2 decade master plan for Petra rewarded

In today's JT you can read about the Pierre l'Enfant International Planning award which this year has gone to the strategic master plan for Petra.

The Sanctuary

The Pierre l'Enfant International Planning award is an award that recognises planning practices and efforts (outside the US) to promote communities of lasting value. Read more about it on APA's (American Planning Association) website. In Petra's case it has been awarded "to the Petra strategic plan in recognition of its balancing the need for the preservation of important archaeological resources with the need for increased tourism and economic growth" (JT).


Petra is a UNESCO archaeological site and has seen in the past years a was-to-be-expected but unplanned  for rise in tourist visits. Such an exterior support is in my opinion a great and very welcomed help for Jordan. Tourism in Jordan represents today one of the economy's major components and most of the sites in Jordan are facing big challenges, including environmental degradation,  limited water availability and unplanned tourism growth, to name a few. This is clearly putting a site as Petra at risk.

Notice the horse/donkey stables in the back

The Jordanian government has established the Petra Development and Tourism Regional Authority, this is in charge over the region as well as the entire archaeological site. A multidisciplinary team had been created and they have received input from local leaders and groups in order to create the mentioned master plan. This plan will be implemented over the next 2 decades and will help with "attracting investment, developing infrastructure, diversifying and enhancing tourism services and facilities..." (Mohammad Farajat in the JT).

In 2010, Petra welcomed a little short of 1 Million visitors according to this article from the Jordan Tourism Board website, that's a 68% increase to 2009. I wasn't able to find official figures for 2011, maybe because the figures show a decline in tourists because of the Arab Spring. In the coming years the number of visitors to Petra will continue to rise - even with the very expensive entrance fee of 50JD/person for 1 day - so investments and environmental management is a big must for the site and for Jordan. Petra, and it's amazing beauty, need to be protected and fast.

The Siq - the walk down to the Sanctuary

The award will be handed out in April during the APA's national conference and later the master plan will be featured in their magazine. 

Another year has gone by...

... and today marks the second anniversary of our arrival in Amman. Like last year, today is a rainy day, there has even been some snow in the air. Like last year Jordan needs the water desperately.

Of course the arrival of our little Bobsy was the highlight of 2011! When we found out we were pregnant, we talked a lot about where I would deliver - should I stay here, go back to Europe? After talking a bit to friends here and there, I decided that staying here was the best for all of us. It wouldn't have been fair on Bibs to take her away from her daddy, her friends and playgroups when her life was going to change so much already. It must be a little traumatising to suddenly have to share mum and dad! However Bibs loves her little brother - cuddles and kisses him all day long. Wouldn't have been fair on the daddy either for that matter. Anyway, I started to look for an obstetrician and found a really nice one, I trusted him immediately. The great thing here is that the obstetrician does also the ultrasounds, so unlike in Europe, you get to see your little bean grow every time you have an appointment. I have not one bad thing to say about my experience, a part from the fact that there are 2 rates when you go to the doctor here: one for the Jordanians and one for the expats! I delivered at Farah Hospital which really reminds one more of a hotel with its single rooms, suites and even royal suite (2 bedrooms and a huge reception area! I just visited it, didn't "stay" there!). Of course a delivery room is what it is, but you do have the most amazing view over Amman - so while I was laying there and wondering why oh why I had said "no" to the epidural, I was also admiring the sunrise over Amman.

The View from my room @ Farah Hospital

And we got flowers and flowers and more balloons, here are a few! A speciality here. 

And our Bobsy was born and now I can't remember what life was before he joined us.

The Arab Spring came and went (while the storm still blows in Syria and Yemen) and Jordan, well,  I guess remained the same. I never felt the protests and never thought that it could become a problem. Business in Jordan was hit though - tourism declined as western tourists chose other destinations, one  Prime Minister succeeded the other and Amman's former mayor got released this morning after one month's detention over corruption allegations - bail: 300'000 JD, rich mayor. 

When I re-read last years post, One year in Amman!, nothing much have changed: I still like the same things and the things I didn't enjoy as much, well to be honest I like them even less now - but I have decided not to get upset anymore by unconscious drivers (private or taxi drivers, male or female, Jordanians or expats) or by male chauvinistic behaviours! Kind of New Year resolution. 

We still have many things to do here in Jordan, I can't believe we haven't made it to Aqaba yet and I would love to go to Wadi Rum - but life with a tiny one is not always easy to plan! So here is to more time in an amazing country. 

Play-date morning at J'Imagine

J'imagine is the name of a indoor play area, it opened a few months back. Bibs and her friends absolutely love going there.

As every thing in Amman, you need to find it first. It is located on Princess Basma street in Abdoun, on the first floor of a bank building (opposite MyGym, another indoor play area, if that helps!) - I have updated my map so you can find it there as well. I think I drove past it 10 times before i finally saw a small tiny sign in one of the windows. There is a empty land next to it where you can park. The entrance is 8JD (in my opinion a bit too much) and the kids get access to a little world full of pretend areas, a toddler heaven, an arts and crafts activity room as well a room with sand and water tables (a favorite!).

I really like the set up of the place and it is safe - the kiddies can run around and play.

PRETEND CITY... It's lovely really. All possible costumes, followed by a kitchen, a supermarket, a vet, a little nursery just to name a few.

This is the water table where the kids can fish, as you can see there are small fountains. There is also a sand pit. 

Then the toddler area - only for the small ones under 3. Bibs and Bobsy love it in there - so much to play with - even though most of the things we have at home or very similar! - But toys are like food in a toddlers world... always more interesting when not at home.

And because they think about the kids but also the parents - there is a nice cafe. A little selection of coffees and cakes, water, flavoured milk and small snack bags. I love the snack bags, it's a brilliant idea: a few smarties, some biscuits, raisins and dry apricots along with a few light salted items.

Cafe Counter: Notice the small snack bags.  

They host birthday parties so better check with them before you go.I think that Bibs and her friend could have stayed all day. The mummies as well, if only they would offer a free coffee refill...

Ah I nearly forgot, the arts and crafts... I have to share my daughters piece of art! Brought home for her daddy of course - yes, she is still daddy's girl!

Christmas 2011 in snapshots

Am sitting and feeding Bobsy so i thought i'd give this phone-blogger-posting-thinger a try! And i actually managed to get to the "new post page"!

So here are a few pics from this past Christmas, including my first ever gingerbread house, thanks to my Norvegian friend who moved to Amman last summer... I am very proud!

There is also my cranberry bread made with fresh cranberries - very nice! And the Christmas biscotti - with Pistaccios and Cranberries - i will post the link to the website i use later.

Oh and my Australian potatoes... Haha that really made me laugh!

I hope you all had a happy and merry Christmas.

 

Back to blogging... one more try!

Well let's start by saying Happy New Year 2012 cause it's that time of the year. I can not believe that I have been away from my blog for 7 months. Please don't think that I have been doing nothing in these last months!... an extra pair of little feet have joined the family and I should really change the name of my blog to "Bibs, Babs, Bobs and Bobsy in Amman". 2011 blessed us with the arrival of a gorgeous little man. And for those with kids, you know how tired you get at the end of the pregnancy (a lot of sleep when Bibs was napping...) and how much your life changes with a newborn in the house: feeding, sleeping, changing nappies, ah and feeding again and again and again... but there is something very refreshing about having a newborn.

So I haven't really had time to discover much, but a few things have changed in Amman! Like the opening of Taj Mall in Abdoun and the arrival of H&M, Spinneys (and baby food, like Ella's Kitchen) and many other shops. But I will get back to all that.

The other thing new is my IPhone 4 which I absolutely adore! (not the 4s, but one can't have everything in life!)) - so while I might not be able to write as much I would like, I have installed blogger on my phone so will be posting pictures as well! Amazing thing technology... well that is when i have been able to switch my app from Arabic to English... because that's one thing that hasn't changed: my level of Arabic - not that I am particularly proud of it...

Once again Happy New Year, hope it will be a good one!

My Bobsy is 5 months tomorrow! 

A small thing I love about springtime in Amman

These last couple of weeks we have had lots of sheep in the empty lot opposite our building. Bibs loves seeing them and wants to go and play with them!

 I do wonder how much they block the traffic when they come and go though! Just adding a bit more of mess, to the already messy Amman traffic situation.

French diner at the Hyatt Amman

So last week we went to the Grand Hyatt Hotel to have some good French food, made by the Michelin Star Chef Lionel Levy, on the occasion of the French cultural week.

The food was lovely, you can feel that the chef didn't have access to the same kind of produce as what he is used to back in Marseille - but still he made a great job! So here is what we had, in pictures. Am so sorry cause I forgot the titles of the dishes, not very good - but you'll still get the idea of what we had.

To start with, we had snails - I don't think it sounds very appetizing to eat snails haha and I prefer the French term Escargot. So we had escargot in a kind of falafel with a persillade sauce (parsley and garlic).

We then had some more starters... Bobs had a tartar of saumon, which was yummy and I had squid stuffed with foie gras and beef, miam miam.

Oh! and one more starter... just to make sure that we don't go hungry home! The last one was scallops with artichoke. Bibs just said WOW to the picture - she is as interested in food as her parents are.

Then to the main courses. We had a different one each: I had sea bass with asparagus, served with a lemon grass and asparagus sauce. Bobs had lamb served in 2 ways: a confit and pan-cooked rack. Both these dishes were really good.

Then to the deserts - which was not his best point! But then I am sure that he probably has a pastry chef to do them back in his own kitchen! Bobs had a creme brulee with black olives and anis as well as an oil olive ice cream (I was surprised, I really liked the ice cream) - I had a revisited strawberry tart - but it wasn't very "tarty" so was a bit disappointed, the taste was good, but not what I expected.

We had a lovely evening. I hope that they will do the same thing next year, maybe with more venues? It is a great idea and I think sharing through food is excellent.