Moss and waterfalls ...

... are not usually things that are associated with Jordan - more desert dunes and palm trees. But as I've said before, there are little oases of lushness, and we went to walk through one of my favourites last weekend, a canyon called Wadi Ibn Hammad. It'll soon be rainy season when narrow canyons like this one will be off-limits due to flash floods, so we've been making the most of these little chunks of heaven while we still can ...

Wadi Ibn Hammad is most famous for the hot springs at the entrance to the canyon, but to be honest I've never been in them - the Jordanians in their wisdom have built a lovely concrete building with baths hidden inside, and it all just looks a bit slimey for my liking ...

But this is no great shakes, because actually the best thing to do is march straight past the baths and head into the canyon itself, and you can still benefit from the hot water as it runs into the stream that you walk through as you meander down the canyon.




As you can see and hear, there is not just water in the stream - water comes out of the hills and the rocks all along the canyon, so that you are surrounded by babbling, dripping and splashing - so relaxing and refreshing after the barren windy desert! And because of the hot spring water and the calcium in the rocks, there are whole sections where the moss and roots of trees have been covered and solidified into a rocky writhing mass called travertine ... truely spectacular.

In fact, the whole thing is spectacular - carpets of ferns, moss and orchids hanging down around and above, the canyon itself getting narrower and taller until we began to feel truely dwarfed, and the different deposits in the rock creating vertical streaks of colour cutting across the horizontal and diagonal layers of the rosk itself ... a true little paradise ...

God willing ...

There is a phrase that you will hear many many times a day in Jordan and throughout the Arab world - "in sha' Allah". Literally it means "if God wills it", and is used whenever someone talks about something that is planned for or happening in the future - "we will leave tomorrow in sha' Allah", "it will rain tomorrow in sha' Allah".

However, there seem to be a lot of mis- (or different) understandings about what the phrase 'in sha' Allah' means - I was talking to some British tourists this weekend who were complaining about hearing this word all the time, which for them was just an Arabic way of saying "it 's not going to happen, but we 're too polite to say so" ... well, this is sometimes what it means in practice, but not always, and I couldn't help feeling that there was a not-so-subtle hint of racism in these tourists' attitude to their Arab hosts ... so I got on my high horse and had a good old chat with them, some of which I thought I'd also share with you, about my understanding of this essential phrase to date.

First of all, according to the Qur'an, every Muslim should use the phrase whenever they are talking about the future (interestingly, there is a similar demand in the Bible, somewhere in the Epistle of James);

Muslim scholar Ibn Abbas stated that it is in fact obligatory for a Muslim to say "in Sha' Allah" when referring to something he or she intends to do in the future. If carelessness leads to the omission of the phrase, it may be said at a later time upon the realization of the omission. This is stated in the Qur'an, in al-Kahf (The Cave) 18:23-24. And do not say, regarding anything, 'I am going to do that tomorrow,' Except (with the saying), "If Allah wills!" And remember your Lord when you forget and say: "It may be that my Lord guides me unto a nearer way of truth than this."

While I've heard some people claim that only the more devout Muslims actually stick to this, my experience in Jordan has been that people use it all the time almost instinctively, much as British people have a natural reflex to say "please" when asking for something. Whether this is because Jordan generally is more devout I don't know for sure, not having much to compare it to, but judging by the skinniness of some jeans and the very large number of alcohol vendors and bars for such a small Christian community, I'm guessing that there is a range of devoutness here like anywhere. It just seems that "in sha' Allah" is one of those basics that no-one really deviates from, and leaving it out would feel as strange to a Jordanian as asking for something without saying "please" and "thank you" would grate in Britain.

Inshallah (God willing), Bukra (tomorrow), Maalish (no problem) ...

This doesn't mean that the phrase is without meaning though, becoming what one New York journalist refers to as "a bit of a linguistic tic that has attached itself to nearly every moment, every question, like the word “like” in English". The idea that the future is not necessarily in our control, but rather that something will or won't happen depending on if Allah wills it, is pretty fundamental to the way people think here on the whole, and is something I can partly understand if in slightly less religious terms - while many people like to think that they are in full control of their own destinies, in reality this is only every partly true and other things (life? Allah?) come along that change our plans. It's true that leaving everything in the hands of fate / Allah / whatever you think accounts for how things turn out, can be (or at least seem like) an excuse for inaction - "I don't need to do anything, it's not in my hands". However, this isn't necessarily the case, and I certainly don't see people sitting around here doing nothing all day every day ... so there must in reality be some balance for the majority of people between trying to head in one direction or another and being ready to get blown onto a different course.

Using "in sha' Allah" does also seem to have a religious meaning, that acknowledges submission to God, with the speaker putting him or herself into God's hands, and accepting the fact that God sometimes works in inscrutable ways. Again, our New York journalist has a rather over-the-top way of putting this, saying that

Inshallah has become the linguistic equivalent of the head scarf on women and the prayer bump, the spot where worshipers press their foreheads into the ground during prayers, on men. It has become a public display of piety and fashion, a symbol of faith and the times.

The fact that less-devout and even non-Muslims use the phrase here in Jordan shows that it is not just an affirmation of Islamic piety - but it is one aspect of using the phrase, and an important one to recognise - as our New York friend finally admits at the end of his piece, "it is a powerful reference, intended or not."

And yes, it's true that when people say "tomorrow, in sha' Allah" it can mean anything from "of course tomorrow, as long as Allah wills it!" to "never gonna happen ..." ... but if it doesn't happen, (and this was for those annoying tourists I was talking to, not you beloved people!), it is not necessarily because of some fatalistic inability to take responsibility and act, or inherent laziness dressed up as faith, or because people aren't plucky enough to say "no" - maybe the person tried really hard and just couldn't do it, or it was never possible in the first place but they didn't want you to be sad ... or for any number of reasons!

To end, this quote from an Arabic and English speaker responding to a personal blog on the subject of "in sha' allah":

"There are words that simply don’t need translation. Ma’alesh is one of them and inshallah is another. I use them all the time in English as they mean so much more than anything I could translate them into. That’s the problem. Inshallah can mean “god willing”, “I hope”, “I won’t hold my breath” or “when pigs fly”….or any two at the same time."

Clear as mud eh ...

Feynan and Wadi Ghwayr

That's it! I'm properly back in the saddle, the leg is now officially strong enough to get out into the wilds of Jordan, and this week I had my first proper hike in a canyon in south Jordan in the Feynan region ... so good to be out of Amman and back in the little nuggets of lushness that Jordan's canyons have to offer!

The approach to Feynan Eco-lodge

Having said that, I wasn't exactly slumming it - I stayed in Jordan's first eco-lodge in Feynan, which is frankly pretty luxurious, with a fantastic location nestled in the hills with the Wadi Araba desert spread out below. It's also really well-designed - both in terms of the sustainability and the way it looks - with lots of lovely details which give it a great atmosphere - candles only at night, outdoor dining and reused wood and artifacts everywhere. And the staff there were so so friendly ... even with some of the slightly grumpy 'older' tourists staying there!

After some cracking food and an evening on the rooftop bathed in the light of the full moon, I was fully relaxed and ready for my walk the next day - I booked a guide to come with me up Wadi Ghwayr, a local valley which I've heard lots about from friends who trek a lot. It's a long walk, but by going on my own (rather than with my super fit friends) I was able to do as much as I wanted and at my own pace - perfect!

In fact, I could probably have done the walk without the guide, but it was better to have someone with me, and someone who could point things out. Salha my guide was fantastic, and we nattered all the way up and back again - she is also an archeologist and this area has lots of fascinating sites to visit, plus just swapping stories and getting some Arabic practice in was nice for me.


The walk was gorgeous, slowly walking up a valley that got narrower and narrower as we got further up. Like so may wadis here, the river creates a mini-rainforest feel in an otherwise totally barren landscape. The hills at the beginning of the walk are all volcanic, giving spiky hills and granite speckles, but then the terrain turns into soft sandstone further up. Unfortunately I didn't have time and enough energy to make it all the way up to the soft-rock canyon - called Palm Canyon locally - but that just gives me something else to look forward to next time!

There was plenty of wildlife to enjoy as well - I've heard that dragonflies are a sign that the local ecosystem is healthy, and there were hundreds on this walk, with lots of different colours. There were also frogs and river crabs, and some beautiful trees, some of which are apparently endangered.

Tree frog

After weeks of the dusty arid landscapes of Amman and the Petra region, it was refreshing to remember that Jordan also has these little pockets of green, as well as sources of water that people and animals alike rely on further down in the valleys and plains for survival. Jordan generally is running out of water, but surely these sources will survive? In sha allah ...

Soul music

There's been a good range of cultural stuff to do in Amman recently - I remember feeling a bit bereft when I first got here after having London and Brighton's cultural offerings to choose from, but a combination of Amman getting a new cultural listings magazine and the usual summer festivals has almost left me spoilt for choice on some days.

As well as various art gallery openings and the almost weekly themed free cinema festivals from the Royal Film Commission, we had a great 5 day Sufi festival last week, with performances from a different Sufi music group every evening. Sufism describes the more mystical, sometimes almost shamanic side of Islam, and Sufis around the world are well-known for having a variety of musical and dance forms that help them to come closer to God through entering a state of religious rapture or trance - the whirling dervishes are the most famous, but there are others like the Qawali music of Pakistan.

We went to a fantastic concert of Qawali music on the Sunday, a group of very happy-looking musicians starting slower - just a guy and a little accordian - and then getting faster and faster with more and more drums until they reached a stomping crescendo. Lots of fun!



I found the Syrian musicians and whirling dervishes even more mind-blowing ... starting with a very powerful singer on his own, which reminded me of a particularly beautiful call to prayer ...



Then the dervishes themselves started with a slow rhythm and a very stately walking in circles ...



then they get a bit faster ...



and faster and faster, until after about 5 minutes they just stop! Without falling over!



And inbetween the dancing there was some fantastic music using a whole range of instruments (check out this link to find out more about the instruments in traditional Arabic ensemble). Each of the instruments got their own solo section as well as all playing together, and I discovered both new instruments as well as new ways to play familiar instruments. The first video below has a percussion interval - and who knew there was so much you could do with a tambourine - while the second is a solo by the fabulously intricate plucked instrument called a Qanun ...

The real mists of time ...

Time has been a very limited thing for me over the past few weeks - low energy levels and lots to do has led to days flying by at a pace much faster than I'd like ... only 13 weekends left! Phew! But I had a trip this weekend to a place where a few weeks turned into the blink of an eye in comparison ...

While friends were visiting Petra last weekend (which as I'm sure I've mentioned is HUGE and not really ideal for a person of limited mobilty), I decided to finally make a visit to Little Petra - the name sounded appropriate i.e. LITTLE walks over LITTLE distances for a person who still gets sore legs a little too quickly compared to most.

I knew that compared to the main Petra site, Little Petra was going to be more compact and less majestic, but it was still a lovely place to wander around and imagine the hussle and bussle of life on one of the area's 'main streets' 2000 years ago. I ended up wandering around with a local guy called Khaled whose family used to live in one of the larger caves on the main drag, and he told me how their old home used to be a shop back in Nabatean times - and while his Dad missed the cave, he was far happier to be living somewhere with a TV and washing machine!


Little Petra does have its own unique side though - the only place that still has detailed paintings is in one of the larger caves, and it's a beautiful design of leaves, flowers and cherubs. Amazing how the desert heat and dryness can preserve things so well.

As an added bonus, Little Petra gets its Arabic name, Siq El Barid (the cold canyon) from the fact that it is mostly in the shade and so stays cool all day. This was very much appreciated when the general temperature in the Petra area was reaching 40 C in the middle of the day - I really felt for the guys on the main site sweltering and dodging from one small patch of shade to another.

But I did venture out for a short walk in the sun, and this was to see a true wonder - a neolithic village in the next valley called Al Bayda (above). This villlage is apparently MASSIVELY significant to archeologists and historians, as it dates right back to the very beginning of humanity properly settling into a sedentary life, growing crops and building houses - this village is dated to around 9,000 years ago! And unlike so many of these really old sites that I've seen before, it's not just a bump in the hill or a few piles of stones - you can see the remains of houses with different size rooms, different shaped buildings and corridors between them. Incredible!

Those lovely geeky archeologists have also handily worked out what the houses would have looked like, and built a couple of examples on the edge of the site so that you can look at the real village and imagine better what it would have looked like with rooves and all. And we tried out the building with the roof - it was amazingly cool in there compared to outside (did I mention it was 40 C?!), I guess having the gap between the top of the walls and the rook creates a kind of airflow system (although not sure about rainy season ...)


So, another site to add to the list of places that make Jordan great ... but I think also food for thought about life today compared to all those years ago - and how much life has stayed the same in some places while it's changed beyond belief in others. And maybe not always for the better ...

Stones for grinding wheat - proof of the first agriculture

She's back!

Well, hello m'lovelies - I am once again ensconced in the Middle East, time to resume the adventures even if the leg is not yet 100% willing ... will just have to hold off on the canyoning and rock climbing for a while. Still, plenty of other things to do and a veritable flood of visitors on the horizon, so won't be slouching in front of the box either!

It was a bit sad coming back in some ways - apart from all the people I've left behind, many of the friends I'd made here have moved on (a hazard of the expat life I guess), most of my plants were dead (my beautiful tomatoes! RUINED!) and the car was in serious need of some TLC after not being driven for 5 whole months ...

These ones didn't make it ...

But nothing a bit of effort couldn't fix - a new battery and water pump for the car (and boy was it dirty!), lots of water and a bit of compost for the few plants that survived, and I am back to walking up to people and asking them to be my friend, but all good! Am restarting poker night next week, first lot of visitors arriving just after that, and I will soon be ON THE ROAD!!!!!

... but these ones are survivors!

So, will keep you posted on how it's going, and am looking forward to sharing with you more of the wierd and wonderful that the Middle East has to offer ...

Take care!

I turn my back for five minutes ...

... and it's all happening in the Middle East -has Israel finally gone a step too far? Has the international tide turned? Is there hope for the Palestinian cause?

I've been doing a lot of reading over the last few weeks (not much else to do!), and it's been good to get a bit more detail about the history of where I live. The Middle East, cradle of civilisation with a position on so many trade routes, has lived through wave after wave of invasion, with powers rising and falling, with its fair share of war, peace, wealth and poverty; check out this pretty visual of the tides of history ...

But in the 20th century, how mightly those in power have screwed the Middle East up - the imperial interference of the British, the French and then the Americans for sure, but also the local elite - tribal leaders and intellectuals, religious orders and royal pretenders - so often more focussed on preserving their priveleges and getting one over their local rivals, and not stepping back to look at the bigger picture ... and don't get me started on Ben-Gurion and the like, marching through the first half of the 20th century absolutely convinced of their God-given right to the land of Israel and the complete insignificance of anyone who might be in their way, egged on by the US and European guilt about their anti-Semitic pasts ... ugly, very ugly.


So, if you are one of those people who has always wondered what the horrible mess is all about, and why we keep hearing about 'a lack of progress in the Middle East', I came across this little video where a man has been given the task of outlining the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in 15 minutes - it's a brave attempt, and almost makes the solution sound simple ... maybe it is?!

Israel-Palestine in 15 minutes