I think my face is clogged...day 3

Hello! The View from the Citadel.  It was a strategic point for a reason,
look at how much you can see!

Bonsoir mes amis. Yes it is a large picture, but I needed you to see that my eyes are not puffy. Well not that much. Plus, look at the view! I am tired, it has officially taken me an hour to write! Sadly, after 12ish years of avoiding second hand smoke, I have been subject to two and a half hours of shisha smoke at a local cafe.   The hooka smoke was blown into my face and I'm pretty sure my nose is destroyed.  I can't smell quite right. The only good thing to come out of it was that I had a really fun time just chilling and it cost me .76 cents.  Plus my partner and I  (me mostly) rocked at Spades. It's a really fun card game, plus I drank milk tea and that was good too.  I was more than happy to yell at the two who blew smoke in my face, so it was a good evening overall. 


However, I am getting ahead of myself. Today was not half as emotionally draining as yesterday was. I also realized I did not describe Jordan!  Once you step out of a hotel, three things will hit you over the head like a sack of bricks: 1) There is a lot of smog 2) Cars are everywhere! Honking is a perpetual activity, as ceaseless and natural as breathing 3) People here cross the street at whatever time they think will not leave them dead; which means, whenever they feel like it, even in oncoming traffic. The streets are lined with litter, which from an environmentalist viewpoint is tragic.  The streets are small, and following the lanes is more of a suggestion rather than a hard and fast rule. But people here know how to drive! They maneuver like pros, putting even New Yorkers to shame!  It's fascinating to watch, especially because honking does not generate the same anger here that it does in the states.  It's more of a friendly way to say "Get out of my way!...Please. Thanks. I'm going to pass you now." It is super hilly, but dry.  So there is not a lot of grass, and the architecture reminds me of San Francisco, a bunch of boxes for housing complexes, except here, tan is the norm. I didn't realize how much I take greenery for granted.  

Hercules, hercules!

Yes this is the governor's high tech indoor
toilet. Yes, I am reading. Yes I am
bracing myself. 

Okay, but today: I woke up and ate breakfast (was properly garbed, too!) and the class was in an appropriately sized bus.  We visited The Citadel.  Famed for being the highest mountain in the area, this greco-roman historic site was a kind of crossroads between 2 major cities...I just forgot their names.  I will try to fill that in soon, sorry! Haha. There was a Temple of Hercules, from which one could see the hand of the colossal statue of Hercules that was once before the temple.  That was awesome.  Then we saw the palace of the ruling monarch (a classmate said it was quite small, and I must agree) and then we saw the residences for the political elite, where I took this gem of a picture.  I couldn't help but think about the picture I have from a 5th grade trip to Alcatraz! I did the same thing in front of a cell and contain my laughter, I thought I was so clever.  Some things never change! We went to a museum and I went picture crazy thinking of my art history class! Ehatch, our old prof would be so happy! It was so cool to see all the old stone statues and unearthed scrolls, etc. After that, we visited a theatre that was not too far from the Citadel, and I actually climbed to the top! Wooot! I am way out of shape. Oh well. Adjacent to the theatre was a Jordanian museum and that was pretty cool. There were so many artifacts and I was superbly impressed with the fact that they were so well preserved and out on display where you could actually touch some of the artifacts! I want to create my own mosaic now...

Fertility goddess.... She works wonders because
I had a real food baby after the meal...

It was so good. 

After making our sweaty way back to the bus, we ate at a restaurant and as is the custom, we were served way too much food. There was about 6 dishes of appetizers and since we were hungry, we ate a lot.  Realizing we were already half-full, many of us didn't finish the delicious merash (sp?) I got chicken instead of lamb, and it was served over a mountain of rice, with bread on the bottom to help soak up the yogurt-like dressing you smother the meat and chicken in.  I ate 5.98/7ths of it! I was so full, but some didn't touch their food.  Which makes me sad because after yesterday, my consciousness of the privilege of eating so much is at the forefront of my mind.  In fact, I made a pact with myself to use less water, and when I take a shower (which I haven't in two days) it has to be because I really smell or I have had smoke blown into my face and my entire face is clogged and feels as ashy as my nose and lungs. So I will minimize my water consumption and I challenge you to do the same. Please.  


After lunch, which ended around 1:40, we took a tour of Amman, the higher class area.  I fell asleep, but was woken up when approaching the richest real estate of the country.  It was lavish and there were armed guards at many of the entrances.  Like the rich in America, much of it was overdone and unnecessary.  Because really, even if you are rich, why do you need 2 rooms, and about 50 bajillion acres of land for your family?  We passed by a mall...and right across from it was the mall's owners' monumental mansion/palace.  It was full of spires and gated.  A monstrosity and a testament to humanity's folly in placing material wealth above all else.  But who am I to say anything?


The tour was almost over and we passed by the American Embassy.  I was strangely happy to see it, positively ecstatic to see the American flag and was feeling patriotic.  Then I noticed the various soldiers, the trucks with AK-47s mounted and pointing to the cross traffic.  We were all very happy to see our embassy because instead of seeing the embassies of other countries, we see ours.  Two of my classmates attempted to take pictures, but others in the bus warned "Don't take pictures of the soldiers!!" And no sooner was that said, that the entire bus was pulled over.  A soldier came to us and in Arabic upbraided my professor and asked that the picture be deleted.  Apparently, you aren't supposed to take pics and we missed the posted signs.  I was prepared to take out my passport and confirm that I was indeed just admiring the small plot of American soil, but we were let go.  

I like this pic. View of theatre
from the bottom.

By the time we got back to the hotel, we were all pretty much beat.  We all went back to our rooms and napped until the 7 oclock dinner of falafel sandwiches.  Then a few of us went to a hooka (shisha) lounge area and that was fun (except for the aforementioned troubles my nose had to endure...and like I said, I am pretty sure my face is clogged).  For two and half hours, five teas, and a thing of hooka (i dunno what to call it, plus it seemed like the liquid would never end...does it?) all for 7.5 dinar.  Not bad! 


Anyway, our interfaith meeting with a priest was cancelled and now we have to meet early tomorrow morning so I have to go to sleep.  I am also going to wake up earlier to catch at least a part of the Giant's World Series game 1.  Connection here is horribly slow, and trying to get onto the MLB website proved futile.  But we shall see.  I am too excited for this game to miss it! 


So that is all for now.  Tomorrow I am going to Mt. Nebo! The baptism site of Jesus! Yay! 

The View from the top of the Theatre. 

Peace.