Posts on Picturing Jordan

Gadara's Octagonal Martyrium

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 15:55:20 +0300

Ruins of the octagonal sixth-century Byzantine martyrium

Nestled on a plateau in the northwestern corner of Jordan lay the ruins of the ancient city of Gadara. From this vantage point, just beyond the sleepy town of Umm Qays, you have a spectacular view of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Tiberias) and the Israeli-occupied Syrian Golan Heights. Like many other places in the region, Gadara appeared on the historical record after Alexander the Great’s conquest of the Near East in 333 BCE.¹ The city seems to have been mostly destroyed and subsequently abandoned after an earthquake in the eighth century.

Iconic Roman Ruins in Amman

Thu, 16 Jan 2020 09:23:20 +0200

The ruins of the Roman Temple of Hercules

Jordan’s location in the geographical “near east” has exposed it to dozens of civilizations over the course of history. In the last three thousand years alone the region has invariably fallen under the Persian, Greek, Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman empires, the legacies of which are often still visible today.

Buying Bedouin Fabric in Amman

Sun, 19 Aug 2018 17:58:43 +0300

Reams of colorful Bedouin fabric on sale in downtown Amman

Anyone who has drank tea in Petra or ate mansaf in Wadi Rum will quickly recognize the unique fabric adorning traditional Bedouin tents in Jordan. These colorful designs are commonly used across the Arabian Peninsula and beyond, from Syria and Iraq in the north to the United Arab Emirates and Oman in the southeast. American musician Cardi B even featured some in the 2017 music video for her song Bodak Yellow!

Saint Thaddeus Church at Sunset

Tue, 17 Jul 2018 13:16:43 +0300

Iconic Armenian Church in Jabal Al-Ashrafiyeh at Sunset

Shortly after moving to Amman I noticed this unique building on a distant hill and I set out on a sort of scavenger hunt to find it. The walk from downtown to Jabal Al-Ashrafiyeh is packed with winding streets and steep staircases (some of which go nowhere). To this day the church is one of my favorite landmarks in Amman and I often make the trek there when I’m feeling like getting some exercise and exploring the city. I like to think of it as a pilgrimage — it is a religious site after all!

Greco–Roman Ruins of Pella

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 13:43:29 +0200

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. With a bit of imagination and some historical background, however, they are equally enchanting and even have a unique character of their own.

Cleanliness Comes From Faith

Tue, 25 Jul 2017 16:15:22 +0300

Graffiti in downtown Amman appeals to the faithful

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 finesse — as here in Jordan.

Emperor Hadrian's Arch in Jerash

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 15:24:57 +0300

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 and one in 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.

Greco–Roman Ruins in Jerash

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 08:50:44 +0300

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, Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Ottoman — to name a few — empires, the legacies of which are often still visible today.

Lose Yourself in Wadi Rum

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 10:30:42 +0300

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 and The Martian.

Sleep in a Chalet at the Dead Sea

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 18:31:28 +0200

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 chalets at Wadi Mujib.

The Dome of the Rock

Mon, 23 Jan 2017 08:53:53 +0200

Golden dome, vibrant tiles, and elegant Arabic calligraphy

While not technically in Jordan, Jerusalem’s 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 résumé of sacred claims to fame.

The Grandeur of Petra

Sat, 24 Dec 2016 20:13:21 +0200

Petra's "monastery" basking in the golden light just before sunset

The 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.

Kanafeh: the Classy Palestinian Dessert

Fri, 09 Dec 2016 17:22:59 +0200

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, a Palestinian city apparently known for “high cuisine,” 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!

Red, Orange, and Yellow Rice at Bab al-Yemen

Sun, 27 Nov 2016 12:59:44 +0200

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.

Harvesting Olives in Ajloun

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 18:39:58 +0200

Freshly picked olives

Wild Jordan 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.

Contemporary Arab Design at the Jordan River Foundation Showroom

Mon, 07 Nov 2016 15:28:23 +0300

Simple, rustic design fuses traditional objects with new styles

The Jordan River Foundation 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.

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 façade. Sadly, Aqaba itself isn’t much to write home about.

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 southern city by the sea. 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, but where he goes snorkeling on a coral reef instead of growing potatoes.

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.

Another Beautiful Hand-Painted Wood Ceiling

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

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 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.

Azraq Wetland, a Disappearing Oasis

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

A one of a kind oasis is at risk of disappearing soon

There’s a unique wetland nature preserve an hour and a half from Amman. In just 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.

Buying Baklava in Amman

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

Everybody likes baklava!

There’s a shop in Amman’s main market downtown that sells traditional Arabic sweets. I’m not sure who was more excited about this half-kilogram of baklava (which is called “baklawa” in Arabic) — 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 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-Ashrafiyeh. After weeks of squinting and asking myself “Is that an Armenian church?” I finally went on an 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. 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.

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.