Jordan, you are a beauty!

In our eyes, Jordan stands up to its reputation of being a safe and conservative nation in the Middle East. The food was terrific and the people spoke good English, were super friendly and really helpful. It was a great relief to leave a polluted and hectic Cairo for a clean and beautiful country.

In Jordan, everyone seems to be a taxi driver, or know someone who is, and the moment you say hi, out comes the business card! This means the need to navigate the unlabelled maze of streets in Amman is not something the weary traveller need worry about. One thing that was a bit surprising - given two Canadians niave expectations of a country in the middle east - was the price of accomodation in Jordan. In two words, tres expensive!

A short summary and highlights from each of our 3 stops.

Amman: Besides being a perfect jumpoff site for Petra (3-4 hours away), the capital city has a lot to offer. In particular, we found the Citadel (fortress) spectacular and well worth the hike up to see it. The hotel we stayed in, Toledo Hotel, is situated in an ideal location and was a superb value for money with awesome staff. Amman also had the best falafal we have ever had, hands down!

Petra: Plain and simple, visiting this site is going to cost a pretty penny and there is simply no way around it. Accommodations are over-priced, but given the size of the Petra site, avoiding staying in town for the night is nearly impossible. Our advice, live in the moment, get a two day ticket and think about the Visa bill later. It is a place no one should miss.

Dead Sea: Float in the sea, scrub yourself with mud, and enjoy

Best of: Falafal, Petra, the people, Dead Sea

Worst of: Lack of public transit, price of accomodation

Coffee anyone: A proud moment of patriotism...there was a Second Cup in Amman, maple leaf rite in the middle of the logo!

Who'd of thunk it: Taxi driver in Amman gives us some helpful advice, offers us his business card. 2 days later in Petra, some guy offers to drive us back to Amman if we pay for his gas (40 dollars cheaper than anyone else). On the way to Amman, he calls a friend to hook us up with rides to the dead sea and the airport. The next morning, the friend shows up to drive us to the dead sea...its the same guy who offered us the advice 4 days earlier!! Everyone knows everyone in Jordan!