Picturing Jordan

Sharing Jordan with the world — one picture at a time.

Saint Thaddeus Church at Sunset

Church in typical Armenian style with pointy blue roof and the city behind it.

Iconic Armenian Church in Jabal Al-Ashrafiyeh at Sunset

Shortly after moving to Amman I noticed this unique building on a distant hill and I set out on a sort of scavenger hunt to find it. The walk from downtown to Jabal Al-Ashrafiyeh is packed with winding streets and steep staircases (some of which go nowhere). To this day the church is one of my favorite landmarks in Amman and I often make the trek there when I’m feeling like getting some exercise and exploring the city. I like to think of it as a pilgrimage — it is a religious site after all!

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Greco–Roman Ruins of Pella

Remains of the classical basilica of Pella

Remains of the classical basilica of Pella

These days there isn’t much to see of the Greco–Roman city of Pella in northwestern Jordan. Sadly, the ancient ruins here suffer from being slightly smaller, slightly less well-preserved, and slightly less convenient to visit than the similar ruins at Jerash. With a bit of imagination and some historical background, however, they are equally enchanting and even have a unique character of their own.

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Cleanliness Comes From Faith

Graffiti with Arabic inscription depicting someone putting trash in a trash can

Graffiti in downtown Amman appeals to the faithful

There is a popular notion that cleanliness is an important part of the Islamic faith, though you wouldn’t know it from walking around Jordan. I have never seen people throw coffee cups, half-eaten sandwiches, tissues, etc on the street so carelessly — and often times with such finesse — as here in Jordan.

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