Jordan – Amman

Amman, Jordan

Use Amman as a base to explore the rest of the country. It is well connected, with a great coach network and an excellent road system – which is exactly what I did and very successfully too. The city is home to the biggest and most complete Roman amphitheatre I have ever seen, with a smaller one just next door – greedy or what ! The city is nestled on hills and scenic views can be had from the amazing Citadel atop one – take your cameras as the vistas are spectacular. The main Mosque is of a modernist colourful design and worth the trip. Do not miss the national museum in its modern building and setting.

Amman as a base to see Jordan

My stay in Amman was part of my trip to Jordan where I also visited:

 Petra, (Click here for review)

Madaba/Mt Nebo, (click here for info)

Jerash and Ajloun, (click here for info).

On this same trip to The Middle East I also visited a total of 10 other locations in Egypt and Lebanon. Find the places I went to under those countries on my destinations page

Jordan Pass.

Before I go into depth on Amman, I want to pass on some great info about saving money and time in Jordan. I knew was going to visit lots of sites in Jordan and came across “The Jordan Pass”, (click here for info). https://www.jordanpass.jo

This is a physical pass you print off, (you can also download it onto your phone) and pay for online in advance.

It costs from 70 JD and gives you free entry into 40 of Jordan’s tourist attractions. It includes many in Amman, as well as Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum, all big tourist “must sees”, and much more. I worked out that I would be visiting at least 9 of the sites on the list which charge entry of anything from 3 -7 JD each for entry, plus a visit to Petra which is 50 JD alone for a day (more if you do continuous multiple visits).

I also saw that when you buy this pass in advance of arriving in Jordan and are staying at least 3 nights (which I was), you get a free Visa. You simply present the pass at the airport on arrival and the authorities award you a free entry Visa (normally costing 40 JD). That’s assuming you are from a country that has a visa on arrival agreement (and I was).

So, I did the maths and worked out that my entrance fees would cost me around 50 JD, Petra would be 50 JD, Visa would be 40 JD, so a total of 140 JD.
The Jordan Pass costs 70 JD and included all of the above costs. No-brainer …. I bought it immediately.

You also get free downloadable digital brochures covering all of Jordan’s tourist attractions, so I could read about the sites as I walked round them. You also get to bypass the ticket lines with the pass, for quick entry.

The Jordan Pass is valid for use within 12 months from date of purchase. But it will automatically expire after 2 weeks of the first time it is scanned in the first tourist attraction.

If, like me, you are going to see lots in Jordan then the pass if definitely worth it. If you are going to Petra, even better (it is expensive to get in at 50 JD for a day and 5 JD more each day for a max of a 3 day visit there). Need a Visa, think about the 40 JD cost!

I was so glad I bought the pass, really wished I was staying longer and seeing more as I could have saved so much more.

A word of warning. Ensure you print off more copies in case you lose it. It gets validated from the first day of use but it is scanned and recorded at each site so they can see when it was first used. If you lose the pass they do not reissue you with another. Even better keep a phone app copy as well. I got mine soaked by the rain one day in Amman and luckily my spare copy came in useful.

Click here for Jordan Pass info https://www.jordanpass.jo

How to get from Amman airport to Amman city centre

By Bus/coach.

The coach to Amman picks up and sets down right outside the main terminal. Go outside and you will see what is a small roofed kiosk with a ticket selling window.

Buy tickets on the day as there is no online booking system. Price was about 6 JD. Both my journeys to and from Amman were fairly quiet, numbers-wise, so maybe it is not that well known about. Ask if you can’t see it at tourist info but it is fairly obvious. Amman airport bus info here

Amman buses (usually yellow coaches with the Sariya wording on the side) depart every 30 minutes from 6:30 am to 6:00 pm, and every 60 minutes from 6:00 pm to 00:00 am. Click here for Sariya bus info. Travel time is 45-60 mins depending on traffic and go to Tabarbour bus station in the north of central Amman but also stops at various places along the way.

If your hotel is near the 4th, 5th, 6th or 7th Circle road interchanges in Amman then ask for the stop and to be told as otherwise you will travel all the way into the city only to have to catch a taxi back out again. Buses vary between a big modern coach and an oldish minivan depending on the service.

For the return trip back to the airport from Amman Tabarbour bus station, look for a small row of shops in one corner of the open air bus station.

There is a unit that looks like a glass fronted old waiting room/office with a tall counter in it – this is where you buy your ticket (no signage outside so I had to ask people several times for the ticket office for the bus to Amman airport).

The bus back was in an older brown coloured minivan. Click here for Sariya bus info

Be aware that the taxi tricksters will tell you that the bus is not operating to trick you into taking a taxi. Ignore them.

By Taxi.

If you want to take a taxi from the airport into cenral Amman, then in general it costs between 25-35 JD. Best to book online in advance or you will be haggling with tricky taxi drivers at the airport even though it is supposed to be a pretty much fixed price to the centre.

How to get around Amman.

This has always been an issue when visiting Jordan, and especially Amman, as the public bus transport system within cities is not comprehensive and is somewhat fragmented. It’s mainly geared to the local populace with little info easily available to a travelling tourist/visitor and bus stations can be crowded and confusing.

If you don’t know exactly which bus you are looking for then I would avoid it. Buses are often unnumbered or unmarked, are the minibus variety and stops are often not obvious or marked either.

There is no Metro or tram system in Amman. 

So again, a vital and usual form of transport for many foreigners back home is not available in Amman.

There are no public railways in Amman or all of Jordan, despite the decades old promises to build one. There is a heritage railway from Amman to outlying towns but it is a tourist trap one with a desert show included, so no use if you are a genuine travelling tourist.

Taxis in Amman.

Taxis are the most common form of transport in Amman and are more than plentiful. Polluting, I know, but they are the only reliable form of transport to get around Amman and outlying areas of the city.

Amman taxis are metered but ensure they put the meter on as several tried to negotiate a price unmetered. If they do this then they are either a car looking and acting like a taxi but are non-metered, or in rare cases trying to avoid putting the meter on. If it is broken then don’t get in or stop the taxi as they are trying to get a (usually higher) casual price.

I had a mixture of the both as even if I got into an unmetered taxi, I knew how much the trip should cost within Amman. I would tell the driver what I would pay if they tried that trick.

Do be aware of rogue taxis from the bus stations. They approach foreigners and others getting off the buses from other cities or the airport offering taxi services and then try various “meter broken” or non -metered tricks or charge way over the top prices. I avoid these as they are invariably tricksters. Walk out of the station and hail down a taxi in the street and then check first if the taxi has a meter and insist it gets put on, if not walk away.

Scary taxi incident in Amman- be warned

I had my only nasty taxi experience in Amman at Tabarbour, the northern main bus station. Not knowing as I do now, I was approached by a taxi guy and I said I needed to get to my hotel, gave its name and ensured he knew where it was. He then took me to a taxi and handed me over to another guy – strange. I got in and checked he knew where my hotel was to which he said yes.

As I sat down another person joined the driver in the front seat (his mate), again strange I thought. I asked for the meter to go on 3 times before he did it. Not convinced he was going in the right direction, I turned on my maps.me phone app and started tracking his journey (knowing where my hotel in Amman was on the map).

I stopped him as it was clear he was going in the wrong direction. I told him this was not the way to the hotel. He then asked me the name of the street where the hotel was and again asked my hotel name. I then gave him a print out of the hotel and street and it felt clear he was taking me deliberately in the opposite direction to increase the time/fare.

He said he was going on the correct street but I showed him on my phone map that he was going in the opposite direction, even further away from the hotel than the bus station was. It was clear he had no idea where the hotel was. I asked him to stop to get out. He asked where the hotel was and I said I had checked already that he knew it and now he was asking me for directions which was not good.

I looked around and saw that we had stopped in an area of Amman void of people and traffic so I was reluctant to get out despite the warning signs. He wanted to take my phone to see the map and I refused now suspecting he would hold on to it as ransom. I pointed on the map and pointed the way. He restarted the journey and I asked him to reset the meter as we were now passing the bus station again through his fault.

At the journey’s end he stopped some 100 metres from the hotel on the street, pointed at the hotel in the far distance and said the price was 27 JD. I corrected him and said that was wrong, as it was 2.7 dinar. Knowing the journey should be no more than 4 JD from reading up and any general taxi ride from the centre to most hotels should not be more than 5 JD. I also knew that the taxi from the airport 16km away to the hotel was 25 JD having obtained several quotes. This guy was a trickster.

Amman taxis prices are metered in piastre of the dinar (like cents in a dollar or pence in a pound so 27 piastre on the meter equated to 2.70 dinar (JD). I insisted he took me to the hotel door drive in and he refused saying I have to get out here, despite the hotel being on a main road and he would have to go past it for his route back into town (realising that at the hotel I would argue with him call help and he would be confronted with hotel staff).

I refused to pay that amount and said I wanted my bag – checking that his mate now got out I prepared for a fight (stupid I know). So I got out also, so as not to be hemmed in in case they jumped me and I could shout for help at the nearby passing people. I refused to pay till he gave me my bag which they were holding onto. His mate seemed more reasonable and seemed uneasy. I stood tall – I am 6 feet tall and well built (ex green belt judo, so I felt confident) and was so enraged I was ready – stupid again as they may have had a weapon.

The driver sarcastically said “Welcome to Jordan” with a sardonic grimace and said he wanted the money. He tried to grab my jumper in anger but I pushed his hand away and quickly grabbed my bag from the other guy in the confusion. The other guy backed off (I think surprised at my agility and willingness to confront, perhaps realising I wasn’t going to go easily.) I threw a note at the driver which was over the 2.7 dinar price anyhow, which landed on his lap and as he looked down, I walked briskly away, listening for footsteps behind me but just heard the car move away so I checked they were not coming in my direction.

As I got to the hotel, I stated to shake slightly as the realisation of what I had just done hit me – I could have been stabbed or beaten up in the confrontation – how stupid of me to not have just gone to the street outside as advised. In the tiredness of travelling all day from Cairo I forgot the pre read warnings about taxis at the station.

I later read up and saw that this practice was commonplace at the two Amman bus stations and so I pass on that, NEVER get a taxi from anyone approaching you in the bus station. Walk out onto the nearby streets and hail one (doing the checks I said previously).

I did a mental note that this event must not blemish my stay in Jordan as from what I had read this was not typical behaviour of Jordanians – I just got unlucky in a situation I should have been more savvy in.

When I told the hotel check in what had happened, they were surprised and genuinely embarrassed about the event.

I went on to really love Jordan and this story is just a warning, it can happen anywhere in the world, do not let it taint your view of this fabulous country.

Where I stayed in Amman, Jordan.

I stayed at the Meneur Hotel, in the north of the city, click here for hotel website. I chose this hotel because it had received consistently good reviews, was really cheap for a 4 star hotel (I always wonder why that is and hope for the best) and was on a main road into the city so there would be availability of taxis driving by.

Strangely it is now a 3 star and no reviews online in a year, so maybe something has happened. It did concern me that with no real public transport, that a traveller would understand it would be difficult to walk into town and the taxi situation.

Turns out that taxis are fairly easy to come by in this part of Amma,as they pass the hotel on the main road . However they are much less frequent in the early morning when I needed to be at a bus station at 6am for a day trip.

This was a bit scary one morning when I waited over 20 mins for one to appear AND stop so I may consider one in the centre of Amman next time (but at a much higher cost). The hotel was good, breakfast and the eve meals were good and the staff helpful. Rooms were great, stylish enough but a little dated and very comfy with great wifi and TV.

The only issue was it doubled as a wedding venue so on two nights I had loud wedding reception music until about 11pm and my room was on the floor above. Cigarette smoke crept up the stairwell from below and was smell-able in the corridor but luckily not the room.

I didn’t request to move as there was another wedding on the top floor ballroom so effectively I was sandwiched between the two. This was disturbing one night when I decamped to the bar to use my laptop for the evening till it all stopped around 11:00pm and went quiet.

Would I stay here again in Amman – possibly, but not at the weekend when events happen in the public rooms and maybe I want somewhere nearer to centre if I can find it at a good price.

Use JETT for day trips from Amman. 

Another snippet of great info – If you want to use Amman as a base to explore other cities/places then look up JETT Tours, (click here for info)

There are no trains in Jordan and this company is the nearest they have to a national coach company. You would have to hire a car otherwise. It specialises in coaches to tourist and other attractions, is inexpensive, modern and safe. They have loads of places to get to and often have day trips that visit 3-4 places on the trip and drop you back in Amman.

You can use them for a day trip to Petra as I did, (click here for info on this trip) or to see a couple of places in one day as I did in Jerash and Ajloun, (click here for info on this trip) or Madaba, Mt Nemo and Jesus’s baptism site, (click here for info).

There is no guide, the coach takes you to the entrance of the site, you get off have 1/2/3 hours at the site depending on the schedule, you re-board and off you go to the next site. You self-guide yourself, which is really easy and you get back to Amman usually between 4 and 6pm in the evening.

They also have coaches from Amman to Aqaba and if you are a serious long-distance tripper even to Jerusalem, Cairo and Saudi Arabian cities (not a day trip!). I used three of their trips and it was so, so good and easy. I thoroughly recommend them.

The Citadel Hill Area, Amman.

This site is included for free entry in the Jordan Pass. The Amman Citadel is located on the highest of the seven hills of Amman, with the hill dating back to the Neolithic period. It is an important site because it has had a long history of occupation by many great civilizations.

Most of the buildings still visible at the site are from the Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods but with traces from the Middle Bronze Age (1650-1550 BC)

During the Iron Age, the Amman Citadel was called Rabbath-Ammon – where its present name comes from and over time was occupied by Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians. When it was conquered by the Greeks in 331 BC, the city was renamed Philadelphia.

The site became Roman around 30 BC, and finally came under Muslim Umayyad rule in AD 661. It thus had quite an ancient history.

The Citadel declined in importance under Ayyubid rule in the 13th century, but a watchtower was added to the site during this period. Needless to say the Citadel of Amman is considered to be among the world’s oldest continuously inhabited places.

On site are the ruins of the Temple of Hercules, Foundations and walls of the Arabic Royal residence, a market square and ruins of the Mosque.

Ceremonial Gateway building, Amman.

The big attraction is the Ceremonial Gateway building. You can’t miss it as it is largely intact with a big blue dome.

Inside the roof has been restored to its magnificent wooden intricate design and the walls are still ornately carved (with parts restored).

Take time to wander the whole of this large site as the views from different parts of the hill over central Amman and beyond are outstanding and really give you a great perspective and insight into the layout of the city. You can see down to the two Roman theatres from here and across to the central buildings in the distance.

National Archaeological Museum, Amman, Jordan.

To one side is a little museum. I say little but this used to be the main archaeological museum of Amman until the new one (more on that later) was built a mile away.

It is full of finds from the site with beautifully carved stone items, mosaics and statues of all periods. It’s an eclectic mix, in a rather dated but perfectly functional 1950s style collection of rooms.

Whilst it is small, it is quite full of some beautiful pieces. Give yourself plenty of time here therefore, to take in the many and intricate pieces.

It was included in my Jordan Pass so that was an even better incentive to visit.

When you leave here, take a taxi (which are usually lined up outside the entrance gate) or, as I did,walk down the hill using the many long series of steps between buildings to get to the bottom of the Citadel Hill, to arrive at Hashemite Plaza.

I use an app on my phone called maps.me (click here) to get around cities and it was invaluable in Amman. It gives you not only the streets but these walkways and stepped passageways between the main roads and that will save you lots of time in shortcuts.

Amman Roman Theatre.

After I had descended countless steps, I arrived at the modern Hashemite Square that held the Amman Roman Theatre in front, and the Odeon Theatre, to one side. This is probably the most famous site in Amman and rightly so as it has a 6,000 people capacity, steeply stepped theatre, virtually intact from roman times. It was built around 140 AD, into the side of another hill.

Before, I was at the Citadel Hill looking down on this structure and now, I am here looking up at the Citadel.

It is still used today for major events and festivals and the acoustics are so good even today to rival many modern theatres.

I had heard about the story that you can stand at one side of the base of the spectator area, speak normally into the curved wall and a person at the other end of the semi-circular wall, could hear every word easily. I was sceptical but watched as one person went to one end of the probably 50 metre curved wall stood listening and his mate talked into the curve of the wall at the other end and saw the other person gleefully give the thumbs up that he could hear him …. It’s true after all.

I climbed to the very top of the theatre to get shots from there of the surrounding area of residential Amman and down onto the stage, which is still perfectly preserved with its doorways, columns and arches.

I really was not expecting this, as such a big Roman building in a very Arabic area of the world seemed out of place. It just shows how influential the Roman empire was in its day.

Odeon Theatre, Amman.

Next door, across the modern Hashemite Plaza in front, is another theatre – virtually the same but much smaller, seating only 500 people. It was built at roughly the same time as its big brother – I guess theatre was popular in the days of the 2nd Century Roman Empire!

It feels more cosy and the stage area is just as perfectly preserved with the added feature that its backstage area is still covered and has doorways onto the plaza.

From here it is a short walk to another Roman building/ruin

The Nymphaeum, Amman.

Here are the remains of what was a huge central water pool suppling water to the city. It was locked up on my visit day despite the signs and opening hours published saying it would be open, so I could only get a few shots from afar. It was only restored in 2015 and to be honest still looks very ramshackle and obscure in what it actually is.

I looked at it for a few minutes but actually thought it was not worth a detour to see, as it is a mixed-up real ruin. Luckily it was on the way to where I wanted to go anyway. Personally I wouldn’t make a detour to see it otherwise, from what little I saw was left of it.

Wild Jordan Centre, Amman.

My next place was a coffee stop and I had heard of this newish hip, trendy modern building. It doubles as a café, study area, craft and food shop, function room/mini conference centre/events areas and conservation building. It also has a small boutique (expensive) hotel etc and had views over the city. Click here for Centre info .

The Centre is owned by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. It is part of a big nature conservation organisation for Jordan with many other locations with hotels and restaurants that support families and environmental organisations in Jordan.

It was definitely trendy with a very Ikea, modern feel to the building and café, with fabulous views across the hills into Old Town Amman.

Patrons were mostly young intelligentsia of Amman, (apple laptops and social media events were everywhere) and I did feel a little old in there! The coffee and cake and the chance to rest in a clean, modern, air-conditioned café with relaxing sofas and table service, was however very enticing and a great choice for a pit-stop.

It felt however that I was in Denmark rather than Jordan from the affluent, young trendies here meeting is stark modern facilities! It does give a fabulous springboard to conservation, helps families, sells natural craftware and had the best carrot cake in Amman, so I do encourage you to give it a visit.

From here, it was a 30 mins walk along many residential streets on the hill to the adjacent hill for my next stop. Anyone who knows me, knows I love my walking and this walk gave me the chance to see how people lived in what type of buildings.

Many had been renovated and were clearly now nice houses to live in, some were abandoned but in perfect location for a redevelopment. It was interesting to see and hear locals going about their day among the shops, houses and streets.

The Jordan Museum.

I arrived after a long downhill walk and crossed the main road to the Jordan Museum. Click here for info . This museum is clearly in a new glass and stone building and the surrounding area contains government buildings, offices and a cultural centre. It is in a mini modern central hub of squares and important buildings that contrast with the older parts of the city nearby.

The museum tells the story of Jordanian history and archaeology through several thousands of years, so is quite extensive. It houses the artefacts of Roman, Byzantine and modern day history with large and small displays of historical finds and items.

I did enjoy meeting statues that are said to be the oldest forms of human imitation in the world.

It has permanent and temporary exhibitions and a wonderful modern setting and even a history of what Arab culture has brought to the world over the years, in interactive displays.

For the geeks amongst us, there was even a section on what the future of Jordan may look like. It took a while to see everything here so give yourself plenty of time. There is even a big library and a really nice gift shop and café.

My day was finished and from here I caught a taxi back to the hotel. Legs were aching and the ride rather than a walk home was a welcome relief – and at least this taxi driver knew my hotel and took me there straight away with no issues!

I planned the next day to visit a few places in Amman that were close to each other, so that I could easily walk from one to the other.

King Abdullah I Mosque, Amman.

I headed for this mosque first thing in the morning, to avoid any crowds and was surprised at its style. It is a quite modern mosque and was built as a memorial by the late King Hussein to his grandfather, in a contemporary slant on older themes.

The dome and minarets are there but the colouring is white and turquoise mosaics with square and rectangular uprights rather than many Arabic arches. It is marmite as many reviewers I’ve read hated the design but I liked its take on style.

The walkways and areas reminded me a little of the brutalist style of the Barbican in London but the colours took the edge off its functional approach. Entry to the mosque is via a small souk off the street and the usual attempts to sell stuff to tourists as they enter.

Have the correct fee ready as the attendant at the Mosque entry pretends to never have change. It’s the first time I have ever been charged as a tourist to enter a mosque but there it is, on a board, with the prices.

The attendant said he had no change for my 5 JD for the 2 JD entry fee, despite the three tourists in front of me paying their entrance in exact amounts that more than covered my change needed.

Crafty work indeed but get used to the “I have no change” so carry lots of coins. He seemed a little disappointed when I went into my pocket and found the exact entrance fee in coins.

The interior has a massive gold striped ceiling imitating the sun’s rays and a familiar circle pattern of hanging lamps similar to the famous mosques I had seen in Istanbul and Cairo. It was quite empty on my visit and people were allowed to sit on the floor and chat and I saw a few tourists, with their guide, seated here who was explaining the history of the mosque.

I noticed several people went to the middle of the main prayer room, lie down and look up at the central area of the massive dome. Guess what I did later? Yep. I got a great view of the painted ceiling encircled by the hanging lamps and I guess this was the photo opportunity of the mosque.

It was interesting to see the digital readout board of the prayer times on the wall that contrasted with the traditional styling and colours inside.

For a mosque there was strangely a lot of writing (in mosaics) on the outer walls of the building – no idea what it said as I can’t read Arabic but still interesting in a concept that I had never seen before.

Parliament, Mosque, Church and Law Courts standing together.

The Mosque stands next to the Law Courts and an interesting sight was the main entrance with men at typewriters on small tables. They all seemed ready to type up all sorts of documents that became necessary, I guess, for the attendees.

It looked like an open-air secretary pool and seemed out of place next to the modern court building in the age of emails and mobile phones.

These two buildings also sat next to the Parliament building which had a high concrete wall around it and only one wide entrance with guards. I was shouted at by a guard when I tried to take a photo of the Parliament Building who gesticulated that photos were not allowed.

Only the second time in 67 countries when that has happened in front of a Parliament Building! So to avoid starting an incident I simply crossed the street and took the same shot magnified from the opposite pavement next to the throngs of shoppers. Weird.

I noticed a large Christian Church opposite the Mosque and near the Law Courts. It was locked up, so I never got to go inside but it looked big from the outside.

There was a feeling that this was the central power area of Jordan. Perhaps it was something about Law, Religion and Govt buildings all being next to each other dominating this small area, in a show of monopoly of governance.

Abdali Project Area, Amman

Just around the corner was a huge modern development. It is called the Abdali Project and consists of an up-market shopping Mall, flashy residential apartments, offices and a multiplex cinema. The area has mini skyscrapers and a classy open area of restaurants, shops and buildings more akin to a low-rise New York or new-build Paris/London scene.

It is clearly Amman’s attempt at building a central modern core and judging by the number of security guards and controlled access points, was for the affluent elites and well-paid tourists to frequent.

It was very well built and in its contemporary way quite attractive but worlds away from the old town areas nearby. I used the Mall for a coffee and cake break and a peruse of the stylish stores, quite attractively merchandised.

One sweet store caught my eye and they even had a huge phone store where a helpful assistant showed me how to adjust a setting on my phone that had gone astray and I couldn’t work out how to re-adjust it back.

My last visit a short walk away was to be my last and I had reserved a few hours for this one, as I had heard it was stunning.

Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts.

This is actually two buildings set across opposite sides of a small artistic park in a nice residential area of private houses and embassies. One building has a permanent collection and also houses the ultra-trendy café, the other houses travelling and temporary exhibitions. Click here for museum website .

Think hipsters, young affluent student types carrying iPhones and well dressed in a café filled with shelves of free to read books, comfy sofas, and an outdoor terrace. It is a rustic wood and metal design interior with a Scandic look which would not be out of place in a well-to-do area of a European major city.

Drinks were on the expensive side but it was a case that the more wealthy people of Amman frequented this café.

The paintings and statues were brilliant. Mostly local Jordanian or Middle Eastern Artists and many others unknown but with clear huge future potential.

I loved the creative, modern works, largely in bold colours but also with an Arab influence of shapes and semi protest images. They were well laid out over several floors.

There now follows a stream of photos of these marvellous creations, so I have put them in a slider so you can skip it, if you are not into art, or watch it if you are.

The opposite building houses the temporary collections and that week there was a outstanding exhibition by a Jordanian woman artist that I enjoyed. Her works were so different to much that I had seen and in such variety of size, images and colour.

See her works below.

I did not envisage Amman as such a cultural hotbed. I loved this art galleryand land how this affluence contrasts with the traditional landscape of deserts and Arabic architecture of the country. Get here if you can because it is a must see in Amman.

So, my journey ends in Jordan. There is much more I wanted to see here, more towns and cities, more of the nature reserves and desert night scenery, more of the mountains and wildlife. It will have to wait for a second visit but I feel happy that I have captured the essence of the architecture, history, artworld and countryside of this fascinating Kingdom.

March 2019.