The call to prayer used to be done by a live Muezzin at various points of the day, and in this modern world, it is pre-recorded but nevertheless effective. I could imagine the beauty of having someone arise before sunrise to issue for the call. I'm sure that when it is timed as it is, many people use it as an alarm clock and feel free to sleep through it.
However, the call to prayers is sonorous. Though it clangs through city streets and off stone walls, it retains an elegance that was apparent when it would drift over the jebels and sand dunes. It is like the whispering wind that reaches a point when you don't know when there is sound or silence. It reminds me of 1 Kings when Elijah looks for the storm god from his cave. God did not appear in the lightning or thunder or the whipping winds. God appeared in the stillness following the silence.
On the other hand, the church bells are more clamorous. I hear them frequently from my desert perch because there are several churches in the wadi (valley) next to me. They signify that the service is going to begin in five or ten minutes, so hurry along and get into the church building. For me, it is reassuring, a symbol that Christ's presence is welcome in the Kingdom.
Last night, I walked to the center of Jebel Hussein where the Maxim Mall is located. It is the crest of the jebel (hill) and the center of all activity. I am also surprised by the number of people who are out and about after dinner. It is certainly an outdoor culture. I walk down several darkened streets and I sometimes wonder if I am going astray, but then it is really hard to get lost on a jebel. When I come to the end of a street, there is usually a bright area of town and I easily walk there to get reoriented.
I find it fascinating to be in such a part of town that is filled with Jordanians, Palestinians, and other Arab expatriates and then to find an American or British family living in their midst. As I passed through an unlit street, I walked faster than an American family that was turning in for the evening. On the way back from my trip, six Anglos passed by me as I sat on a wall with a Kuwaiti. They are staying at the nearby Toledo Hotel and most probably walked to the Abdali Mall.
One thing about Arabic clothing is that it is mostly cultural. At the trendy Abdali Mall, this is the fashion place to be. People dress up to be noticed and they are wearing some fine color. The Arabic gowns and hijabs are quite varied since I was last here. There are still a number on ninjas and you can tell who is from the Gulf States, but the locals are wearing quite colorful and fashionable attire. It is hard for many Westerners not to see this as religious clothing, but in most cases, it is not. You will find Latin (Roman) Catholic Christians wearing this apparel because it is a cultural choice. Is it Islamic? Yes and No. Is it Arabic? Mostly, except other Asian nations have similar attire. It is just what people wear.
Jordan is changing. Last night, I walked to the Carnival and people were having so much fun. Years ago, it was rare to find a Jordanian smiling, but this has become a common expression these days. The youth seem energetic and polite, and the young kids are enjoying playing games and taking carnival rides. From my perspective, I wish the carnival rides had better safety regulations. I imagine it was like rides were in the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s. Regardless, many people were out having fun, enjoying themselves, and spending leisure time well.
One interesting note from the Abdali Mall: there is a book kiosk and there is a cafe that sells books. This is not something I saw when I left here eight years ago.
One further note, when driving cars, the lines in the middle of the road do not separate lanes, it seems. They are meant to be straddled.
When walking, it seems like people have the same patterns. They move effortlessly from one spot to another with grace and without worry about encroaching someone's boundaries. I'm still thinking about this. They seem to just advance. Staying in lanes, staying to the right is a Western concept, I think. It saves from collisions, but there is a different way of avoiding collisions here. The concept of space just seems quite different.
On my way back to the Jesuit Centre, I passed by a Kuwaiti middle age man sitting on a wall smoking a cigarette. I sat with him for a while and we interacted with the people who passed by. He was pleasant enough. He had the solutions for the world the same way most people do when they speak. He was just pleased that I took time to sit with him. A Jordanian came by and sat with us. He was exhausted from work and needed a breather. We just sat and chatted.
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