My Blue Fedora

One of the first questions that was asked of me when I arrived in Jordan was "Where is the blue hat?" I would have liked to have brought it but it is more a three-season hat and the hat material does not stand up well in hot climates. I put it away for the summer and I will resume wearing it in September. For now, people will have to enjoy pictures of my hat in Freeport, Maine. 

I said mass at St. Mary's in Sweifieh yesterday in Abdoun, which is close to the U.S. Embassy and is the wealthy section of town. The street vendors are all the same. It was terrific to see so many recognizable faces - Arab, Filipino, African, Asian, and European/US. I had three altar servers who were quite adept in getting me acclimated to the way Mass has been said in that Church. We didn't have singing so we did our best a capella and it worked out fine. It is quite an international collection of church-goers. Attendance is down because it is vacation time, especially with the Eid.

I live on Jebel (Hill) Hussein, an old section of town, named after the former King, and it is the garment district. You can buy whatever robes, hijabs, kimars, niqabs, kaftans, and abayas you would like. In Maxim Mall, you can get any American food you would like, but the local food is fresher, healthier, tastier, and less expensive. Jebel Hussein has a number of religious communities as well: the Jesuits, JRS, Franciscans, Comboni Sisters, De La Salle brothers, and a host of smaller women religious orders. The Jesuit Centre is the locus for masses and spiritual direction.

Jebel Al-Webdeih is the nearest neighboring village, which was settled by the French so there are the french pastries houses and cafes and it is a charming tourist area. Many tourists will stay there because it is historic and neighborly feeling. The French Institute used to run a library and cafe and they carried baked goods from Crumz. It is a great hangout place and it is smoke-free. Nearby is one of my favorite gardens called Darat-al-Funum, an avante-garde museum and gardens that looks out at the Roman Citadel, the place where Uriah the Hittite was killed. Also, the Jordan Museum has its national collection of art contained in its museums and there are Catholic schools in the area and places for artists to gather for coffee and conversation. I always bypass the shi-sha. I will get up the hill on Monday or Tuesday.

Between these two hills is basically Al Balad, the downtown district, with the primary mosque in the city. It is a big shopping and dining area, Islamic-style, with lots of banks and jewelry stores. Some of the best street drinks, arabic sweets with honey and pistachio, and falafel are in the area. There's lots of good eating in this district, but that shopping is more like yard sales and flea markets. There is a grand Souk in the area to get lots of Western goods that did not make it to retail. In this downtown area, you will find the Roman baths, ancient amphitheaters, and other Roman relics. 

Well, that's enough for the day. I'm going to make some eggs to go with the ka-ak, some round bread covered with sesame, and some hummus.