Visit to Umm Qais

I have been away from my blog for ages, and I am so happy that I can finally sit down and write again! There are always lots of reasons why one can't blog, but my main reason (a part from having visitors for quite some time) is that Bibs kind of took over my laptop when the tv suddenly went funny. The only time during the day I can write is when she quietly sits and watches her favourite program "Peppa Pig". So you got it, TV is working again: Bibs can have her screen and I can have mine.

Have so much to tell as we have done quite a few things in the last month; and I have decided to start with the last thing we did: a visit to Umm Qais.

Umm Qais is located in the North Westerly corner of Jordan, just at the border with Israel and Syria; the site overlooks Lake Tiberias, aka Sea of Galilee, the Golan Heights and the Jordan Valley. It was a member of the Decapolis (during the Roman Empire) and was then known as Gadara. The city was then a cultural centre and was home to many poets and philosophers.

I found the site very beautiful, specially because it is so green there. Unfortunately it takes nearly 2 hours to get there from Amman - the drive goes through Irbid, the second largest city in Jordan and that means that you waste a lot of time.

Entrance to the site

It is fairly easy to get to Umm Qais, there are signs the whole way (this is worth mentioning as: 1. it is very rare in Jordan - 2. it is not the case when you need to go back to Amman!). The entrance is free for the residents and tourists need to pay 3JD.

View of the theatre

The theatre was built in the 2nd century AD against the western slope of the Acropolis. It could host around 3000 visitors and is built entirely in basalt. It was destroyed by an earthquake in the 8th century.
There are many things to look at on the site:

The main road in Gadara

The Nymphaeum

Archaeological museum (closed on Tuesday) 

The site is also known for a biblical event: this is thought to be the place where Jesus cast devils into swine, which then drowned in the waters of Lake Tiberias.

View of the Lake Tiberias or Sea of Galilee (and the Nymphaeum)

If you schedule your visit over lunch I have heard that the guesthouse, located just across the road from the entrance should be rather good - not a bad idea before a long drive back. The views are surely stunning. 

Jordan Valley

The other attraction of the area is Al-Himma - therapeutical hot springs located about 10 kilometres north of Umm Qais, they were already in use by the Romans, whom apparently regarded them highly. Today there are both a privately run bath and a public one (with separate timetables for men and women).

As I have already said it is a bit far away, which is unfortunate because I don't think I will go again. It is the kind of place you visit once. Yes, the views are amazing, the biblical reference interesting, but it is just too far from Amman. I wouldn't recommend to go to Jerash and then Umm Qais, I think it is too much to do in one day. One last thing it is not a stroller friendly site!

Here is a link to more pictures.

2011: International year of forests? Sadly not in Jordan?

The United Nation has declared 2011 the International year of forests.

North of Amman is Ajloun Forest, home to more than 100 plant species, animals and birds. A deforestation program has just started in a part of the forest in order to built a military academy. I wonder how much clear land there is in Jordan? What is the need to actually destroy the forest so that we can get some more clear land? Well apparently there is 1% of forested land in Jordan.

In one of the most water deprived countries of the world, I think it is nothing less than a scandal.

A petition is currently being circulated on the net, to be presented tomorrow to parliament - you can show your support and sign it here. This is also a link to much more information about this case.

Visit to Umm Ar-Rasas

I have been quiet this last month but it doesn't mean that I haven't been doing stuff. Still so much to see in Jordan. I started off the new year with a visit to Umm Ar-Rasas (also known as Um Er-Rasas, Kastrom Mefa'a). The site is located 30 kilometres south-east of Madaba and it makes it a perfect afternoon trip from Amman. We had lunch at Haret Jdoudna in Madaba and then continued to Umm Ar-Rasas. I wrote about that restaurant a year ago, after our first visit to Madaba, and their website was under construction... well it still is! But the food is still great, their hummus is yummy, my favourite is their lamb sausages in a tomato sauce, delicious.

Umm Ar-Rasas has been a world heritage site since 2004 - it started as a Roman garnisson, became a town in the 5th century. Most of the site has not (yet?) been excavated - the highlight is definitely one of the 16 discovered churches: Saint Stephens Church (AD 785) with its very well preserved mosaics.

St Stephens Church

It is easy to see that it was a big church, with several chapels. As I said the mosaics are very well preserved: the ones on the right underneath show the cities of the region (Palestine, Jordan or Egypt) written in Greek script.

In the top right corner, you can see an Icon, the only one there I believe

This section shows: Kastrom Mefa'a, Philadelphia (Amman) and Madaba.

Underneath a couple of pictures from the Church of the Lions - called so because of the mosaics found. It is not possible to see the mosaics as they are covered by plastic and sand for protection. I can only guess that this is a temporary solution until a more suitable one is found.

Like all sites in Jordan, there wasn't much information available, so do some research before you go if you want to enjoy it fully. There is a visitor centre but apart from the tourist police, everything was closed. We didn't pay an entrance fee, but had the pleasure of a escort by one of the police officers, who didn't speak much English, we still gave him a tip at the end of the tour. If you have a stroller it is possible to walk around with it on the major track. 

Some more pictures...

One year in Amman!

Waow!, as Bibs would say. One year already, time has just disappeared. A year ago, we were packing the last pieces of luggage and preparing our flight to an unknown country.

I took a little bit of time to get used to this new and a bit strange city, learning to drive around - can't say without getting lost because it still happens - finding an apartment and settling in. But then one day I woke up, only to realise that I actually thought about Amman as "home" - as much as London, Geneva or Paris before.

After a year what are the things that I like about being in Amman? no doubt I like being here...

1. number 1 has to go to the British club - not because I am a member or go their often - but because it is through the British Club that I have met my friends and Bibs' hers.

2. the weather - ok not the best this evening, looks like it's going to rain (but we need it desperately) or maybe there is a sandstorm on the way - but let's be honest, I don't have much to complain about on the weather side - love the sun.

3. the kindness of the Jordanian people - ok some are a bit piss-takers - excuse my French, but others are really helpful and nice.

4. the things you only do/have as an expat: massage at home, for example, or having a (more or less full time) housekeeper, or our apartment building's harris.

5. the historical / biblical sites to visit in Jordan - there is always, something, somewhere to visit (not only Petra or Jerash).

6. ice cream at Gerard's (am writing a post about those ice creams!).

7. hearing small birdies as I wake up in the morning, not something you would have in a large city in Europe.

8. walking around in Sweifieh - I just love that area - all the small shops, my favorite sharwama, Juicebangbang, the only bubble-tea tea-house in Amman and of course Istiklal (stationary and toy shop).

9. local fruit and veg, that costs absolutely nothing (as opposed to imported papaya for example @ JD10 the kilo!!).

10. last, but certainly not the least important, I can stay at home with my gorgeous Bibs and watch her grow every day.

Not everything is perfect when you live in Amman:
- Absolute rip off when you go to Mothercare or ELC and buy something imported
- The fact that you can never be sure you can get something in the supermarket: it is not because there has been a produce for weeks that it will be there today... like Tropicana fresh juice or my usual yogurt...
- probably what disturbs me the most: this is a man's world and sometimes you can feel looled down at as a woman.
- ha nearly forgot, traffic on Thursday afternoon - horrid.

But hey, no world is perfect - and Amman is a nice city to live in. Happy we are here for another year - so many things to still to discover.

Saved dolmen field in Jordan - a new tourism attraction for 2011

For at least the past 2 years a Dolmen field near Damiyah, a village located north of Salt, in the Jordan Valley, has been on the World Monuments Watch list. According to an article in the Jordan Times of today, the site has been saved from destruction. A new archaeological site has been created, the DoA (Department of Antiquities) has made a deal with the mining company exploiting the area and a piece of land has been protected. It means that some of the dolmen will have to be moved to that specific site.

Pictures from the World Monument Site 

The dolmen site should open sometime next year to the public. This is great as it adds one more interesting site to visit to Jordan's already quite extensive list. Dolmens are from the Early Bronze age (3600-3000 BC) and some experts say they could be even older, from the Chalcolithic era (that's 4500-3500 BC). There are around 300 dolmens on site, so it should become an interesting park to visit. This is one of the things I particularly enjoy about Jordan: there are so many things to look at from so many different times.

The other thing that is nice to notice is that there are no other sites currently on the watch list.

Crafts @ the 2nd circle

Today I went to visit 2 different shops, one very exciting, the other a bit less. They are located not far from each other just next to the Intercontinental hotel and behind Reems, our famous sharwama stand at the second circle.

The first one, the "exciting one" is Alaydi, the Jordan Craft Development Centre. It is hidden in a private villa.

So what do they sell? Rugs and carpets, a great display of old bedouin rugs, kilims and cushions. There is jewellery, embroidery, pottery and much more. You will find small souvenirs and furniture. I really fell for this place, it's great. My friend who recommended it, asked me if I needed to spend money and that it shouldn't be any problem as they accept Visa! I did buy a few things, including some last Christmas decorations. It is well worth a visit.

The other shop, much smaller, is located a bit further down the road. It is called Alburgan.

You will find some nice things here as well, most decorations, cushions...

More tourists to Jordan with Easyjet

As of end of March 2011 it will be a bit cheaper to fly from Amman to London (and vice versa) as Easyjet is opening a new route to Amman. I find that quite exciting. Not that I am a big fan of Easyjet, but more because it should make RJ and BMI lower their rates as well, and that's great news!

A return trip from London will apparently start at £106 inc taxes (according to this website) - the tickets should be going on sale today but I can't find the route on easyjet's website. It's a huge difference with the £500 + it costs on the 2 other airlines operating on this route.

Apart from the obvious advantage for little me, it is fantastic for Jordan - it will help boosts tourism even more. Every month there are reports in the papers about the rise in tourist visits to our little Kingdom, the construction of a new terminal and the opening of such routes by Easyjet can only be good news for Jordan.

Now that means as well, that the authorities need to step up to it. Some of our tourism site are quite nice in terms of orientation - like the Citadel for example. But others like Petra have tons of work to do to greet more visitors. Some sites have been bumping up their prices these lasts months, it's the case of Petra or the Baptism site, but these sites also lack of infrastructure and serious money needs to be invested.