Out and About in Aqaba, Jordan.

Public Beach, Aqaba

Aqaba and Eilat to the left.

As Aqaba comes into view having travelled from Amman on the Desert Highway it appears to be a large city. This is because the view is of both Aqaba and Eilat (in Palestine). In reality Aqaba is a small city and it is easy to get around. The location of both cities is on the Gulf of Aqaba, a part of the Red Sea. Emy and I lived in Aqaba for three years so if you wish to contact me with any queries I would pleased to help you.

What is fun about Aqaba?

•  It is a place so easy to get around. A taxi to anywhere is no more than 1.50 JOD.
•  It is warm for six months, hot, darn hot for the other six months.
• Cafes are numerous and the coffee is good, really good.
• Diving or snorkeling opportunities are extensive.
• A stroll along the beach or coffee beside the beach is a different experience here in Aqaba.
• Listen to live music, or watching a belly dancer, or karaoke.
• Sunsets, oh yes, the sunsets are exquisite.
• People, Jordanians want you to love their country.

So what were our experiences?

During the time we were in Aqaba our stand out experiences were:-

Sunset over the Sinai Peninsula

Sitting beside the beach sipping on a Turkish coffee with friends. The peaceful blue waters of the Gulf of Aqaba lapping on the beach. Watching the glass bottom boats disturb the silence as the pass playing music loudly, very loud. It was enjoyable listening to the falsetto voice of the bread seller and seeing the colourful clothes of the drinks seller. The fruity smell of the shisha smoke. Watching the sun go down over the Sinai Peninsula, a brilliant red fireball. Oh yes, from your seat you can look simultaneously at Egypt and (I only say) Palestine.

Smoking Shisha in Cafe

The very best coffee was enjoyed at Rakwet Kanaan. The mix of coffee beans used to serve a Turkish coffee was a taste to die for. The Egyptian waiters were ever so friendly, always welcoming with a smile and sometimes buying the coffee for us. These guys absolutely made our experience at Rakwet Kanaan memorable. This cafe is a true Palestinian experience, as there photographic displays of many of the most well know Palestinian artists, poets and writers.

Our visits to Berenice Beach Club were a delight. Most of my under water viewing was done while snorkeling here. Turtles, Lionfish, Parrotfish, Clown fish, and Butterfly fish along with beautiful hard corrals were amazing. Apart from lounge chairs on the beach there were also lounge chairs beside the pool. We knew a bus driver who always took us there and back for no cost. The days spent here will live in our memories forever.

Walking along side the public beach was noisy, what with children enjoying the water to the load music of the glass bottom boats, coming here was a true Jordanian experience, an experience not to be missed.

Live Music at Kempinski - dedicated to Billy Ontong

Often we visited the Kempinski Hotel to have a quiet drink and listen to a live band with friends David and Sue. It was such fun suggesting to Frank Cuddumbey, the leader of the group, the next tune to be played. So often we requested 'Baker Street' because we so enjoyed Billy Ontong, the sax player doing his solo part. Sue and David also introduced us to the Formosa Restaurant where just a few times we took part in a Karaoke evening. Emy was a natural.

Jordanians always sing out in the streets, "welcome to Jordan". Yes there were many special people that Emy and I met in Aqaba. The people where I worked and the people with whom we socialized made each day enjoyable. Emy thought so much of the expats Thursday Coffee Morning and we both think our Wednesday evening group the very best experience. Thank you all for your generosity, Nikki for giving us the Tala Bay experience, Glen and Kath for so much transport and 'The Rooftop Garden' and Nicole for your friendship along with humour and fun with Jerry and Becky. To everyone unnamed our photos of you will revive for us wonderful memories in Aqaba.

Globalisation is not what the traveller comes to see.

Amman and Aqaba in Jordan have high-rise buildings and people wear the ubiquitous jeans. Mercedes, BMW, and Ford motorcars fill the streets with traffic. Boeings and Airbus airplanes fly in the skies above and land at the International airports. We travellers use these planes and taxis to get around, but without a doubt we like to see people dressed differently and taste different food. We often travel to see differences in culture. So what makes Jordan different from lets say New Zealand or Australia or the UK.


Jordan in my mind is less politically correct and of course it is a country with a majority Muslim population. Visitors, family and friends, have said that Jordan was a delightful travel experience for them. What are some of the major differences?

One is the call to prayer, which I consider very melodious, as this can be heard five times a day, it is very much part of the Jordan traveller's experience. So of course is the mosque with its minarets.

Two is the cafe culture; men and women practise smoking shisha (unlike most Middle Eastern countries where only men smoke). Within that cafe culture is the differences to be found in coffee. I really liked the taste of the coffee in Jordan. Also the music is loud and different. Fairouz and Uum Kulthum are as popular today as they were a few decades ago.

Three, weddings are ever so different. As you walk about in your neighbourhood you find a street blocked to traffic by a marquee erected across the road, ah ha, a wedding. Sure enough at night there will be a celebratory party with fireworks and gunfire. There are pistols and machine guns in many homes. The celebration is accompanied with food, music and dancing. Only men celebrate in the marquee and women celebrate in the house. The next day, after the celebration or at night a convoy of cars and buses, all honking horns, travel to the bride's home to collect her. Then an even bigger, horn honking, convoy travels back to groom's house. In smaller towns guns are fired from the cars as this procession takes place. I felt honoured by a family who asked me to video the wedding of their eldest son. This wedding took place in Qadsiyya, a small town so I witnessed and videoed all that I have described.

Four, the meals and the way meals are served are different. Jordanian and Palestinian meals include mansaf and muqluba. Mansaf is always served, as a matter of custom, to guests. My preference is for muqluba. When meals are to be served, a plastic sheet is laid on the floor and salad bowls distributed. The main meal is served on a large tray. Everyone sits on the floor, generally crossed legged, and breaking bread take the food from the tray in the bread held by their fingers. Now day's spoons may be provided for guests.

Five, clothes. Most women wear a hijab or scarf over their heads. Some also wear an abaya which covers to the ankles or other longer garment. Men basically wear western clothes but you often see older men wear the Jordanian traditional head wear called a keffiyeh. I got really quite excited to see an old Mercedes Benz being driven by an old man wearing a keffiyeh.

There are many minor differences such as gas bombalas (bottles) distributed by a truck playing a distinctive tune. There are no mail deliveries so no junk mail and the few bills (electricity and water bills left on he meters, and internet invoices delivered by a text message). From time to time you might see the man selling drink. Also many men are employed as police and in the military and as in many countries they are armed.

As in any country the scenery is different so Jordan is worth visiting just to see the sights if that is all you are interested in. Our time here has been a most enjoyable experience and we shall miss the people we have met and made friends with.





This photograph was taken by a friend Sue Lewis.

Petra, the jewel in Jordan's crown.

The Treasury from the Siq.

There is a song ‘I’ve Been Everywhere Man’, well Eman and I have been to most places in Jordan. From Al Himma on the Yarmouk River to Aqaba on the Gulf of Aqaba, and from the Jordan River to the town of Azraq. Jordan is a beautiful country. So which place was our favourite? I think that would be Petra, which we have visited five times. With a residency card, entry was only 1 JOD, fantastic.

Making sand vase in Wadi Musa.

Our first trip was with Steve and Joy. We left Aqaba on a clear day in December, but the trip became a bitterly cold one, almost zero degrees or so it felt. That evening we visited some shops in Wadi Musa, the town from which you enter the World Heritage site. We had a whale of a time playing musical instruments, watching coloured sand vases being made and dressing up in Bedouin clothes. Eman was fully dressed in Bedouin clothes and jewelry.




Eman dressed as a Bedouin bride.

The next day we entered Petra. The Siq, a canyon that leads into the Nabatean ancient city of Petra took us such a long time to walk as the cameras went click click. The Siq itself surprises so many visitors; it is an attraction in itself. We were just gob-stopped. I’ve not seen anything like the Siq. Then coming upon The Treasury was again mind blowing. I took so many photos just within the Siq of the Treasury, but always people are in the photo. I wanted photos with nobody in it but as this was nigh impossible. To obtain some photos of the Treasury with nobody present, I decided I would be the first person to enter next morning I ran through the Siq to get photos before anyone arrived then quickly walked out again as we were leaving that day.

 The biggest highlight of any trip is meeting people. We meet three interesting lots of people that day. The first group we met was because I liked the look of what one guy was wearing and asked if I could have a photo with him, two other fellows with him immediately jumped into our photo opportunity. After an exchange of names and phone numbers we continued our walk and gave no more thought to the people in the photo, but one of the three did some months later establish contact with us. We were to become friends with Dr. Zyad and with his extended family in Qadsiyya, a small town on the edge of the Wadi Dana Nature Reserve. I had heard of the book ‘I Married a Bedouin’ by Marguerite van Geldermalsen. The second person we were to meet was her son. So, we bought the book from his store. Later Eman I and were to meet a beautiful Bedouin woman. We were offered tea and sat drinking and talking for quite some time. It was such a delightful day.

 Entry to Petra for visitors to Jordan is 50 JOD.

Transport can be arranged in Amman or Aqaba. Aqaba is much closer to Wadi Musa and at the time of writing a seat in a minibus cost 5 JOD.