Amman, City of Hills and City of Change

By the time we’ve settled in to the Toledo Hotel there’s limited evening time left so we head straight for the renowned Al-Rainbow Street, one of Amman’s livelier quarters. It’s both fun, and a lesson, people watching during the evening here, so we take a seat by an open window in a shisha bar and watch the world go by. Dress codes are changing; it’s easy to see the differences in generations as the young dress in a distinctly western influenced style, whilst their parents, mothers in particular, are more traditional. Evolution is in evidence before your eyes as attitudes change.

Despite its ancient origins, Amman really grew as a city during the 20th century to the sizeable sprawl which it is today. Its historic sites are dotted around the centre, penned in by the hillsides dominated by concrete hulks, though the Citadel still stands above it all on the highest hill. 

With Jordan, and Amman, having retained their status as the safe haven in this troubled region, the city is now home to emigrees from more war torn countries: there are over half a million Syrian refugees now living in Amman. 

Amman itself is ridiculously hilly. Built originally on seven hills, like Rome, it has now sprawled to cover over twenty. And boy are these proper hills, most of the streets are ridiculously steep and you are rarely on the level. Buildings stack up the hillside one above the other; even our hotel has reception on street level, but seven floors of bedrooms  beneath it, as the building clings to the steep slope. Streets which look adjacent on the map turn out to be separated by a huge flight of steps; neighbouring properties are on completely different levels. 

Today we head to the Citadel, perched high on the highest hill looking across the sprawling city, the views from this walled ancient site fantastic, we can see how expansive the city is from here and have a birds eye view of the amphitheatre and odeon in the valley below. The Citadel itself is interesting, comprising of a number of historic buildings which clearly would have been spectacular in their time.  We walk amongst these ruins, the Umayyad Palace, the Byzantine Basilica and a handful of columns remaining of the Temple of Hercules still standing proud against the skyline looking over the city below. As with many countries outside of the UK, we are able clamber on these ancient buildings, stand where ancient civilisations stood, touch the carvings on the pillars, we can feel the history and be absorbed in the atmosphere much more stimulating than just looking at them from afar.

The Citadel site has been occupied since the Bronze Age, through numerous civilisations but most notably, in turn, the Romans, the Byzantines and the Umayyads.

Our walk of the city continues down the hillsides through narrow streets   and up and down untold numbers of steep steps until we reach downtown Amman and its souks, a myriad of market stalls and shops.  The food market awakens our senses, the sights, the smells, the sounds, the bustle; produce of all sorts, the spices a heady scent, the call to prayer from the nearby Mosque, the noise is intense and exciting. 

Hashem Restaurant is an Amman institution, serving falafel and hummus lunches for over 50 years, so of course we have to do it, and enjoy its lively atmosphere as much as the excellent food. It puts us in mind of Nizam’s in Kolkata: an old established family restaurant still serving its original fayre to a roughly equal mix of locals and visitors, and proudly displaying its heritage throughout the premises. It’s a “must do” whilst in Amman.

As darkness falls we set off for our evening out heading again for Rainbow Street, we climb the steep steps from downtown and as we near the top we look out across the valley towards the sparking lights of the city, the Mosques again begin their call to prayer. We can hear at least four of the many Mosques from where we stand, their tuneful songs mesmerising as they echo around the hills of the city. It is absolutely spine tingling, once again we are absorbed in the atmosphere of this magical and haunting moment.