Leaving the airport of Amman, Jordan, the bus sped by miles of desert as the back window beside my seat rattled incessantly. Our guide pointed out interesting sights along the route while our driver remained focused on delivering us safely to the hotel before dinner. The early afternoon sun shone down upon the sandy, arid landscape where abandoned concrete outbuildings sporadically appeared along the highway. Small green bushes rose up from the barren wilderness providing a feast to nearby herds of sheep that seemed to disappear into the dust as the motor coach raced down the open road.
We were traveling the King Hussain Highway towards our destination for the night, where we would stay at The Regency Palace Hotel in downtown Amman. Small villages appeared on occasion providing a brief glimpse into the everyday lives of the Jordanians. Coffee shops, mini marts and automobile repair services were in abundance while wedding shops displayed beautiful gowns through second story windows. On occasion, space opened up between the buildings exposing a deep valley with additional outcropped structures and skyscrapers standing within the basin.
With over four million inhabitants living in Amman and its surrounding towns, this large city appears like any other with tall buildings, rush hour traffic and a beautiful urban skyline. The city continues to grow with the addition of over 50,000 Syrian immigrants settling into Jordan each year.
It was a long day, so most of us took some time to relax before dinner. Searching for a scenic view, I explored the hotel’s rooftop bar which looked as though it had not been used for days. A glass door led to the entrance where chairs were overturned and heat lamps had been left on their sides. Empty glasses rested on the bar and crumpled up napkins scattered on the sticky floor. I was drawn to the north side of the building where I could hear cheers coming from the local football (soccer) stadium. Peering over the edge of a glass partition, I hoped to catch a glimpse of the sports field but was caught off guard by the Muslim call to prayer coming from the minarets of the local mosque. The spectacular hues of pinks and oranges poured out from the cloudy skyline as the sun began to set in the distance, The wind began to pick up and the temperature dropped dramatically as soon as the sun disappeared into the horizon.
The buffet style dinner at the Regency Palace consisted of local cuisine including hummus, and a number of salads with cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Bowls of fresh and grilled vegetables were filled with eggplant, coleslaw, baba ghanoush and falafel. For the main course, I couldn’t resist the panko-fried fish which was cooked to perfection.
Our guides announced that we would be departing for Petra in the morning and that they would arrange an early wake up call for 6:30 in the morning. i could hardly contain my excitement knowing that we were in for quite the adventure filled with camels, Bedouins and a historical review of this beautiful World Heritage Site.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Jordan? Where were some of the places you visited and what was your most memorable experience? I would love to hear about your adventures if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my unforgettable trip to Jordan and check out my upcoming posts about the breathtaking site of Petra! Wishing you many Happy Travels!
Where to Stay:
The Regency Palace Hotel Amman
Queen Alya Street
Sport City Road
Amman, 11110, Jordan
Telephone: +962 6 560 7000