Amman: Last Day In Jordan

The first person we talked to on arrival ten days ago was the very helpful guy at Omaish Car Rental, and he expressed surprise that we were planning to spend two days in Amman, saying there wasn’t much there and we should be heading out to Jerash instead. We laughed and said we’d find plenty to do.

You know what? He was right. Once you’ve visited the Citadel and the Roman amphitheatre, Amman is a city pretty much going about its own business and does not have a host of other attractions. Apart, that is, from its unusual setting amongst the steep hills, and the soundtracks of its mosques and souqs. We think it’s fair to say that visitors would be ready to move on after a weekend here.

So it’s our last day in Amman and Jordan, we visit the Odeon then climb the huge steps of the Roman amphitheatre where we take the highest seats and stay for a while enjoying the warm sun whilst taking in the views of the city, and enjoy shawarma, the best of Amman street food. We wander aimlessly through the souks, we buy spices to replenish our store cupboard at home, saffron and dried limes, it’s all so cheap here. We buy trinkets to take home and test our bartering skills, we hear that they don’t shift much on their price here, its true! We are usually pretty good as a team but here we could only negotiate small discounts, it’s very different to the bartering satisfaction we encounter in the likes of North Africa and Turkey. That said, we are still happy with the deals we make.

It’s our last evening, we head down town, in daylight there appears to be very few restaurants/cafes, however, once darkness falls over Amman and the lights come on, a walk from Al Husseiny Mosque through to Prince Mohammed Street reveals a number of eateries, never at ground level, always on the higher floors, the entrance hidden in narrow alleyways. We choose Jafra Restaurant, a huge dining room with a covered balcony.  The atmosphere is loud, locals abound, all ages. The air heavy but fragrant with the number of shishas being smoked, a musician playing the lute.  The food is good, service great, the perfect place to enjoy the hospitality of the Jordanian people one last time. 

We need extra time to clear security here, making the start of our journey home an early one before dawn. So it’s farewell to Jordan, to mint teas, falafel and hummus, and in particular it’s goodbye to this stunning country and its welcoming and hospitable people.

Another brilliant trip.