Post-rsses on Picturing Jordan

Sheikh Zayed Mosque: the Pearl of Aqaba

Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:06:06 +0300

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.

Originally built in 1975, the mosque was refurbished in 2010 as part of a larger effort to revitalize the Red Sea port city and was modeled after the Sheikh Zayed Grand mosque in Abu Dhabi.

Aqaba is Dirty and Disappointing

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 10:46:23 +0300

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 quite striking — imagine Matt Damon in The Martian, but where he goes snorkeling on a coral reef instead of growing potatoes.

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.

King Hussein Mosque at Night

Thu, 29 Sep 2016 11:54:07 +0300

Amman's King Hussein mosque at night

The 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.

Technical: Nikon D3100, ten-second exposure time, post processed from RAW with darktable.

Another Beautiful Hand-Painted Wood Ceiling

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 14:28:23 +0300

A colorful floral pattern pops out of the ceiling

Another day, another exquisite, hand-painted ceiling in Amman. Just like the other hand-painted wood ceiling I posted about a few 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.

Technical: Nikon D3100, post processed from RAW with darktable.

Azraq Wetland, a Disappearing Oasis

Sat, 24 Sep 2016 21:28:31 +0300

A one of a kind oasis is at risk of disappearing in the near future.

There’s an amazing 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 it was a massive, thriving oasis whose ecological diversity supported human settlements, but in the past few decades it has come dangerously close to drying up due to increased water usage from surrounding cities.

Learn more about the wetlands on a trip with Wild Jordan or Experience Jordan, and turn off the water in your shower or sink when you don’t need it!

Buying Baklava in Amman

Fri, 23 Sep 2016 11:15:16 +0300

Everybody likes baklava!

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.

Saint Thaddeus Church in Amman

Tue, 20 Sep 2016 14:58:34 +0300

Easily one of the most unique buildings in Amman

Even if the number number of mosques in Amman didn’t outnumber churches by a factor of ten, the Saint Thaddeus Armenian Apostolic church would still stand out. It caught my eye once a few weeks ago 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 epic scavenger hunt and found it.

Camping in the Dana Biosphere Reserve

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 09:48:23 +0300

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 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 to preserve Jordan’s natural spaces.

Beautiful Hand-Painted Woodwork

Sat, 17 Sep 2016 15:48:23 +0300

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. A few 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.

Don't WhatsApp and Drive

Thu, 15 Sep 2016 14:10:48 +0300

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.

Eid Mubarak in Your Neighborhood Dumpster

Wed, 14 Sep 2016 09:36:00 +0300

Sheep carcass lazily discarded in neighborhood dumpster

As Muslims around the world are busy wishing each other a blessed 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.

No Noise Near the Noisy Mosque

Wed, 07 Sep 2016 19:32:36 +0300

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.