Advertisement
Published: November 29th 2021
Edit Blog Post
Hi again,
We got back from Jordan over a week ago, but it has been pretty hectic, and we led a walk on Saturday so wanted to get that out of the way before I could concentrate on the final bit of the Jordan blog. Watching the news emerge about the new covid variant makes us appreciate how lucky we were to fit in a trip. 200 pounds now added to the cost of our Christmas trip, for day 2 Covid tests, to the UK!!
We also had two nights in Madrid to allow me to see the Prado Museum. Madrid was chilly and autumnal and every time we go, I think we need to stay longer as there is so much to see. The Prado was interesting if a bit old-fashioned and full of religious art. But for us it was good to be back in Spain and we had a delicious Sunday meal. Our journey back to Casas Nuevas was uneventful, travelling by train in Spain is a joy and so inexpensive and no need to book months in advance and it was good to be home and to get back to a
bit of routine.
So back to Jordan, and last time I wrote we were in Petra and thankfully we had arranged a slightly later start and could have a leisurely breakfast. We went first to Little Petra where our guide talked about the evolution of the place and how it lives under the shadow of Petra. At the end of the Siq was a steep clamber up to a view across the valley and I managed it without too much trouble. I think the guide was a bit surprised!
Our next destination was the desert of Wadi Rum and Youssef drove us to meet our guide and driver Nasim. We were both feeling shattered, but he was one of life´s positive people. His happy smiling face got us through the next few hours, and we were blown away by the landscape, I don´t think the pictures do it justice. We had a very simple lunch and then we were off again on the back of a truck as he showed us the highlights of the place. Most people watch the sunset at Wadi Rum but we were so knackered that we just wanted to
get to our Martian pod. Youssef had dropped our bags off in the tent, great service. It wasn´t quite a rustic Bedouin tent but the setting was beautiful, and we had en-suite and aircon for heat as the desert gets cold at night.
We had a Bedouin style meal, but it was really a sanitised version, although the lamb and chicken had been cooked in a fire pit in the sand and we were ready for an early night after the time at Petra. It highlighted the difference of an organised trip over our independent type of trip. We would have had a down day after Petra and just chilled and recovered.
The next morning, I was awake early and there was a hot air balloon overhead, bet the views were stunning. We had a mediocre breakfast and set off for Aqaba and the Red Sea. It was a couple of hours drive further down the Kings Highway. We had decided to treat ourselves so were booked into the 5-star Movenpick resort, with a private beach on the Red Sea. Instead of upgrading for the flight home we upgraded to a suite. It was
about 60€ for two days and for that we had an enormous living area and balcony with a sea view. A dressing area with 4 wardrobes and a bathroom with both a walk-in shower, bath and over bath shower. We got unpacked and sorted with our beach gear and had a swim in the sea and the heated pool. I could not resist the cocktail of the day which was a Singapore Sling. We went to the bar for happy hour and ended up just having snacks and a Greek salad.
We got up early for breakfast as we were being picked up to do a morning on a glass bottomed boat followed by a barbeque. The quality of food was amazing, the best of the trip and I know I am sad getting excited about overnight oats after cornflakes and chocolate kids cereal (none of which I ate). We were picked up for our boat trip and when we got to the boat, we realised it was not what we had booked. The other four people were a family with 2 divers and 2 snorkellers, when I asked about the glass bottom there was just a
quizzical look! They tried to persuade us we could still snorkel, but Chris has dived in the past and I have spent a very boring day on a dive boat waiting for the chance to snorkel. We got them to take us back to the hotel and we rang Youssef who got our money back. Instead, we had a lovely, chilled day on the beach and then had an hour on a boat with a local guy. The sea life wasn´t great but it was nice to be out on the water. In the evening we went to a restaurant we had found, and the food tasted fine, but the service was woeful. There were nearly as many staff as customers, and I came very close to dine and dash!!
Next morning, we had another gorgeous leisurely breakfast and set off for the long trip back to Amman. It felt like going home back to the Bristol hotel. However, the service was a let-down, our non-smoking room stunk of smoke, and it took 30 minutes to sort out. After the previous night I was hopeful for at least one good a la carte meal with good service.
We walked to the Fairmont hotel to restaurant Nur and although it is a new hotel the restaurant décor was stunning. The staff were so attentive and helpful, we had beautiful craft beer and an outstanding meal of Fattoush, goats’ cheese labneh, mujurada, chicken livers and fetteh with aubergine. All served with freshly baked puffy bread. It was no more expensive than the previous night either. The Fairmont has 5 of the top 6 restaurant in Amman and we could see why. As we were leaving Amman’s rich young things were arriving!!
Friday 19
th was our last day in Amman and we met up with Youssef at 10.30 and went to the Royal Automobile Museum. The late King Hussein was crazy about cars, and this was his collection. Heaven only knows the value of the cars, but it could feed a small country. Youssef then took us to the mosque and finally to rainbow street for “pie”. It was the finest filo pastry with a choice of fillings, the chefs spin the pastry round their hands very skilful, it was cheap and cheerful street food but very tasty.
Our flight was very early the next day, so we ate at the hotel, bad move! Food was okay but again terrible service. Desert took 30 minutes, and no one could explain why! These people wouldn´t survive five minutes in a busy Spanish bar.
We were up at 5.45am for our flights, Youssef on time yet again and off to the airport. It was smooth apart from two things, firstly the binoculars had to be inspected and secondly a bottle of pink gin was smashed at my feet in the queue to buy perfume, a nice aroma of strawberries till I could change my trousers. The flight was uneventful and not full so space to spread out a bit. Madrid airport was very efficient, and we got to our hotel on the shuttle after a long walk form the train station. We were pretty tired so ate at the restaurant next door which was Venezuelan, so had delicious arepas. Before our Prado trip we revisited Scarlett´s café for an amazing breakfast of eggs benedict and delicious coffee.
So that was Jordan, a different mode of travel for us with plusses and minuses. Post covid we were happy to have a car and there were no language problems and guides etc were all lined up for us and included in the price. On the downside we would have taken longer to do the trip and had some free days but overall, it was good value for money. A group trip, in a minibus, organised in the UK would have been more expensive and less time. So well done Chris who arranged it all.
Where next? Given the news over the last 48 hours we will not be planning anything for a while. Except Porto for my birthday in February…….
Keep safe
Norma x
Advertisement
Tot: 0.185s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 6; qc: 45; dbt: 0.0832s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb