Jordan- A Land of Contrasts

From the bustling, heaving cities with the tented Iraqi refugees
To the luxurious 5 star hotels along the Dead Sea

From the majestic mountains and breathtaking views
To the aridity of the spoiled wetlands

From the hospitable cheery welcome
To the overpricing and scams aimed at the tourists

From the red-rosed history of Petra
To the bright blue of Aqaba bay

From the beige dilapidated housing of Irbid
To the green trees that grow in abundance

From the high pressure shower in my hotel bathroom
To the chronic water shortage in the country

From ancient, crumbling Umayyad castles
To the modern, shiny, high- rise apartment blocks

From the still, eerie, quietness of Wadi Rum’s desert
To the loud, tooting, ubiquitous horns of Amman


From the salty Dead Sea highway
And the scenic Kings Highway
To the dry Desert Highway

This is Jordan.