Amman's Bird park

View of the Bird Park

Yes, Amman has a bird park. A friend of mine had told me about it before I arrived to Amman, but I had completely forgotten about it until a taxi driver mentioned that he had taken his kids to it. I decided to take Bibs straight away! She loves animals, so I thought it would be a good idea. Yesterday, I picked up my friend and her daughter and went to the park: it was closed, it was Tuesday. I returned today, and yes it was a success.

The park is located in Shmeisani. It is very small, not many exotic birds to look at, but for Bibs it was perfect: ducks, geese, chicken of all sorts or peacocks...

Look at the size of their feet!

Demoiselle crane

More than that it is a nice place to walk around with a stroller, there are benches everywhere, shade.

And there is a very nice playground area. It is really big. The only problem is that it is mostly in the sun. But then the days are beginning to be a bit cooler (only 30 degrees today) - soon it won't matter that much.

Entrance fee: 20 piastres or 200 fils (for those who are more comfortable with old currency!). So really not much. There is a small parking place next to the entrance, otherwise it is not that difficult to park in the area. As usual it is on my map. It is not that difficult to find, between 5 and 10 minutes from the 5th circle.

Visit to Canvas and the National Gallery park

The gallery's two buildings are surrounding a small sculpture park and Canvas, a restaurant/coffee shop. The coffee shop is nice, will have to go back for lunch. We just had a cup of coffee and my friend's daughter a big chocolate sunday. Well to be exact we ordered a ice coffee, but first then came with a ice tea which we sent back and then they came a ice coffee without coffee. There was ice cream, chocolate, milk and cream. We kept it that way! But it is a nice place to stop after the museum visit.

There are some paintings exposed inside and a very nice terrace outside overlooking the small park.

We then for a small walk in the park. It is water conservation project developed with governmental and local support as well as USAID. It is a sculpture park, there is a children's playground and is a very pleasant place to walk with a stroller, kids can play, young people meet on dates.

My week in snapshots

Where has my week gone? Don't know... and it isn't blogging that has taken up all of my time! So what I have I been up to?

Well, as you know Monday was Sushi day!

Okay, these are not the sushi that we made with my friends! But, I just wanted to share that there are some decent sushi places around Amman. We usually eat them at the Sheraton. There is a small sushi bar on the buffet in the all-day restaurant The Spice Garden and you can get them "a la carte" as well.

Tuesday I took Bibs for a walk...

The park by City Hall in downtown Amman

There is a nice walk to be done around the City Hall, it is very stroller friendly and it is easy to park the car as well. I like pictures of people. Random pictures with random people. These 2 ladies were just sitting and enjoying the sun and their kids were running around and playing in the grass. There were families picnicking as well.

Wednesday is "baby group" day at the British Club.

The pool area @ the British Club is now open

Ages ago I promised an update on the membership for the "Mums & Babes" group - I have not forgotten it is just that it has taken them some time to come up with a decision! So here it is: there is not a yearly fee anymore, but we pay 1JD each time we come and the money collected goes towards toys and others for the group; we also get to use the pool area when we are there. We are all think it is a very good solution. If you are a full member you don't get to pay anthing. This wednesday we stayed and had lunch, they have a nice menu, at very reasonable prices.

Yesterday, Thursday. Aaah I feel better - I haven't missed so many days of blogging! Anyways, yesterday, I took Bibs swimming in the morning. I hadn't been for a while, which is ashame bacause she has forgotten that it is something that she enjoys a lot! I need to make it a habit to go at least a couple of times every week. There again we go to the Sheraton (you have guessed we don't live very far!) - they have an outdoor and indoor pool. The outdoor pool is now open but still way to cold for my little girl. Even if we are hitting the 30 degrees every day now the pool is still only 20 degrees - but I don't think it will take so much time before we can use it.

Outdoor pool

I needed to stay at home in the afternoon as I had somebody over to do some wiring for the TV/phone. It shouldn't had taken whole afternoon, except that instead of 2 o'clock he showed up at... 5! Don't you just love punctuality? the Jordanian way, of course!

Then I wanted to share this YouTube video. Absolutely nothing to do with Amman though. I like Lady Gaga's songs and this is kid performing Paparazzi - have a look it's worth it!

We had a very late night yesterday. Bibs' aunty arrived and we are really excited about that, I can't wait to show her Amman and pieces of Jordan! I'll try to blog as much as possible about the things we are going to discover as we go along. Meanwhile, enjoy your last day of the week or your week-end depending where in the world you are...

King Hussein Park

It seems the good weather is back over Amman. I hope this time to stay. It is not because we live in the Middle East that the weather is fab every day, ok most of the time it is! But outdoor lounges are now starting to open in the hotels around the city - Grand Hyatt is opened already and the Sheraton very soon... So I guess it means, summer is on it's way! But that's not what I wanted to post about today. I wanted to talk a bit about King Hussein park, that's also a thing to enjoy now that the weather is nice and still not too hot!

This is week I took Bibs to King Hussein park for a walk. I met up with a Danish friend of mine and her daughter. And off we went for the discovery of the park. It is located on the outskirts of town, opposite City Mall. It is a large park located on a hill: at the top you have the Royal Automobile Museum, the Children's Musuem and the King Hussein Mosque. The museums are closed on tuesdays, I haven't been in either of them. However I have heard some very good things about the Children's Museum and will certainly go and visit very soon - I guess when it is too hot to be outside! The Mosque I haven't visited either, I must go and check it out (if I am allowed to enter - maybe some fellow bloggers know??)

King Hussein Mosque

Last time I was there, it looked very bare but now the trees are green and provide shade. You will often see families picnicking under the trees, young couples on a date sitting and chatting, or groups simply enjoying the weather and smoking a shisha.

Half way down in the park, there is what is called the "village". It is a small area with some arts, a fountain, a few small ceramic shops and a rather large cafe/restaurant where you can enjoy something refreshing in the heat. I don't really know the opening times, so I cannot assure that it is open all year/every day!

This is the entrance to the so-called "village"

Some of the sculptures

Views of the Park

The bottom of the park, I haven't visited. I know there are some basketball fields and I have heard about a little train as well but haven't actually seen it... will let you know if I find it!

A walk in the park

One thing Amman is lacking of is green areas. There are no parks as such and where there is an attempt well the trees can't be more than 2 or 3 years old, so the general impression is not really that of a park... You know grass, big trees under which you can sit in the shade. That is next to non existant in Amman.

King Hussein Park (will do a post about this one)

This is a Park in Deir Ghbar

You get the idea! So here if you go to the "park", well it is more a playground. So you have to choose your timings correctly, because it can quickly get a bit too hot to run around in - well Bibs of course doesn't do that much running as yet. At least the kiddies can be outside and get some air, which is after all the idea. Ashame it can't be combined with some walking for the mummy as well!