Wandering

Not a whole lot to report these days. I’ve spent the morning today drinking tea and doing homework. Yesterday, my roommate (Katherine) and I took a cab down to Jabal Amman and met some friends for a leisurely brunch. Although the food was good, cheap, and plentiful, the service was absolutely awful. It was a good thing that we didn’t have to be anywhere else; the food came in courses and we had to ask for the final course four times (from various people) before it finally came. We never did get the refills on coffee that we asked for repeatedly. Nevertheless, the time was spent with wonderful people out on a lovely terrace overlooking the city, so I can’t complain too much. After brunch, Katherine, a friend, and I decided to wander around Jabal Amman and get to know the city better. The streets of Amman seem to have themes. Fairly close to the café, we came upon a street where there were literally six or seven pet shops selling mostly birds and fish. Later on our sojourn we passed through a street filled with auto mechanic shops; after that came a couple blocks of furniture stores. Our friend eventually had to leave, but Katherine and I kept walking. Eventually, we reached the Zara Center, home to such designer stores as BCBG (think: very basic tank top for JD 60, i.e. about US $90), at which point Katherine said, “hey, I think we’re kind of close to where we live!” So after looking around in the designer stores and pretending to be wealthy, we kept walking and did, in fact, eventually reach the apartment. Having taken a rather circuitous route (it was a bit by chance that we made it back home and didn’t end up in a random neighborhood in East Amman somewhere), we walked for well over two hours.

I would have to say that walking is the best way to get to know a city. It gives you more time (than in a car) to take in what you’re seeing, meaning more time to orient yourself and see how one neighborhood blends into the next. Although navigating the streets of Amman is still a dizzying task (how I miss the grid system of DC!), it’s getting better. Insha’Allah the more we wander, the more this city will make sense.

By the way, speaking of themes, Katherine and I determined that our neighborhood’s theme seems to be bakeries & sweets shops. Off the top of my head, I can think of five within easy walking distance, not including the bakeries in the grocery stores. Yum.