See Syria version here.
1. A weird thing happens in Amman around June and July: a lot of Jordanians who live in the US return to their native countries for the summer. As a result, there are a bunch of completely Americanized Jordanian teenagers running around for a few months. We once met a few of them skateboarding in Shmeisani. I don't know. It just seems like an interesting contrast.
2. Speaking of interesting contrasts: Mecca Mall. I never did get over it. I still haven't gotten over Mecca Cola either, now that I think about it.
3. OK, one more interesting contrast: a traditional Jordanian jallabiye emblazoned with a silkscreen image of...BATMAN. Just what I've always wanted.
4. These toy salesmen were on street corners throughout the city. Sometimes they would come up to the taxi we were in and try to give Miriam a toy through the open window, then have us pay for said "gift." I admired their tenacity, as well as their total lack of shame for walking around amid a bulge of toys. And seeing them always made me smile.
5. Of course there was a lot of funny English floating around Amman. Here are a few that made me laugh enough to take a picture.
They meant to write "herbs,"...right?
One of my all-time favorite English mistakes.
So true.
We saw this on our way to the airport when we left Jordan in 2006. I thought it was a fitting farewell.
5. Of course there was a lot of funny English floating around Amman. Here are a few that made me laugh enough to take a picture.