Saturday 9th June

Today´s my last day in Jordan, I´m flying back to Dubai tomorrow. As my travel companions and I have seen the west and south of the country and the east is mainly desert, the only thing that´s missing is the north. We´ll be visiting Amman and Jerash.
 
2.5 million people live in the capital, that´s roughly one third of the population. Compared to neighbouring Damascus and Cairo that are rich in antiquity, Amman is a simple city - grand Islamic architecture is rare. Not however Roman ruins. Scattered amid the many thousand box-shaped limestone houses are several remainders of Philadelphia - the city´s name during the second century BC when it belonged to the Roman Empire. Philadelphia was not only built in the grand Roman style with a theater, forum and temples, Philadelphia like Rome is also situated on several hills. Modern Amman spreads across over more than 50 of them, making it hard to explore the city by foot.

For now, we leave Amman behind and take a bus to Jerash, a wonderfully preserved Roman city - one of Jordan´s most popular and beautiful tourist attractions. Jerash is located roughly 50km north of Amman, and is one of the Middle East´s finest examples of a Roman provincial city. It surprises me how very well preserved it is. It´s like walking through little Rome!
 
Tour guide Mohammad and I walk through the entrance of the site where Hadrian´s Arch towers over us. We make our way through it and take a left to the hippodrome. This ancient sports complex that reminds me of the Circus Maximus was able to seat 15,000 spectators, chearing at their favorite chariot driver.

Then there´s the Forum, also called the Oval Plaza. It served as a market place and assembly point, where speeches were held and sacrifices made. From here, a colonnaded street, the Cardo Maximus leads to the North Gate of Jerash. I trott along, sweating under the midday sun. Mohammad had given up even before we reached the Forum, so I´ll go searching for the famous swaying column in the Temple of Artemis on my own.
 
The temple, honoring Zeus´ daughter, the Greek goddess of fertility and hunting, is flanked by 11 elaborately carved Corinthian columns. I was told there is one column that sways, and has done so for 2000 years. Two boys selling tea and Arabic coffee lead me to the spot. They stuck a spoon in between the column and its foot - and indeed, the spoon is gently being lifted up and down while one of the youngsters leans against the column.
 
After visiting Jerash, I eat what is probably the best Arabic meal I ever had. The lamb cubes, freshly baked bread and hummos are sensational. A fantastic boost of energy to be able to explore Amman by foot. Funnily enough, Amman is not on our official tour itinerary. But since I cannot leave Jordan without at least once walking through its streets and getting a feel for the city, I persuade Mohammad to take me and three others from my group to his favorite neighbourhood: the area around King Talal Street.
 
This is exactly what I was looking for: we´ve seen so many tourist attractions in the past few days that now I crave to see the people. The streets are wonderfully chaotic, smelly and dirty. This city´s got character! Of course there´s a tourist gift shop here and there, but right next to it is a bakery, a herb shop or a vegetable stand where local women do their shopping. As far as I can see, there are no other tourists around. I really stand out doing my paparazzi thing and taking millions of pictures. My travel companions are much less enthusiastic, probably because they´re from Jakarta. They´re used to doing their shopping on such street markets.

But what they smile about is the local cinema: I never would have guessed that in this wooden shed Mohammad points to, they´ll be playing a movie tonight. It´s light years away from Dubai´s cinemas - that´s for sure. But, again, it´s got character!

This is how I can best summarise my trip to and around Jordan. It´s got character. This tour was one of the finest and most educating I have ever been on. Jordan is a lively country, with lots of culture and hospitality, friendly people and beautiful, stunning nature. I felt safe and I felt welcome. It was a wonderful experience.

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