As-Salt

CONTINUED FROM HERE: Madaba

Backpacking Jordan: Day 015 (29-April-2024)

 

As-Salt

I decided to walk to the North Bus station instead of taking a taxi. It was a long walk of about 4km. I picked up a Falafel wrap at my favourite store and walked the narrow streets in the suburbs of Amman. Children were hurrying to reach school. Men were relaxing in front of their houses, chatting with their friends, smoking hookah and sipping on some tea. They gave me a friendly smile as I passed by. 

At the bus station, I was directed to the minibus to As-Salt. The bus stop is at one end of the station. We waited for some time so that the bus gets filled. It did not, so we proceeded. But along the way, the bus was packed. It is interesting to note that men do not sit next to a woman here unless they know them personally.  

As-Salt is a beautiful city. It resembles a European medieval town. The yellow stones give this town a distinct look. During the Ottoman era, this was the capital. 

I walked to the visitor centre and took a map for the heritage trail. Before heading on my tour, I stopped at a local store for some Fateh. I watched the cook prepare it. It was delicious. 

I followed the trail to the beautiful alleys, museums (Abu Jaber) and old buildings. Here are a few pictures of the heritage trail. 

I was impressed by the ancient architecture of St George's church. The painting of a soldier on horse was captivating. It felt like I was taking a leap back in time. 

I ended the trail at Salt Parish - Assumption of Our Lady church. The security guard opened the cave for me to view the beautiful interiors. The sculpture of Virgin Mary emanated grace and peace. 

I then walked to the Hammam Street market nearby. The locals were busy buying things. I met a Pakistani shopkeeper there. He stopped me and we had a long conversation. He told me that Jordanians are good people and they mind their own business. He also told me that people here do not trouble tourists as it might invite severe punishments. He was happy to offer me a cup of coffee but I politely declined. Despite all the tension between our respective countries, I must say that most people on either side are kind and happy to connect with each other. 

I walked into a local grocery store and bought some Zaatar for 1JD. Zaatar is a local spice mixture made of mixing Sumac, Sesame and Thymes. 

I also took a walk up one of the hills to get a good view of the city. The houses are built along the hills around the region and narrow roads climb up the slopes, connecting them. 

I ate at a local restaurant. The views from there were great. The gallayah was good but the cheese sambosa was a bit too much for me to finish. I left to Amman soon after.

I stopped at my favourite sweet store and carried some harissa pistachio for Abed. He had told me that it is his favourite sweet. But he was too shy to take it. He is too idealistic and does not prefer taking anything from anyone. I gave it to Manu and Yasin who seemed happy to try it and loved it, so much so that they wanted the address of the store. 

Yasin has been staying in Jordan for over 4 months. He is from France but of Moroccan origin. He rents out space and earns money. He therefore gets enough time to travel. He was in the hostel all through my trip. 

For dinner, I went to Hashem restaurant in downtown. Had some mutabal which I struggled to finish.  They serve a lot of food. I also tried a dessert called Muhalabeih. It is a creamy Middle Eastern milk pudding infused with rosewater and topped with crushed pistachio.  

CONTINUED HERE - Shukran Jordan

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