Picturing Jordan

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.

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.

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.