Emil is a kind man, about 50 or so, and a Christian. I was relieved he was a Christian, because it meant we could smoke, eat and drink freely. [note: I will confess, Montreal and the Middle East have turned me back into a smoker. I'm not proud, but it's hard not to smoke when everyone else is doing so, please don't judge.] Someone had tried to tell me that it is illegal to smoke in the day during Ramadan, but Emil said that this is not true- but that it can cause trouble for you, which I can see would be true. Also, there are significantly more accidents during this time, apparently. I don't know though, the driving seems totally insane to me, but I can't help but wonder if it is really any better at some other time. So bearing in mind people's touchiness, we waited until we were on the highway and could easily hide our water drinking and cigarette smoking. Emil stopped to grab a coffee and bought me some juice and water.
When we arrived at Jerash, I wasn't sure if he was going to be coming in with me, since Viken seemed to think he would wait in the car (which would have made me feel awful). Luckily, Emil really likes Jerash and wanted to come in, in typical Jordanian style- he also paid my entrance fee and wouldn't let me pay him back.
Jerash was incredible. There are so many columns and intricate Hellenistic carvings in the stones at the top, you could feel the opulence. There were two amphitheatres, a small one and a large one. There was also a hippodrome where they reenact chariot races and some temples and mosaics, which were still in tact. I can't really describe how cool it was, because it was not just visual, it was a feeling.
In the large amphitheatre there were a group of Spanish tourists and their tour guide was showing them these circles etched in the walls around the centre stage. If you speak into one of them, and someone listens at any of the other circles, you can hear them perfectly. So I leaned into one to listen and the tour guide said "escucha me, pero, no entiendes." (you hear me, but you don't understand) to which I replied "Si, yo entiendo, hablo espanol." (yes, I understand, I speak Spanish) it was hilarious, he was completely surprised!
Emil also showed me this neat trick with the columns. He said it was engineered so that they could tell when an earthquake was coming (which I didn't quite understand) but he put a key in between the column and it's base, then he knocked on the column and the key starting waving up and down. I'm not sure I'm explaining it well, but it was really cool.
On the way back to Amman, Emil bought me more drinks and cigarettes. Jordanians are a funny lot: either they're ripping you off, or giving it to you for free. There is absolutely no in between, and if they know you at all- you'll get anything free. When we got back to the house I gave him my email address and told him to give it to his daughters (he doesn't have an email address). I said if he or any of his family is coming to Vancouver to please send me an email. I only hope I can be a good host, too!
Back at the house, Karina had made some delicious pasta and we all had dinner together (Viken, Mego, Karina and me).
I checked my email and saw that Melissa was in Amman and staying at a hotel so I called her. Crazy! Mego and I went to her hotel and had a drink with her in the lobby which was a total trip. Melissa was tired from going to Petra that day, so she didn't want to come out with us, but we went to this poolside bar called H2O.
Apparently, the drinks at H2O are incredibly strong and I got utterly wasted. I was starving when we left so Mego and I stopped to get some shawarmas.
At the shawarma shop, I was the only girl, until this other woman came in covered from head to toe, including her eyes. The only parts uncovered were her fingers (usually they cover those too). The only thing I could tell of her was that she bites her nails. I felt extremely uncomfortable sitting there, uncovered and totally trashed during Ramadan beside this woman. I have no idea how she felt. Mego took a picture of my awkwardness. I felt absurd. Well, yesterday, after our late night, both Mego and I were complete wrecks. I slept until 2pm. We didn't do anything. Well, that's a lie. I actually managed to complete and submit my application to Dalhousie while Mego napped. Later we watched a movie and then went to bed pretty early.
Today I got up early. Huda (Mego's girlfriend) came by and we went down to the amphitheatre in downtown Amman. It is bigger than both amphitheatres at Jerash and gave me vertigo. It was kind of scary, but I did it! After we went to the market where I wanted to purchase an abaya. Both Huda and Mego thought I was crazy for wanting one, but I had seen some really beautiful ones when I was walking through the market a few days ago. I don't know how to haggle though, so I needed someone with me. I found a really beautiful one (which I don't have a picture of yet, but I will put one up soon) which Huda got down from 100 to 30JD. I also bought a little something for my niece and a really cheap watch that I have trouble reading.
Huda and I went and got our nails done and I had my eyebrows shaped and threaded. The woman did an amazing job.
This evening Huda, Susanna, Mego, Sarah and I all went to this Middle Eastern restaurant in a castle outside of town. It was really awesome. Then we went to this sports club and heard live Arabic music and played cards while sipping lemonade. A very sober, cultural, and fun evening!
So now you're caught up. It looks like I probably won't be doing much tomorrow. I have sort of run out of things to do in Amman, and everyone is working. Friday we're going to Petra though, and then Saturday I will be left to my own devices in Aqaba... should be interesting. I'm a little nervous, but excited too, of course.
No comments:
Post a Comment