O, the fragrances of midnight honeysuckle are one of the enduring sweetness of this region. The aromas are particular noticeable during the evening (as midnight might suggest) and the aromas really bring about calm and causes me to breathe deeply. I think of the off-Broadway theatre production called "The Magic of Christmas" I starred in when I had a line about this fine fragrance.
Coupled with the flowering aromas are the bright Bougainvillea with their pink and purple blossoms. They are more pronounced in the spring and down in the Jordan Valley, and you'll find them growing in many parts of the city. It often brings a burst of excitement and wonder.
Yesterday, I walked from Jebel Hussein to Jebel Webdeih, the neighboring hill. It is a stone's throw away and yet walking there takes a great deal of time because of the hills. I walked past the Toledo Hotel, which is a very clean moderate hotel if anyone wants to come visit me, and halfway down the hill before I came across the public stairwell.
A friend remarked earlier this week that the sidewalks are made for the planting of trees. Every so often, in the middle of the pavement, a tree is planted. No one minds because the trees give shade and fruits and they are precious in their being, so everyone just walks around them, even if it means walking onto the street itself.
Like many old parts of cities, the American Disabilities Acts has not come calling yet, but in West Amman adaptations are incorporated. In the old city, there are not many wheelchair accessible sidewalks with gentle sloping inclines or declines, and yet one adapts.
The public stairwells beg one to pay attention as one walks as the steps are not often measured to the same height or length. You have to pay attention to where you are going. Fortunately, you do not see many people walking and drinking coffee like Americans do in the U.S. Years ago, I stopped getting a Dunkin on the run because if I am going to drink a coffee, I want to be able to sit down to enjoy it, most preferably with a friend. Coffee is communal. The coffee here is Amman is very good, whether it is tasty Arabic or Nescafe. Back to the stairs. There are often three landing areas for the stairs so you can stop and take a break if you are ascending. In various parts of the city, parts of the stairways are painted so that it is public art.
Fortunately, the first stairwell I descended had an early landing, which gave me an opportunity to see where I was going - right into a dead end. I was able to conserve steps in the heat of the midday sun in order to choose a different route because this stairwell stopped 7/8ths of the way down the stairs. I was glad to have noticed this early on.
The next stairwell was much wider with fewer steps because I was closer to the bottom of the hill. This led to the wadi that has become a parking lot. When I lived at the Jesuit Centre ten years ago, a souk was set up every weekend and so from every Wednesday night to early Sunday morning, kiosks were established to sell clothing and, well, anything. Each night was met with banging of pipes to drive the poles into the cement and people would holler to one another as they assisted in setting up the souk. Now I can sleep in peace as the souk has moved closer to the Balad, the downtown.
Once I crossed the busy intersection, I began my ascent up to Jebel Webdeih. I was glad to return to this area that was once populated by the French companies. It is a small jebel so certain characteristics are able to define the neighborhood.
Once I realized where I was on the hill, I ran into a man wearing a Deerfield shirt. Deerfield Academy is in Western Massachusetts and the Royal family attended this school for early education. The King set up King's Academy in Madaba to replicate the school and to have an exchange of teachers so that the educational standards would be the same. This man with whom I spoke told me that he is a teacher at the school and knows a friend of mine, Steve, from Portland, Maine, with whom I worked in an earlier assignment. He was happy to meet me and to pass along my greetings to Steve.
I was pleased to see that the neighborhood continues to be interesting. It is now full of interesting, varied, independent retailers. There are a few artist galleries and even a place where I can buy some acrylic paints. There are cafes all over the place with garden and loft restaurants. It is vibrant and trendy and there are a lot of choices for locals and tourists. There's so street art and wall murals.
Many tourists decide to stay in the area, which makes it feel a bit more Western, and I'm not sure that is such a good thing, but it has helped the economy.
I was pleased to see a young man picking up bottles that were left on the sidewalks or the edge of the road and place them in trash bins. He really cared for the cleanliness and wellbeing of the neighborhood.
Nine and a half years ago, an Italian restaurant named Oliva's opened up. I was one of the first customers. I was pleased to see that it is still going, and it was filled to capacity (maybe only 25 people, but it is quite popular.)
I noticed there is a big veterinary building and even a pet store where one can buys dogs and other animals. This is novel. The restaurants are not only Oriental (Arabic), but also Thai, Italian, American (Steak and Potatoes), Irish, Chinese, and other types, and of course, Shawarma and Falafel. The bakeries are still pronounced and the French Institute and Bakery still exists. Baskin Robin's sells ice cream and you can get American style donuts.
I went to Paris Circle, the center of the town, the crest of the hill, and I sat there for a bit to get some shade. It was once tree lined and now half of it is denuded, except they have planted young trees, which will eventually bring needed shade. Most of jebel has plenty of trees, so this will be a nice addition. Paris Circle is a gathering place where there will be book sales, yard sales, organizing efforts, and other community programs.
Now for the bad part. I saw a Starbucks right on the edge of the circle. The coffee is too good here. I don't think a Starbucks is needed in this area.
On the south-western side of town, luxury apartments and condominiums are prominent. Some face the Citadel and the Roman ruins. Others face West Amman but from a high vantage point. These are types of apartments one would find in Abdoun and Eighth and Ninth Circle areas, as if one was going west to the airport. It is a blessing for them to be in Jebel Webdeih because it speaks of the cultural importance, and yet it changes the character of the city.
The Church of Mary of Nazareth used to hold a place of prominence, and those luxury apartments block the view from other jebels from seeing the church. One can now only see those luxury units.
Otherwise, I had a fun time striking up conversations with those I met on the street. Mostly, they say "Welcome," which means come inside to my shop or cafe. We talk about where we are from. One man yelled, "You seem to be walking to Scotland. You walk far. Come back and spend some time with us."
Inshallah.
Cool!
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