Amman is an amazing city; very cosmopolitan and yet ancient, with old markets and beautiful ruins. This ancient Roman amphitheatre still houses concerts. At one time, it sat over 5000 people for events. Climbing to the top took my breathe away, not least because I'm terrified of heights. You can see how small the people below me are; the steps are very worn and steep. I'm standing just three steps below the top level! As I climbed the last few steps, three boys congradulated me. They were sitting at the top and had watched my progress with some am
usement, I think! Their English was good, so I asked what year were they in school. The middle one stated proudly that he'd just finished high school. All over Amman, fireworks have been going off to signal the end of the school year and the receipt of the end-of-year exam scores. So these young men were celebrating their passing marks by climbing to the top of the amphitheatre. When I asked to take their picture, they were all too eager to pose for me! It struck me that young men are quite alike world wide; hopeful of the future and eager to start the adventure of living as an adult. They could have been students from my hometown, except that instead of hanging out at the mall, they were hanging out at the top of a Roman amphitheatre!
Prior to lunch with our Jordanian counterparts, we visited the temple of Hercules atop the Citadel in the oldest part of Amman. The temple of Hercules, built between 162-166 AD, is said to be where Hercules tried to hold up the temple through shear brute strength. It is thought that these pillars were part of the entryway, and that the temple was never actually finished, since there are not other pillars of this size on the site. The citadel, including this fantastic excavation, sits atop the oldest part of Amman. The Byzantine church, build by the Umayyad dynasty in 326AD, is a stunning piece of architechture. It is amazing to me that we were allowed to roam freely among the stones and walls, overlooking the city of Amman, and imagining what it might have been like to live and worship here, all those years ago.
My breathe is still taken away when I hear the call to prayer, and touch these old stones, tracing the fossil clams and other sea life embedded in them. You wonder if the people who built these beautiful structures ever marveled that fossilized sea life could be found in stones quarried so far from the ocean. How in the world did these people manage this type of architechture with so
little in the way of equipment or tools? Before tackling the citadel, we visited the King's Mosque in downtown Amman. Women are not usually allowed in to the main part of the mosque, but if it is not the time of prayers, you may visit as a tourist. Of, course, you must remove your shoes and women must cover themselves from head to foot; hence the robe I'm wearing in the picture. The mosque can hold up to 3000 men at a time to pray, and it is required that all muslim men pray at mosque if possible. If they cannot get away from their jobs to make it to the mosque, they may pray at work, but there are so many mosques, big and small, that it isn't too much trouble to find a mosque close by.
There is a pulpit like structure where the Immam delivers the lesson of the day, but the prayers are all done facing Mecca, and the picture below depicts the alcove facing East where the pra
yers are said. I'll finish on a more whimisical and personal note. I can't believe that here in Amman I can still find a McDonalds (yuck!). I can't believe anyone actually eats there, after having tasted the local food. Perhaps its just the novelty? In any case, it just struck me as amusing so I took a picture of the sign!
Amman is an amazing city; very cosmopolitan and yet ancient, with old markets and beautiful ruins. This ancient Roman amphitheatre still houses concerts. At one time, it sat over 5000 people for events. Climbing to the top took my breathe away, not least because I'm terrified of heights. You can see how small the people below me are; the steps are very worn and steep. I'm standing just three steps below the top level! As I climbed the last few steps, three boys congradulated me. They were sitting at the top and had watched my progress with some am
usement, I think! Their English was good, so I asked what year were they in school. The middle one stated proudly that he'd just finished high school. All over Amman, fireworks have been going off to signal the end of the school year and the receipt of the end-of-year exam scores. So these young men were celebrating their passing marks by climbing to the top of the amphitheatre. When I asked to take their picture, they were all too eager to pose for me! It struck me that young men are quite alike world wide; hopeful of the future and eager to start the adventure of living as an adult. They could have been students from my hometown, except that instead of hanging out at the mall, they were hanging out at the top of a Roman amphitheatre! 
Prior to lunch with our Jordanian counterparts, we visited the temple of Hercules atop the Citadel in the oldest part of Amman. The temple of Hercules, built between 162-166 AD, is said to be where Hercules tried to hold up the temple through shear brute strength. It is thought that these pillars were part of the entryway, and that the temple was never actually finished, since there are not other pillars of this size on the site. The citadel, including this fantastic excavation, sits atop the oldest part of Amman. The Byzantine church, build by the Umayyad dynasty in 326AD, is a stunning piece of architechture. It is amazing to me that we were allowed to roam freely among the stones and walls, overlooking the city of Amman, and imagining what it might have been like to live and worship here, all those years ago.
My breathe is still taken away when I hear the call to prayer, and touch these old stones, tracing the fossil clams and other sea life embedded in them. You wonder if the people who built these beautiful structures ever marveled that fossilized sea life could be found in stones quarried so far from the ocean. How in the world did these people manage this type of architechture with so
little in the way of equipment or tools? Before tackling the citadel, we visited the King's Mosque in downtown Amman. Women are not usually allowed in to the main part of the mosque, but if it is not the time of prayers, you may visit as a tourist. Of, course, you must remove your shoes and women must cover themselves from head to foot; hence the robe I'm wearing in the picture. The mosque can hold up to 3000 men at a time to pray, and it is required that all muslim men pray at mosque if possible. If they cannot get away from their jobs to make it to the mosque, they may pray at work, but there are so many mosques, big and small, that it isn't too much trouble to find a mosque close by.
There is a pulpit like structure where the Immam delivers the lesson of the day, but the prayers are all done facing Mecca, and the picture below depicts the alcove facing East where the pra
yers are said. I'll finish on a more whimisical and personal note. I can't believe that here in Amman I can still find a McDonalds (yuck!). I can't believe anyone actually eats there, after having tasted the local food. Perhaps its just the novelty? In any case, it just struck me as amusing so I took a picture of the sign! 
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