After a really fun and enriching day of classes (post to come with more in depth descriptions of what we do in class), we headed off in our bright orange van to the Jordanian National Museum in the center of Amman, which is about a 20 minute drive from our apartments. The museum is beautiful and new and really well done and I would highly suggest that you go if you come to Amman. Inside, you can find artifacts and information about every period of Amman's history, which is an incredibly long one given that it is one of the world's longest continuously inhabited cities and has been ruled by the Ammonites, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Ottomans, just to name a few. The marks that each civilization are distinct and seeing historic monuments in Amman is especially interesting because you can see each layer of history that each civilization laid down. Group Pictures Outside and Inside the Museum We walked through and learned a ton about Bedouin culture, including their fascinating legal system and the tension that has been caused by the government trying to balance letting them keep their cultural traditions while also upholding the law. The museum docents were incredibly knowledgable and answered all our questions about everything from the statues that are the oldest statues that resemble the human figure to the Greek-style statues to the Dead Sea scrolls. Unfortunately, the part of the museum dedicated to the Islamic and Modern History of Jordan was not open yet but that just gives me a reason to come back :). When asked when the rest of the museum would be open, the museum manager answered in true Jordanian fashion with a smile and "Soon...Inshallah (If God wills it)". Time in Jordan runs at a much more relaxed pace and while it required some getting used to, it is quite liberating. After the museum, we headed to the Roman Amphitheater, which dates back to the second century, when the city was called Philadelphia under Roman rule. It has the capacity to seat 6,000 and if you speak from the center of the stage, you can be heard from every corner of the theater. After the Amphitheater, we heated to the Citadel, which includes the Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church and an Ummayad Palace, and is strategically located on top of a hill with panoramic views of Amman. It really goes on for as far as the eye can see. I could see more than 20 mosques from my vantage point and had a great view of the 4th tallest flagpole in the world. It was amazing that we were the only ones there at this time and there were no guards or employees or areas cordoned off. It was so beautiful and gave me a renewed appreciation for this place I am fortunate to call my home for the next 6 weeks. After the Citadel, we headed deep into the downtown area (the Balad) and headed to Hashem, a world-famous falafel restaurant that does one thing and does it really well. As we waited, we explored a pirated DVD store that had too many rooms to count and every surface was covered in pirated DVDs. The food was served but we waited for the call to prayer to start and signal sundown, when Muslims could break their fast. It was well worth the wait! It was the best falafel and hummus I have had so far on this trip by far! Below are hummus, baba ganoush and a hummus variation- So good! We headed home content and full and admired the lively city :).
1 Comment
Pat Nomanbhoy
7/8/2016 04:21:27 pm
Hi Sophia!
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We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us. !أهلا و ساهلاHi! I'm Sophia, a high schooler from the San Francisco Bay Area. I received a scholarship through the State Dept. to study Arabic in Jordan in the summer of 2016. Categories
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