието на Петра"
+slug = "grandeur-petra"
+images = [
+  "/2016/12/DSC_0029.JPG",
+]
+description = "Петра е не само по-величествена, отколкото предполагаме, но по-величествена отколкото можем да предположим."
+categories = [
+  "Архитектура",
+]
+author = "Стела Джурина"
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/12/DSC_0029.JPG" title="„Манастирът“ в Петра се припича на залязващото слънце" alt="„Манастирът“ в Петра се припича на залязващото слънце" >}}
+
+[Набатеите](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabataeans) са племе, забогатели изключително от търговията на тамян, смирна и подправки на Арабския полуостров преди около 2000 години. Те построили Петра като столица на своята процъфтяваща цивилизация. Призрачно красивите каменни фасади, високи до сто метра, са удивително добре запазени и непокътнати и до днес.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Еволюционният биолог Джон Бърдън Сандерсън Холдейн веднъж казал, че „Вселената е не само по-странна отколкото предполагаме, а по-странна отколкото _можем_ да предположим“, намеквайки за факта, че физическите науки често повдигат повече въпроси, отколкото могат да отговорят, оставяйки ни да се почесваме по главите. След като посетих Петра, ме порази усещането, че Петра е не само по-величествена отколкото предполагаме, но по-величествена отколкото _можем_ да предположим. Какво ли не бих дал да можех да я видя в нейния апогей!

content/posts/grandeur-petra.md

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+author = "Alan Orth"
+tags = [
+  "Petra",
+]
+date = "2016-12-24T20:13:21+02:00"
+title = "The Grandeur of Petra"
+slug = "grandeur-petra"
+images = [
+  "/2016/12/DSC_0029.JPG",
+]
+description = "Petra is not only grander than we suppose, but grander than we can suppose."
+categories = [
+  "Architecture",
+]
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/12/DSC_0029.JPG" title="Petra's \"monastery\" basking in the golden light just before sunset" alt="Petra's \"monastery\" basking in the golden light just before sunset" >}}
+
+The [Nabataeans](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabataeans) were a tribe who became filthy rich on the trade of frankincense, myrrh, and spices in the Arabian peninsula around 2,000 years ago. They built Petra as the capital of their flourishing civilization. Hauntingly beautiful stone facades standing one hundred meters tall are amazingly intact and well preserved to this day.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Evolutionary biologist J. B. S. Haldane once said that "the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we _can_ suppose," alluding to the fact that physical sciences often raise more questions than they answer, leaving us scratching our heads. After visiting Petra I was overwhelmed with a similar feeling, that Petra is not only grander than we suppose, but grander than we _can_ suppose. What I would give to have seen it in its time!

content/posts/greco-roman-ruins-jerash.md

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+images = ["/2017/04/DSC_0143.jpg"]
+date = "2017-04-05T08:50:44+03:00"
+title = "Greco–Roman Ruins in Jerash"
+slug = "greco-roman-ruins-jerash"
+tags = ["Jerash","Greek","Roman"]
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+description = "Jerash is the most well-preserved of Jordan's Greco–Roman sites."
+author = "Alan Orth"
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2017/04/DSC_0143.jpg" title="Row of columns at the Oval Forum in Jerash" alt="Row of columns at the Oval Forum in Jerash" >}}
+
+Jordan's location in the geographical "near east" has exposed the country to dozens of civilizations over the course of history. Over the last three thousand years alone this region has experienced the coming and going of the Persian, Greek, Roman, Nabataean, Byzantine, and Ottoman — to name a few — empires, the legacies of which are often still visible today.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+The ruins in Jerash are one of those legacies. Complete with arches, colonnades, hippodrome, baths, theaters, temples, and more, Jerash is the most well-preserved of Jordan's Greco–Roman sites.

content/posts/greco-roman-ruins-pella.md

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+title = "Greco–Roman Ruins of Pella"
+date = 2018-02-28T13:43:29+02:00
+slug = "greco-roman-ruins-pella"
+tags = ["Pella","Greek","Roman"]
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+images = ["/2018/02/DSC_0005.JPG"]
+description = "Relatively unknown and only slightly less impressive than other sites in the region, Pella is enchanting and has a character of its own."
+author = "Alan Orth"
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2018/02/DSC_0005.JPG" title="Remains of the classical basilica of Pella" alt="Remains of the classical basilica of Pella" >}}
+
+These days there isn't much to see of the Greco–Roman city of Pella in northwestern Jordan. Sadly, the ancient ruins here suffer from being slightly smaller, slightly less well-preserved, and slightly less convenient to visit than the similar ruins at [Jerash]({{< relref "post/greco-roman-ruins-jerash.md" >}}). With a bit of imagination and some historical background, however, they are equally enchanting and even have a unique character of their own.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Human activity in the area dates back to the Bronze Age. Eventually the region came under Greek influence and the city was renamed "Pella" in honor of the birthplace of the famous conqueror Alexander the Great — its namesake being [Pella, Macedonia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pella), in what is now northern Greece. The site is currently located near the Arab town of Tabaqat Fahl.
+
+The best way to visit Pella is a hike around the site and its scenic landscape in early Spring. You can find maps, GPS coördinates, and turn-by-turn navigation cues on the [Hiking in Jordan website](https://hiking-in-jordan.com/index.php/hiking-trails/10-hiking-trails-in-jordan/northern-jordan/9-pella-mountain-trail-hiking-in-jordan). Visit your auto mechanic, fix up your brakes, and then take the dramatic descent into the Jordan Valley to see this valuable piece of human history. Anyone staying in Jordan for more than a few days should absolutely add Pella to their list of "must see" attractions in the country.

content/posts/harvesting-olives-ajloun.md

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++++
+images = [
+  "/2016/11/IMG_20161118_130025.jpg",
+  "/2016/11/IMG_20161118_130626.jpg",
+]
+description = "How many olives can ten amateurs pick in thirty minutes?"
+categories = [
+  "Nature",
+]
+tags = [
+  "Ajloun",
+  "Olives"
+]
+date = "2016-11-18T18:39:58+02:00"
+title = "Harvesting Olives in Ajloun"
+slug = "harvesting-olives-ajloun"
+author = "Alan Orth"
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/11/IMG_20161118_130025.jpg" title="Freshly picked olives" alt="Freshly picked olives" >}}
+
+[Wild Jordan](http://wildjordan.com/) has an ingenious day trip where you pay *them* to take *you* to pick olives on a farm in Ajloun — the family who owns the farm even comes out to watch you and give you tips! Like I said: genius. Jokes aside, it was actually a lot of fun, and the point is to educate you about the olive harvest and its importance to people in the region.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+The olive harvest usually starts around October or November. One of the major factors deciding when exactly to start the harvest is rain, as wet olives apparently produce more oil. In addition to olive oil itself, people in the community make a few food and beauty products from the olives and sell them through community owned and operated enterprises like the Soap House and the Biscuit House. You can [find out more](http://wildjordan.com/content/ajloun-forest-reserve-1) on the Wild Jordan website.
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/11/IMG_20161118_130626.jpg" title="How many olives can ten amateurs pick in thirty minutes?" alt="How many olives can ten amateurs pick in thirty minutes?" >}}

content/posts/kanafeh-classy-palestinian-dessert.md

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++++
+title = "Kanafeh: the Classy Palestinian Dessert"
+slug = "kanafeh-classy-palestinian-dessert"
+images = [
+  "/2016/12/IMG_20161127_212229.jpg",
+]
+description = "There is a thing called kanafeh and you must eat it."
+categories = [
+  "Food",
+]
+tags = [
+  "Kanafeh",
+]
+date = "2016-12-09T17:22:59+02:00"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/12/IMG_20161127_212229.jpg" title="A small portion of kanafeh at a restaurant in Amman" alt="A small portion of kanafeh at a restaurant in Amman" >}}
+
+I'm ashamed to say that it took me almost one month to discover this sweet, cheesy dessert after moving to Jordan. Originally from [Nablus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nablus), a Palestinian city apparently known for "high cuisine," [kanafeh](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanafeh) is one of those things that they just can't make fast enough. At one famous shop called Habibah in downtown Amman there is always a line, and it's even a bit stressful ordering there unless you know what you're doing!
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Another good place to buy kanafeh is at a sweets shop called Nafeesah. Both it and Habibah have several shops around the city, but I'm still not sure which one is better.

content/posts/king-hussein-mosque-night.bg.md

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++++
+date = "2016-10-06T13:54:07+03:00"
+title = "Джамията „Крал Хюсеин“ през нощта"
+author = "Стела Джурина"
+slug = "king-hussein-mosque-night"
+categories = ["Архитектура"]
+tags = ["Джамия", "Аман"]
+description = "Алън се упражнява в нощна фотография снимайки най-голямата джамия в Аман."
+images = ["/2016/09/DSC_0010.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/DSC_0010.jpg" title="Джамията „Крал Хюсеин“ в Аман през нощта" alt="Джамията „Крал Хюсеин“ в Аман през нощта" >}}
+
+[Джамията на крал Хюсеин](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Hussein_Mosque) е построена през 2005 г. и е най-голямата в Йордания. Все още не съм я посетил, но съм ѝ се любувал няколко вечери от балкона на апартамент в квартал „Халда“ в Западен Аман.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+*Technical: Nikon D3100, ten-second exposure time, post processed from RAW with [darktable](https://www.darktable.org/).*

content/posts/king-hussein-mosque-night.md

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+date = "2016-09-29T11:54:07+03:00"
+title = "King Hussein Mosque at Night"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+slug = "king-hussein-mosque-night"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/king-hussein-mosque-at-night/"]
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+tags = ["Mosque", "Amman"]
+description = "Alan practices night photography on the largest mosque in Amman."
+images = ["/2016/09/DSC_0010.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/DSC_0010.jpg" title="Amman's King Hussein mosque at night" alt="Amman's King Hussein mosque at night" >}}
+
+The [King Hussein mosque](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_Hussein_Mosque) 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 *Khalda* neighborhood of West Amman.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+*Technical: Nikon D3100, ten-second exposure time, post processed from RAW with [darktable](https://www.darktable.org/).*

content/posts/lose-yourself-wadi-rum.md

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+title = "Lose Yourself in Wadi Rum"
+tags = ["Wadi Rum","Desert"]
+categories = ["Nature"]
+description = "Lose yourself in the endless desert expanses of Wadi Rum."
+images = ["/2017/02/DSC_0141.JPG"]
+date = "2017-03-27T10:30:42+03:00"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+slug = "lose-yourself-wadi-rum"
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2017/02/DSC_0141.JPG" title="Bedouin with camels in Wadi Rum" alt="Bedouin with camels in Wadi Rum" >}}
+
+You could easily lose yourself — both literally and figuratively — in the endless red sand and towering rock skyscrapers of Wadi Rum. This majestic place, known to even the Greeks and the Romans, has been inhabited for thousands of years and is unlike any other place on Earth. The unique landscape has been featured in a handful of Hollywood movies, for example [_Lawrence of Arabia_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_of_Arabia_(film)) and [_The Martian_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Martian_(film)).
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Take a local [Bedouin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin) guide, sleep in a tent, and experience the beautiful tranquility of Jordan's desert expanses.

content/posts/no-noise-near-noisy-mosque.md

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+date = "2016-09-07T19:32:36+03:00"
+title = "No Noise Near the Noisy Mosque"
+slug = "no-noise-near-noisy-mosque"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/no-noise-near-the-noisy-mosque/"]
+author = "Alan Orth"
+description = "Ironic double standard for noise pollution from our local mosque in Amman."
+tags = ["Mosque", "Noise", "Amman"]
+images = ["/2016/09/no-noise-near-mosque.jpg"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/no-noise-near-mosque.jpg" title="Sign forbidding sound near mosque on Rainbow Street, Amman" alt="Sign forbidding sound near mosque on Rainbow Street, Amman" >}}
+
+The irony is rich with this one, because this mosque has a sound system from another planet. If I wasn't worried about my personal safety I'd put up a sign right next to it saying: _Please mute your mosque, there is a sleeping Alan 50m away_.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/red-orange-yellow-rice-bab-al-yemen.md

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+date = "2016-11-27T12:59:44+02:00"
+title = "Red, Orange, and Yellow Rice at Bab al-Yemen"
+images = [
+  "/2016/11/IMG_20161110_220626.jpg",
+]
+description = "If eating red, orange, and yellow rice on the floor sounds good to you, you'll love Bab al-Yemen!"
+categories = [
+  "Food",
+]
+tags = [
+  "Yemen",
+  "Amman",
+]
+author = "Alan Orth"
+slug = "red-orange-yellow-rice-bab-al-yemen"
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/11/IMG_20161110_220626.jpg" title="All the multi-colored rice you can eat" alt="All the multi-colored rice you can eat" >}}
+
+You haven't lived until you and your friends have eaten seventeen different colors of rice, meat, and sauces while sitting on the floor at the *Bab al-Yemen* restaurant in Amman. If my experience is anything to go by, every item on the menu is downright delicious — including the humongous, flame-kissed flatbread that would be almost as fascinating to see being made as it was to eat.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/saint-thaddeus-church-amman.md

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+date = "2016-09-20T14:58:34+03:00"
+title = "Saint Thaddeus Church in Amman"
+slug = "saint-thaddeus-church-amman"
+aliases = ["/2016/09/saint-thaddeus-church-in-amman/"]
+images = ["/2016/09/IMG_20160919_141959.jpg"]
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+tags = ["Church", "Amman"]
+description = "Easily one of the most unique buildings in Amman."
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/09/IMG_20160919_141959.jpg" title="Easily one of the most unique buildings in Amman" alt="Armenian church with pointy steeple" >}}
+
+Even if the number of mosques in Amman *didn't* outnumber churches by a factor of ten, the Saint Thaddeus Armenian Apostolic church would still stand out. The unique architecture caught my eye once and then I started seeing it every time I glanced at Jabal Al-Ashrafieh. After weeks of squinting and asking myself "*Is that an Armenian church?*" I finally went on an scavenger hunt and found it.
+
+<!--more-->

content/posts/sheikh-zayed-mosque-pearl-aqaba.bg.md

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+author = "Стела Джурина"
+date = "2016-10-23T09:06:06+03:00"
+title = "Джамията „Шейх Зайед“: Перлата на Акаба"
+images = ["/2016/10/DSC_0024.JPG"]
+slug = "sheikh-zayed-mosque-pearl-aqaba"
+description = "Перлата на Акаба е елегантна бяла джамия на морския бряг."
+categories = ["Архитектура"]
+tags = ["Джамия", "Акаба"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/10/DSC_0024.JPG" title="Красива джамия на морския бряг, заобиколена от палмови дървета" alt="Красива джамия на морския бряг, заобиколена от палмови дървета" >}}
+
+Най-добрият начин да се опише джамията „Шейх Зайед“ е „перлата на Акаба“. Тази живописна джамия на йорданския морски бряг впечатлява с красотата си, но „перлата в короната“ — да продължим аналогията — е безупречната арабска калиграфия, инкрустирана на фасадата ѝ. За съжаление, [малко може да се напише за самия град Акаба]({{< relref "post/aqaba-dirty-disappointing.md" >}}).
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Първоначално изградена през 1975 година, джамията е обновена през 2010-а като част от по-голям [план за съживяването на пристанищния град на Червено море](http://www.marsazayed.com/) и е построена по модела на [Голямата джамия „Шейх Зайед“](http://www.szgmc.gov.ae/en/) в Абу Даби.

content/posts/sheikh-zayed-mosque-pearl-aqaba.md

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+author = "Alan Orth"
+date = "2016-10-11T12:06:06+03:00"
+title = "Sheikh Zayed Mosque: the Pearl of Aqaba"
+images = ["/2016/10/DSC_0024.JPG"]
+slug = "sheikh-zayed-mosque-pearl-aqaba"
+description = "The pearl of Aqaba is an elegant white mosque by the sea."
+categories = ["Architecture"]
+tags = ["Mosque", "Aqaba"]
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2016/10/DSC_0024.JPG" title="Beautiful mosque by the sea, surrounded by palm trees" alt="Beautiful mosque by the sea, surrounded by palm trees" >}}
+
+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 [isn't much to write home about]({{< relref "post/aqaba-dirty-disappointing.md" >}}).
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Originally built in 1975, the mosque was refurbished in 2010 as part of a larger [effort to revitalize the Red Sea port city](http://www.marsazayed.com/) and was modeled after the [Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque](http://www.szgmc.gov.ae/en/) in Abu Dhabi.

content/posts/sleep-chalet-dead-sea.md

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+tags = ["Dead Sea"]
+categories = ["Nature"]
+description = "Take in the Dead Sea from your personal hammock at the Wadi Mujib chalets."
+images = ["/2017/02/DSC_0052.JPG"]
+date = "2017-02-15T18:31:28+02:00"
+title = "Sleep in a Chalet at the Dead Sea"
+slug = "sleep-chalet-dead-sea"
+author = "Alan Orth"
+
++++
+
+{{< figure src="/2017/02/DSC_0052.JPG" title="Enjoy the view from the comfort of your hammock" alt="Enjoy the view from the comfort of your hammock" >}}
+
+Jordan's Dead Sea coast is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Amman. If you're looking for something a little more wholesome and minimalistic — not to mention cheaper — than an elegant five-star resort, look no further than [Wild Jordan's](http://wildjordan.com/) chalets at Wadi Mujib.
+
+<!--more-->
+
+Wild Jordan staff are friendly and genuinely care about nature conservation. Trips to this and other reserves are part of an impressive [government effort](http://www.rscn.org.jo/) to preserve Jordan's natural spaces.