Amman, Jordan

Amman, Jordan

Leaving Wadi Rum was heart-wrenching because we will never have another chance to be there. We were headed for Amman, Jordan, not knowing that we were going to have a flat-out astounding experience. We arrived at Jarash, which earned its nickname “Pompeii” of the east. Jarash is a Greco-Roman city in Northern Jordan and is located 30 miles north of the capital city Amman.

Whenever I thought or heard about Jordan, visions of trouble in the area haunted me.  I didn’t know about the history, culture, or what a melting pot and a special place it has in the hearts of Middle Easterners. Its neighbors include Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, making it a country surrounded by a tumultuous region.

After traveling through the Dead Sea area, Petra, and Wadi Rum, our first stop was Jarash, and our guide told us that it is described as a city of ruins. But no one could be fooled that it is the best-preserved Roman city in the world, and I can easily say that it is a close second to Petra, and yet not many people know how impressive it is.

On our way to Amman, we stopped at Jarash, the best-preserved archaeological site in the world. Here you can see some of the best ruins in Jarash.

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We stopped for lunch, where they served delicious food. I will post two of those recipes, Galayet bandora, and maqluba, on my food blog, which seemed to be a riff on an Indian recipe. We were starving and gorged ourselves on these delicious treats.

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Romans constructed a citadel in Amman. Citadel is a historical site at the center of downtown Amman, The capital of Jordan. Citadel boasts an importance in history because it was occupied by many great civilizations. The major buildings at the site are the Temple of Hercule-the most significant Roman structure-,a Byzantine church, and the Ummayad Palace. We also visited the Jordan Archeological Museum, which was built on the hill in 1951.

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The Temple of Hercule was dedicated to the supreme Roman deity. Hercule was the son of Zeus and a mortal woman and was known for his supernatural physical strength.

The Hand of Hercule is the name given to a massive hand fragment unearthed by archaeologists in Amman, Jordan.

Raghadan Flagpole is a free-standing, 126.8-meter tall steel flagpole on the grounds of Raghadan Palace at the Royal compound of Al-Maquar. It is clearly visible from Citadel Hill.

Roman theater was built in 2nd-century when the city was known as Philadelphia, and it borders Hashemite Plaza from the South. It also gives a clear view of downtown Amman.

Ummayad Palace was built during the reign of Ummayad Caliph Hisham, between 724 and 743 AD, and was used as an Administrative center and governor’s residence. It is considered the most famous archeological building in the whole of Amman. In 1998 a modern wooden dome was built for modern cultural events. The most significant part of the whole Palace edifice is the audience hall. It is a huge complex where you could easily get lost.

This was the end of our trip to the Middle East with Gate 1 Travels. It was impossible to know which destination topped the list. Every city or site we got to seemed better than the last one we were at, and it was just as painful to depart from each one.

I began to wonder whether we would have done as well without the planning of the travel company; in our case, it was Gate 1 Travels. They were our personal shoppers and designers. They somehow knew what we liked and disliked by choosing destinations for travelers rather than tourists. It felt as though they created the whole trip to match our desires. I came to the conclusion that travel companies are absolute essentials for the quintessential travelers.

At this point, it seems apt to end this blog with a quote from Ibn Battuta:

Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a story teller.

Click here for Jornaian Tomato sauce