Next?

From one adventure to the next, it seems we are always on the go. After just arriving back from Aqaba, we leave yet again for Egypt. Our six day adventure through Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan will be awe inspiring and historical to the Nth degree.

In the mean time, I am back at the part-time job for the few days in-between and Rob is back to school. This semester is slightly different as he is enrolled in private tutoring through Qasid for an hour and a half and then is taking a grammar class. Afterwards, we rush home for another hour of private tutoring. It is a little strange to think yesterday was the first day of Rob’s last semester at Qasid. It has truly been our home base through all the chaos we call Jordan.

What to wear??

After being in a conservative society for now almost 7 months, you learn to layer your clothing, to wear scarves/sweaters/long sleeves/long skirts; pretty much anything that will create as much modesty as possible. But when it is 80+ degrees and you are at a hotel located in a tourist city, you question what is really appropriate. Can you wear shorts or that tank top you brought? Maybe just in the hotel, but not into the city? These were questions I had at arrival. Once in the lobby, I could tell both would be perfectly acceptable on the hotel premises. The clientele were mostly European or Russian and wore just about everything and anything. I think we were one of the few Americans.


I think the most shocking outfit of our trip was a young blonde teen wearing a strapless black bustier dress with bright red tights and 2 inch platform shoes to dinner. I joked with Rob that if she had a sweater to cover her shoulders she was technically fully covered. Well, maybe if she had a scarf too. It’s in the details.

Men’s speedos, unfortunately, were I guess very fashionable in their home countries. Did I mention I don’t even have a pair of shorts here in Jordan? What was I thinking?? But I had to say, it took a while to feel comfortable back in my bikini and short cover-up. Rob even felt a little odd wearing his shorts too. I guess we have become accustomed to it more than we thought.

All-you-can-eat

If you have ever been to a Middle Eastern breakfast buffet, you have seen the gamut of ridiculousness. Sometimes the buffet included only a hard boiled egg, some croissants filled with dates (or at least we hoped that was what it was), olives, cheese, cucumbers, and tomatoes; while others may have cold cereal in addition. But food was plentiful at the Kempinski, ranging from Western favorites of cooked to order pancakes, waffles, and omelets with Middle Eastern treats including hummus, Arabic salads, salmon…need I go on? To say the least, we were in heaven. From the freshly squeezed juice to the homemade donuts to the sliced plums, I couldn’t have asked for anything better. Afterwards we practically rolled outside to lounge by the beach.

The last night we had the dinner buffet and it was just as marvelous. Beef filet shish kabobs, cashew chicken, and a salad bar were my favs. Can you tell we love food?

-The BEST salmon I have EVER had!!!-

Venturing out - Aqaba

After relaxing all day, we ventured out into the little town of Aqaba. It reminded us of a little beachside village focused around snorkeling and diving. The hotel said our dinner destination would only be a 10 minute walk so we took our time. As we walked, I absorbed all the differences of the slow beach pace and let the hustle and bustle of the big city drain away.

-I'm a sucker for beautiful flowers randomly placed-

The taxis here were emerald green instead of the traditional yellow, cutely painted with fish, palm trees and of course camels.

We were still in the Middle East, of course – there must be camels. They still beeped and asked us constantly if we wanted a ride to Petra or Wadi Rum, both nearby tourist attraction cities. After being here for almost 7 months, we knew the drill.


Our dinner was at the Blue Bay restaurant in which Rob had the recommended Denise fish. It was served whole and he had two to boot. What can I say, he likes to eat. I enjoyed the shrimp pasta.

And yes, you can always find a camel in Jordan whether it be roadside or beachside.

Mindless Relaxation

Our hotel, the Kempinski, literally right across from the bus station beckoned us with luxury. We were greeted with cool wash clothes, minty welcome drinks, and a tour of our amazing room. Did I mention it has a garden tub, beach view, and complimentary mini-bar filled with beer and sodas restocked daily? This is definitely a step up from our apartment in Amman.


Day one included a rotation of lounging by the pool and lying out at the beach. Being of creamier complexion, I sat in the shade of the umbrella most of the time but it was wonderful. Not too hot, with a consistent ocean sea breeze. We noticed the sand and beach instantly. It wasn’t the soft white powder sand we were used to in Florida but rough rocky sand of the mountains. The grains of sand even were tinted orange and red from the mountain ranges surrounding the Gulf of Aqaba. It was a little surreal seeing the mountains so close to the beach but I guess we are just used to flat open spaces.

The water was a little too cold for my taste but Rob ventured in. He was very attuned to where he was stepping remembering his last visit 4 years ago and a sea urchin mishap. We could have gone snorkeling but I think we will wait until the water warms up in a few months. The pool, surrounded by imported bamboo trees, was so relaxing and tranquil, all you could do was let your mind totally relax.

The sunset, a totally different experience from what we were used to, was a mixture of whites and grays. It speaks for itself.

The ride to Paradise

We left the loud noises of the big city behind and headed South to what I would like to call “quiet paradise”. For some lite reading on the way down, I picked up a magazine. We were in for a four to five hour bus ride, so why not. Choosing from the ultra expensive English magazines of Cosmo and Good Housekeeping, I picked up one with Taylor Swift on the cover. Why not, it looked like a normal fashion mag? It, of course, didn’t have a price tag. My luck. When I got up the counter I expected at least 8 JD ($12) as that was the normal cost of the other magazines surrounding it and was pleasantly surprised when the salesman replied with 1 JD. Awesome! As I paged through it I realized it was produced in Saudi Arabia. Hmmm, this should be interesting. The glossy mag could have fooled me. Not too sure what I expected, maybe something including only naqabs or at least hijabs. After enjoying the Chanel ad, I moved onto a section showing evening gowns worn at the Sag awards ceremony. Beautiful, I thought but something was amiss. I couldn’t put my finger on it but kept going. Another page of celebrities in their short dresses and then it hit me…they all had leggings. At first the leggings didn’t trigger my curiosity, they were always matched according to the color dress they were wearing or at least a complementary color. But after going back a few pages, I noticed all of them had them. I guess if your dress or skirt didn’t come down at least to your shins, they airbrushed leggings for you. I also realized they did the same for any strapless or plunging necklines by adding in cap sleeve shirts or crew neck tank tops. It was rather hilarious after I started flipping through the pages. I shrugged my shoulders and moved on; I guess everyone must conform to the customs, even in print.
The ride itself was an adventure. After a four and a half hour bus ride, four check point stops including passport identification and vehicle searches, one man even left in handcuffs (we didn’t ask, we just kept our heads down and were thankful we weren’t on “the list”), and one crying baby, you can say we were happy to arrive in one piece.

The view from my seat on the bus down to Aqaba.

Chips galore!

Why not start out vacation with a cookie. Thanks mom for sending the mix and chips.

They were delish and of course calorie free when eaten on vacation.

2 down

Two down...two more to go. What do I mean? I am referring to Rob's terms at Qasid, of course. Amazingly this semester went by very quickly and I can't believe it is already the end of March. It would seem our 7 month milestone is right around the corner.


Rob sat for his winter term final yesterday and seems to be very relieved to be done. It has been amazing to watch how his language and listening skills have jumped by leaps and bounds. Talking to cabbies, waiters, or anyone really comes with ease now. All seem to be so impressed with his language skills and desire to learn about the region and culture.

I think we can both agree, we leave this term tired and ready for a mental break. The part-time job has been going great! Monday will be officially the end of one month. How time flies! It looks like it may continue into next term, which is great news.

Our plan during the break in-between winter and spring term is to travel down to Aqaba located on the Red Sea for 3 nights/4 days and just veg out. No studying, no tutoring, no internet research - just rest and relaxation. Preferably with a frozen drink in hand lying in a lounge chair listening at the Red Sea waves. Pictures, of course, will follow.
Check out the link for the city. http://www.aqaba.jo/english/
See you on the beach!

Pets

Our first week here we explored the Balad and came upon the animal district. It was full of all types of animals, some for eating but most for pets. We saw birds of all sizes and shapes, even bunnies, and small fish. The usual western pets, I guess I expected, weren’t really in high quantity. I was informed dogs were thought to be “unclean” here, so the only time it is acceptable to have a dog as a pet is if it is a watchdog. We saw a couple of watchdog puppies for sale but moved on. We weren’t really in the market. The one thing I didn’t see was cats. At least not on sale... For some reason, you can see cats everywhere in Amman. They have old ones, baby ones, but most are the scruffy unkept kind that have no real home but somehow survive. Their food source tends to be the trash left behind or dumpster diving. Rob has even come up with a way to avoid the random cat from jumping out at him from the dumpster when taking out the trash. He now throws a penny at the side of the dumpster from a safe distance to see if there is any "cat jumping action". It only takes once for it to scary the mess out of you to come up with such devices.

I don’t think we will get a pet but it is entertaining to see cultural differences. I wonder if snakes and reptiles are acceptable pets here.

Stairwells

Amman is a city built on hills therefore resulting into a city of stairs.

To get from my area to Jebel Amman, I must go down one set and up two.  These are my favorite by far.

today's weather

Today's weather shows 82 degrees with "Widespread Dust".  I mean really?  What exactly does that mean? 

It doesn't feel ultra dusty but then again, what does ultra dusty feel like?  I have a feeling that is why the sky is a kind of khaki color instead of its usual brilliant blue. 

Gotta love Amman for adding new weather patterns to my vocabulary. 

Ladies Lounge

The mysterious "ladies lounge" located at Qasid is finally revealed. 

I, of course, took pictures of it while everyone was in class so no one was exposed. 

By exposed, I mean, I am referring to those women who cover in public but can remove their face cover in a women only area like this.   The area has really become a home away from home as this is where I spend most of my time while Rob is in class either reading, playing on the internet, or now working part-time.  It is also the place for good girl talk, savvy travel tips, dos and don'ts within the culture, and pretty much anything you may need when living outside of your home country.  I am so thankful Qasid thought of this neat idea.

Must try!

Two places I must try out before leaving.

Look familiar?  Do you think they taste exactly like the ones at home? *eyebrow wiggle* I am sure they taste even better!

They don’t even have these in Florida anymore! SCORE! I wonder if they sold them all to Jordan just for me?!? Question though…do you think they use local water to make the slushy part? Or does it all come from a package? Anyone know? The last thing I want to do is have one, get sick, and then hate slush puppies forever.

Snapshot

Totally in the moment...

He even looks like a local.  Gotta love it!

Strollers

It has been strange but I have yet to see any strollers, baby carriages, or anything similar out on the street since we have been here. I have a feeling it has to do with the crazy drivers and lack of stroller friendly sidewalks. But still, kind of strange. I have seen infants with their mothers out on the streets. Since it has been mostly wintertime, they have been bundled up in baby blankets wrapped around them probably three times. I guess it is the just in case factor. Better safe than sorry.
The question is where are all of the toddlers? The ones too heavy to hold in swaddled bundles but shouldn't be walking on the uneven and sometimes dangerous sidewalks. Maybe they just take them out in the parks or malls? Maybe they come out of hiding in the spring and summer time? I will have to keep my eye on this in the coming months.
P.S. They do sell strollers at the malls. I have seen them myself. So they do exist here.

Spring is in the air...

It seems spring has arrived or maybe just tempting us with beautiful days in the 80s with blue skies. Every dirt patch seems to be blooming with wildflowers probably spread through the winter rainy season. Yellows, reds, white, and even some pink peek out everywhere. I have to say it helps brighten up the khaki landscape. Even the people are getting out their brighter colored outfits. Seeing the women with pink, red, and different colored striped hijabs is a nice change to the winter muted colors. Hopefully the summer weather will stay for a while so we can enjoy a nice holiday weekend at the beach. We hope to stay a few days somewhere along the Red Sea. Traveling without cars, using only public transportation can be a little tricky with logistics, but we are up to the challenge. Stay tuned.

Meet the neighbors...

Please meet the mosque conventiently located two doors down from our new place.  We have been serenaded each and every day since our arrival.  5 times a day at that.  I think I can speak for the both of us and say the call to prayer is rather calming.  Loud at times, but calming.  At night, it is lit up with green lights and seems to glow from within.  I hope you enjoy below.

Only in Amman

Only in Amman, could...you wait for a package for one month and still have nothing. After calling multiple times, we went down to the post office to look through all the paperwork. Who knows, maybe it fell through the cracks and we missed the official “call” saying the package was here? Alas, no dice. I bet it will end up back in the states a year from now having gone via air, boat, and camel.

Only in Amman, could...you have gone almost three months not knowing there were additional pilot lights to be lit when you used the stove. We were shown the large pilot light for the oven but unbeknownst to us, there were additional pilot lights (2 mind you) that were in the stovetop. Ah, that explains the gas smell whenever I am cooking. What the heck!!! Of course, Rob was always opening windows to let out the fumes but when it is 40 degrees outside, it gets annoying.

A must have...

I have to thank my mom for sending me the most valuable and necessary invention for women traveling to Jordan. It is called a “dickie” or faux shirt collar. Let me demonstrate.

Exhibit A – Cute shirt and totally acceptable by Western style.

Keep in mind, to wear this appropriately, you must either wear a crewneck shirt underneath it to cover your exposed chest or cover it with a large scarf. Not bad if it is 40 degrees outside, but just think about the summer time and 99+ degree heat. Yikes!

Exhibit B – The most ingenious invention ever!

Exhibit C – Adding together both A and B and *walah* you now have an outfit that won’t make you overheat.

Now, if only I could find them here in every color…

Rockin Out

If you have a tape and need a place to play it, our new apartment is the place to be! 

Not only do we have a old school radio and tape player in our entertainment center.

But also a REAL old school boom box inside of the couch.  Yes, I did say inside the couch.

And if you are looking for some "mood music", there too is a radio and tape combo available in...yes, you guessed it, the headboard.  Why?  I don't know. 

I feel like I need to bust out some Beastie Boys or New Kidz on the Block. 

Disclaimer: Please do not send us your old cassette tapes. 

All of them, of course, do not work and we have determined are now only for show.