April 28, 2006 : The sandninja has landed

Finally in Amman. It must be 4am, the prayers have started and the musical chanting reverberates throughout the city, the sound intensifying as it hits the limestone buildings. It’s beautiful and feels like a fitting announcement of my arrival. I fall asleep to this lullaby.

...hours later...

I have no idea what time it is. I awake to the sounds of children playing and car alarms going off. It looks overcast outside...flat light is falling against the building next door which I can see from my window. The apartment is quiet. I venture out and am greeted enthusiastically by Victoria’s kitten, Fel-Fel (Arabic for pepper). He follows me everywhere as I check out my surroundings.

The apartment is quite large. It has 3 bedrooms 2.5 baths, a formal dining room that fits both a dining set and a set of couches, a living room with couches and entertainment center, and a roomy kitchen with an eating area and balcony that overlooks the street.




Judging from the décor and the size of the furniture, I’m guessing this place came furnished. What is it with 3rd world countries and their obsession with over-sized furniture? I can’t imagine how they got all of it up the eight flights of stairs. I almost died just getting my luggage up and I was only carrying my little carry-ons, the driver took up the big bag.