I'm too jet-lagged to be tired. The last 36 hours have been spent navigating freeways, airports, and customs kiosks, and now, a day later, I'm on the other side of the world. !!!
It's surreal being here and a tad like sensory overload. Our hotel was fairly cheap, but the lobby is magnificent. Marbled floors reflect a two store chandelier hanging above us, Rihanna sings from the little pub tucked behind the elevators, I can hear the cars honking in the street outside, and uniformed guards in berets guard the sliding glass doors. I've been in Jordan for a grand 3 hours and I already feel like I could write a novel. For the sake of time and lack of coherency, I'll stick with bullet points tonight.
* Flew over the Black Sea, Turkey, and Syria today. Whoa.
* Drivers in Amman are either the best or worst in the *entire* world. Lane dividers are completely disregarded, and as our driver drifted back and forth between lanes (or decided to drive straddling the line itself), I subconsciously pumped my non-existant break pedal...like one of those drivers-ed teachers. And yet, despite the lack of blinkers, hand signals, or any sense of "keep to your lane"....no accidents! I even asked. Maybe they're just incredibly good at being horrible.
* During the 15 minute drive to Amman from the airport, I kept noticing cars pulled over on the side of the freeway or parked off-road in the small brush. Little bonfires punctuated the night air and the silhouettes of men, women, and children hovered around the glow. Turns out these are popular "picnic" destinations and families or groups of friends will bring their camels, donkeys, and cars out along the freeway to barbeque and talk. Our driver added, "Sometimes they just drink. Tea maybe, alcohol maybe. Sometimes it's just the lovers". He showed us the lovers' "section" of the freeway where it was the darkest and sure enough, there must have been over a dozen old cars from the 80s pulled over in the twilight while their drivers made out. Amusing, but guys....you're right on the freeway. Awkward.
* The freeway isn't just a social scene though, it's actually beautiful. We passed grand embassies made of stone, homes lit with tea-lights, and bridges arching over the freeway with the mysteriously elegant arabic calligraphy scrolling across. My favorite though, are the tall, narrow minarets that stood dignified against the sunset. There are dozens located strategically throughout Amman and her outskirts; I love the way they seem to guard the city. When we heard the muezzin's voice floating across the city, singing out the adhan - the Muslim call to prayer - I got goosebumps. It's an eerie, magical, beautiful chant.
* When you check into a hotel here, you get "welcome drinks" in little glass goblets. Chilled, thick, orange juice/nectar, it was incredibly refreshing and makes you feel like a queen. I'm liking that tradition.
Tomorrow we're going to get up a tad early to enjoy a jordanian breakfast, work on homework for an hour or so, and then explore the nearby markets. Pictures to come!
It's surreal being here and a tad like sensory overload. Our hotel was fairly cheap, but the lobby is magnificent. Marbled floors reflect a two store chandelier hanging above us, Rihanna sings from the little pub tucked behind the elevators, I can hear the cars honking in the street outside, and uniformed guards in berets guard the sliding glass doors. I've been in Jordan for a grand 3 hours and I already feel like I could write a novel. For the sake of time and lack of coherency, I'll stick with bullet points tonight.
* Flew over the Black Sea, Turkey, and Syria today. Whoa.
* Drivers in Amman are either the best or worst in the *entire* world. Lane dividers are completely disregarded, and as our driver drifted back and forth between lanes (or decided to drive straddling the line itself), I subconsciously pumped my non-existant break pedal...like one of those drivers-ed teachers. And yet, despite the lack of blinkers, hand signals, or any sense of "keep to your lane"....no accidents! I even asked. Maybe they're just incredibly good at being horrible.
* During the 15 minute drive to Amman from the airport, I kept noticing cars pulled over on the side of the freeway or parked off-road in the small brush. Little bonfires punctuated the night air and the silhouettes of men, women, and children hovered around the glow. Turns out these are popular "picnic" destinations and families or groups of friends will bring their camels, donkeys, and cars out along the freeway to barbeque and talk. Our driver added, "Sometimes they just drink. Tea maybe, alcohol maybe. Sometimes it's just the lovers". He showed us the lovers' "section" of the freeway where it was the darkest and sure enough, there must have been over a dozen old cars from the 80s pulled over in the twilight while their drivers made out. Amusing, but guys....you're right on the freeway. Awkward.
* The freeway isn't just a social scene though, it's actually beautiful. We passed grand embassies made of stone, homes lit with tea-lights, and bridges arching over the freeway with the mysteriously elegant arabic calligraphy scrolling across. My favorite though, are the tall, narrow minarets that stood dignified against the sunset. There are dozens located strategically throughout Amman and her outskirts; I love the way they seem to guard the city. When we heard the muezzin's voice floating across the city, singing out the adhan - the Muslim call to prayer - I got goosebumps. It's an eerie, magical, beautiful chant.
* When you check into a hotel here, you get "welcome drinks" in little glass goblets. Chilled, thick, orange juice/nectar, it was incredibly refreshing and makes you feel like a queen. I'm liking that tradition.
Tomorrow we're going to get up a tad early to enjoy a jordanian breakfast, work on homework for an hour or so, and then explore the nearby markets. Pictures to come!
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