While I naively in my teens yearned to visit Jordan due to the fact that the country shared the same name as my childhood idol, Michael Jordan, it is a country that is probably most well known for its association with Indiana Jones. The elusive location of the illusory Holy Grail was purported to be in Petra...
But Jordan holds a beautiful place in my heart for the peaceful country and people, which is ironically located landlocked in between Syria and Egypt in the Middle East. However, Jordan holds claim for its peace and neutrality in the violent wars of recent past. It is true. Jordan is probably one of the cleanest and safest places I’ve visited on my trip. There is no enmity between people – peace to all.
It was quite the pleasant nature to land in Amman from the chaotic scenery of neighboring Egypt. The airport granted a personable great first impression with westernized amenities and organization that seemed so foreign a day earlier. I let out a refreshing sigh of joyous pleasure as I let myself go in one of their western toilets. But outrageously expensive prices! Jordan was quite expensive as I paid my $57 visa (and later $14 exit fee). And what’s tricky about Jordan is that the Jordanian Dollar (JD) is stronger than the dollar (0.70JD to $1USD at the time), so it appears as if everything is cheap while equipped with the mindset that you are in the Middle East.
I pouted and handed over my dollars to the immigration officer, who offered no empathy whatsoever and subsequently headed towards the bus terminal with an innate, immature anger that a spoiled kid would possess if he didn't get what he wanted. I was headed towards the capital, Amman, ecstatic that Ramadan would be ending that day, and I could finally stuff myself with falafels during the day without feeling guilty. I arrived towards my $11 dorm hostel to the relief of an AC dorm filled with cool and mature folks vs. the near-empty, hot and clammy hostels of Egypt. I plumped myself on my bunk bed thinking how nice and calm Jordan was compared to Egypt. It felt like paradise on desert. I then fell into a deep nap at that pleasant thought...
And woke up several hours later in a drowsy state, stomach growling, but soon forcefully woke myself up like a kid on Christmas day at the thought that it was dinner time and Ramadan was ending soon! I plopped myself up, readied myself to start regaining those lost pounds in the past month, and raced towards the popular Hashem restaurant down the block known for its falafels. It was packed, and I had to sit next to strangers who luckily didn’t stare at me like most people, “What the hell is this lone Asian doing here?” They were most likely also happily anticipating the end of Ramadan as well, with plates of food ready in front of them and forks and knives ready for the killing. The music started playing and people cheered and started slaying their foods. So did I. It was a feast. It was a wondrous celebration to end a month-long streak of simplicity and spiritual detox. Streets were filled with people cheering, munching, and gulping like monsters while dressed in their newest and finest attire to mark the end of the glorious Ramadan. To say I was happy that I could eat again was an understatement.
A few days in Amman are pretty good for the average tourist. There’s really not much to do. But one cannot go to Jordan and not visit the Dead Sea and float there. $17 was the cost of transportation to and from the Dead Sea. And $29 to dip yourself in the Red Sea at the cheapest resort (Amman Beach Resort). You could possibly find a spot along the road to jump in the water, but it’s not the safest nor cleanest. I forked the money over pouting again at the ticket office at the fact that Jordanians paid half the price. Damn I am cheap.
Once in, it was pretty much 100 degrees Fahrenheit. So you dip yourself in the Dead Sea for around 20 minutes and leave, otherwise you may turn into a mutant. It’s quite funny when you take a dip in the Dead Sea. The reason why you can do this is because it has one of the highest concentrations of salt in the water and due to the fact that you are denser than water, you automatically float. But it’s an awesome feeling. Like you’re floating in space. You feel like you’re a kid again as you spin in circles. You do the typical newspaper reading while floating. You try to swim and ultimately fail. Then you just relax until you can’t take the heat any more. During my time there, I befriended a Japanese traveler as we hung out the entire day in the water, taking awkward pictures of each other. There’s also a fresh water swimming pool at the top, where most people and families spend the majority of the time (not the actual Dead Sea). When it was all said and done, it’s a memorable experience and must do. Floating in the Dead Sea – check!
