Jordan was a very special trip for me because Petra was my last wonder of the world to visit, and also because I traveled there with a friend that had changed my life for the better. This friend showed me a way of living and enjoying life that felt more meaningful and joyful. My friend showed me how simple things could be so special and how any moment could be changed into a special moment.

So we began our trip in Bucharest where we spent a couple days exploring the city. Bakeries were the best! Bread and pastries were so good.

Amman

A cooking class is the way to start..

Jordan offers a great variety of food, without a doubt a great way to immerse yourself in the culture is by taking a cooking class. After doing some research, i picked Bei Sitti(https://beitsitti.com) as the place that offered the most authentic experience. Beit Sitti is a local and family owned business that aims to empower women in Jordan through hiring local Hajjehs who have exceptional talents in the kitchen.

Below are the menu items we cooked during our experience:

-Ouzi

-Mouttabal

-Osmaliyeh

-Yogurt and Cucumber salad

The Siq trail in Wadi Mujib

The Siq hike is a popular hike through the center of the canyon. It starts as a simple walk through the stream and quickly escalates into an all-out adventure filled with rock climbing, swimming, and waterslides. You will be swimming by the end of this hike.

Try the best falafel sandwich in the world

While looking for a quick bite to eat, we ended up in this falafel shop. A quick drive south of Wadi Mujib. Falafels made fresh, pita bread off the oven falling from a whole on the ceiling, and a local using his heavenly hands to add some fresh vegetables and French fries. The final product was the best falafel sandwich on earth. Location (https://goo.gl/maps/X6MwRzegoWd9mbEC8)

Beautiful Petra

Before arriving to Petra I must not forget that we shared a taxi from Amman to Petra with 2 other girls, and while entering the taxi, the driver decided to start driving the car and ran over my foot with the rear tire. I was surprised that it didn’t hurt at all.

We stayed at an AirB&B, owned by an Italian lady named Valeria, near musa spring. Valeria and her Jordanian boyfriend/husband Mahmoud have a very interesting story that it is worth listening to over some dinner. The most interesting part is to learn how a westerner is treated in a conservative country like Jordan, especially when this westerner gets involved with a local.

Capital of the Nabatean Kingdom, a beautiful complex, full of tombs and temples. After seeing the Al-Khazneh (The Treasury), enter the city, climb up and find a spot to have lunch overlooking beautiful Petra.

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Wadi Rum

Also called Valley of the Moon, is a experience out of this world. Wadi Rum has been used as a location for several films set on Mars. Films such as “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and “The Martian” with Matt Damon.

We hired a tour for 3 days and 2 nights in the desert. The meeting point was at the Rest House in Rum village. The first day started with a Jeep tour around several points of interest, then fresh Bedouin lunch prepared under nice little shade in the desert.

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First night we stayed at one of the camps next to one of the beautiful rock formations. The same evening we climbed up the rock, watched the sunset, and later shared dinner and travel stories with other travelers.

Day 2, we woke up really early and went for a Hot Air Balloon Ride, which was amazing! We were able to watch the sunrise and marvelous landscapes.

Hot Air Balloon ride in Wadi Rum

On Night 2, I left the camp and experienced what they called “Sleeping under the stars”

Sleep under the stars in Wadi Rum

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A must do, especially if you are into stargazing or just relaxing in front of the fire while a bedouin plays the “oud” for you. Thankfully I didn’t experience any bugs otherwise my experience would had been tarnished by my fear to weird insects. 😀 

Dead Sea

Finally made it to the Dead Sea, after having failed a few years back, when I was visiting Palestine. I was afraid and inexperience. Since I was travelling with my mother, I felt that going to the Dead Sea while in Palestine, was a deep trip into Palestine, a country I was not familiar with. Anyway, zooming back a few years, we drove from Amman to the Dead Sea and spent the day here. Floating and reading “The Happiness of Pursuit”. I won’t lie by saying that the Dead Sea made a long lasting memory but it was nice to experience it.