And now, Amman, Jordan

We arrived at our hotel in old town Amman late in the afternoon.  We were greeted graciously and happily.  Later, Stan returned to the lobby to pay our bill.  The owner, a professor at a university here, was there to greet him.  They chatted and have become friends.  I have yet to meet him, but he gave us special rates when we requested to extend our hotel stay and went on to recommend a nearby restaurant for the evening’s dinner.  It was a nearby and very popular rooftop place.  The food was traditional Jordanian, which is a blend of flavors and recipes from Palestine, Jordan, and Iran.  We chose delicious dishes and salad. The music there was loud and lively, the night was beautiful, and the food was flavorful and plentiful.  Around us, people sat eating food, drinking coffee or tea, and partaking of the hookah.   

I think I will try the hookah before we leave here because I want to know. 

We started the next morning with a walking tour.  Ibrahim, our tour guide, gave us information on the city of Jordan, showed us easy ways to see the Roman amphitheater here, and the citadel perched on a high hill over the city.  Amman, like Rome, is surrounded by seven hills.  He escorted us through the streets and through the old market (fresh produce and meats) and the new market (clothing), stopping along the way for samples of foods, like Jordanian breads, baklava, nuts, falafel, juice slushes, candy-covered nuts, fresh dates, strong Jordanian coffee, and more.  We needed no breakfast or lunch!! 

Every person we met said, “Welcome to my country.” When they learned we were from America, they all said, “Number one!” Wow, how humbling.

Tomorrow, we leave for an overnight visit to Petra and Wadi Rum.  I cannot wait to tell you about it.