March 12th is blog for Jordan Day. I missed it last year, and promised myself I would catch it this year, but – alas . . . I missed it again. I’ll blame it on being very busy with preparing to move into a new apartment on the other side of town. As I am a big proponent of the “better late than never” attitude towards life . . . I will add my simple entry to the blogosphere in support of my adopted country of Jordan.
Nothing terribly deep I’m afraid, but because a picture speaks a thousand words I am going to post a gallery of pics from a recent outing to Wadi Seer (just west of Amman – a few kilometers past 8th Circle). We headed out of town a couple of weeks ago with a group of ex-pat friends to enjoy the beginnings of spring. March and April are easily the most beautiful months here in Jordan and I would highly encourage anyone thinking about visiting the Kingdom to come at this time of year. We have lived here 2.5 years and always look forward to springtime outings like this. It’s nice to get out of the city (even if just by a few kilometers), see some green, explore a little history, and relax with friends.
For those who picture the Middle East as one vast arid desert this photo gallery will probably surprise you. For the history buffs – the ruins in the picture are called Qasr al-Abd or “Castle of the Slave.” They are thought to have been built around 200 BC by the governor of the region as a residence. Think about that for a moment. 200 BC. One of the things I love about Jordan is this connection with the ancient past. You see it in the ancient stones, but you also feel it as you interact with the people.
Not much historical information is available on this site or the nearby Iraq al-Amir (Caves of the Prince). Of course, this also leaves room for speculation and imagination. About as much info as I have found in various guide books can also be found in the article on wikipedia. The nice thing about this area is that its not really overrun with tourists, and on Fridays you will meet a lot of locals who like to come here for outings with their families.
Without further ado, in honor of Blog for Jordan day, a small glimpse of springtime in the Kingdom:
If you would like to read some more complete thoughts from another ex-pat living in Jordan, I recommend checking out Jim Wright’s blog for Jordan entry here.
Filed under: blogging, Jordan | Tagged: Blog for Jordan 2011, Blog for Jordan Day, blogging, Iraq al-Amir, Jordan, Qasr al-Abd, Wadi Seer |
pilgrim without a shrine 
Nice blog 🙂 loved the photo gallery.
Yep, better late than never and this was worth the wait! The slide show was especially impressive. Qasr al-Abd and Iraq al-Amir are still on my Jordan Bucket List. You’ve whetted my appetite to get on up there while the Kingdom is still green!
Thanks for mentioning my blog! I appreciate it very much!
Regards,
Jim
No prob Jim – it’s my pleasure! I was surprised you haven’t been out to Wadi Seer to see the castle or the caves yet, it seems you have visited a lot of places in the Kingdom, even the more tucked away spots. It’s definitely a great day/afternoon trip while the greenery is still around. Although I’ve found the area seems to stay a bit greener longer than other locations. I didn’t put any pics of the caves up because we forgot the camera in the car and no one wanted to go back down to get it =)
Loved seeing pictures of your kids. We miss you and wish you all the best with your upcoming move. Let’s hope it’s not as challenging as your last one – after all, you already got rid of all the stuff you don’t need, right? That’s what I’m doing right now.
Actually, I thought the last move was a little easier. Well, ok . . . sort of. I remember arriving in Amman with a dozen or so big duffle bags and that was it. As we packed box after box of stuff the past couple of weeks I couldn’t believe how much we had accumulated again. Of course we didn’t move furniture and appliances last time either, so that was a lot easier. Moving day went really quite well and as far as we know so far nothing was broken or majorly damaged!
Good luck on the purging and packing. Hope your move goes smoothly!