It's a land of amazing monuments, natural wonders, and archaeological sites said to date back to 10,000 B.C.!

This country sounds quite fascinating . I read there are archaeological sites dating back thousands of years. I hope to see some of them!

Jordan is one of the safer countries to travel to in this part of the world, at least at the present. I saw a few signs of military presence while in Jordan, but not that much really. 

Jordan is bordered by Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and has good relations with the U.S. and U.K. Nevertheless, tourism has suffered here because of the dangers in the surrounding countries.

Here are some things about Jordan I found interesting that you might like to know:

 *The currency is the Jordanian Dinar. 1 JOD = $1.41 U.S. and the official language is Arabic.

 *Jordan is a Muslim country.

*There is a call to prayer for the Muslims starting around 5:30 a.m. (Some days I heard them start at 4:30 a .m. Maybe just for my benefit?) The call to prayer, played over loud-speakers, can be heard all over the city 5 times a day. People can find any quiet place to pray wherever they happen to be, except on Fridays at noon when they should go to a mosque. When the call to prayer starts you can see them kneel and bow wherever they happen to be on the streets. The last call is around 9 P.M. or a little later.

*In hotel rooms there are little arrows pasted on ceilings or desks and sometimes the floor, pointing toward Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is the most holy place of all for the Muslim religion. This is the direction the Muslim followers should kneel to pray. Mecca is the birthplace of Muhammad and said to be the place of his first revelation of the Quran.  So, you will see the little arrows all over the place pointing in the right direction!

*The lowest point on earth is in Jordan, the Dead Sea. It is 400m (1,312 feet) below sea level.

*The Jordan landscape is dramatic! There are olive groves and forests of pistachio and oak . There are mountains and awesome canyons. There is a lot of desert but also the Red Sea, with it's crystal clear waters! Yet, you can drive the entire country, top to bottom, in about 4 or 5 hours!

*Jordan has lots of open spaces. 90% of the people live on only 10% of the land.

*The buildings all have flat roofs!

 *The weekend is Friday and Saturday.

* I only saw one dog while in Amman. I read where they are considered unclean animals and therefore not a favorite pet. I do not know if that is the reason or not. But, there are a lot of cats running around!

Scattered across 7 major hills (called Jabels) is the capital city of Amman, Jordan, with a population of 2.7 million Jordanians!
 
Immediately I notice a similarity between the Middle East and SE Asia. Their driving techniques are the same! They drive all over the road or up on the sidewalks, if needed . But, that is where the similarities seem to stop. 
 
The difference is here it is not motorbikes congesting the streets. It's bumper to bumper cars on the small streets. Often there are no lane markers, and at intersections the vehicles just weave their way through it.
 
I am also reminded of Quito, Ecuador when I walk the streets in Amman. Everything is going either up or down. Steep, small streets, often without sidewalks. They give you a workout walking anywhere and a little excitement as you compete with cars for the little space on the street!

There are a lot of taxis on the streets and the locals use them to get around. I think they are inexpensive to take, at least for the locals. They seem to use them like they would a city bus. 

One thing I sample in every country is the coffee. Sometimes it is great and somtimes not so much. I got a cup of it from a street vendor early one morning. It is spiced with a flavor that is really interesting . Whatever it is gives the coffee a little punch. I will research that more. 

But, I discovered you can just drink the first 2/3 of it. The rest is like grainy sand and not intended to be swallowed. If using real cups, I think you are supposed to turn it upside down on a small plate when you finish so the grains can drain out. But, I was using a paper cup and just threw it all away! I like it. It was good. But the grainy residue in the bottom caught me by surprise. After I wiped the last drink out of my mouth and discarded the cup, I reminded myself the next time not to try to drink it all.
 
As I look at the photos I took in Amman, I am a little surprised. The things I once immediately took photos of now are starting to seem commonplace and I do not even think about photgraphing them, like the people and small streets and open-air markets! So, I do not seem to have taken many photos of the city of Amman. Maybe I am becoming a seasoned traveler?
 
Next: "The Temple of Hercules!"