Did I mention how much I love falafels in Jordan?

I do. I really really do.

So I have been bugging Mahmoud to take me to a local falafel shop. The Jordan Tourism Board had scheduled a fancy schmancy dinner but let us cancel when I said I’d rather have a falafel.

In my mind I had imagined some epic place Anthony Bourdain would feature but then quickly snapped back into reality when we stopped at a modern restaurant, Abu Jbarah, with take out and a drive thru. Needless to say I felt a bit foolish, why wouldn’t one of the most popular falafel restaurants look like this?

Mahmoud ordered a bit of everything for us to share. And Rami our driver scolded the server when he brought plates for us.

If this were going to be authentic we would all just eat straight from the plates and share and Rami knew I didn’t want a tourist version of dinner.

Alas this was my last night in Jordan and it was amazing, now onto Europe!

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Bureau. They did not ask me to write a favourable review or start to feel sad that it was my last night with Mahmoud and Rami.

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Food Photo Friday: Abu Jbarah is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Food Photo Friday: Abu Jbarah is a post from: Bacon is Magic

As an independent traveler I have always been a bit snobbish about tour guides. But when I spent 5 days with Hayley in Churchill I started to realize that they can actually make a travel experience.

Here in Jordan I have spent 10 days with Mahmoud my guide and Rami my driver. They show me the sites and Mahmoud explains the history but there is so much more.

We’ve become friends.

During the day we have lunch with Rami, who makes me laugh despite the language barrier. At night Mahmoud and I eat dinner together and talk about everything, our cultural difference, our similiarities, we laugh about people from other countries.

He is patient with all of my many many questions: why do women wear headscarves? why do some show hair and others do not? What is happening in Syria? What are the wedding traditions of Bedouins? What should I wear? Do I need to cover my shoulders? Do people like tourists? Why do people pray 5 times a day?

We also talk about life, having children, traveling alone, learning other cultures. He wants to do the full Camino de Santiago which I am too lazy to do. He’d love to have a bed in a van and just travel around like Germans in Turkey.

Mahmoud asks Rami to stop the car often to take a photos.

Here Mahmoud takes a photo of me learning to weave a rug.

Within a few days it feels like we are old friends. Mahmoud knows that I drink too much water and have to go to the washroom before I see any site or talk to anyone.

Mahmoud says he doesn’t know everyone in Jordan but I think he does. We are constantly stopped by people who tell me he is the best guide.

I can see he is well respected by everyone.

Sometimes we brush off guides because we are seeking this elusive authentic experience. But I understand Jordan far better from spending time with Mahmoud than if I tried to do it on my own.

Maybe it isn’t the independent backpacking way to do it but if I hadn’t had a guide and driver I would never have come to love Jordan the way I do.

 Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not ask that I write a favourable review or have such a good time with Mahmoud my guide.

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Have you met Mahmoud? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Have you met Mahmoud? is a post from: Bacon is Magic

My last day all I wanted to do was walk around with Mahmoud and listen to him tell me about Amman. Even with ten days I feel like I scratched the surface.

Two things that were not on my itinerary but I was dying to see, were the market and a mosque. Fortunately they were right beside each other.

The market was packed with people, fresh figs, pomegranates and people shouting out what they had to sell. A lot of the vendors offered the fruit for me to try.

The city is electric with people buying everything from sunglasses to dried spices on the street. This was one of my favourite moments on the trip as Mahmoud would just show me and explain all of the dried food and I just took in the sounds of the city.

And then I heard the most important sound of all, the bells for the call to prayer. We hadn’t intended to go to the mosque at that time. It meant I could not go inside, but was able to witness the prayers as Mahmoud explained it to me.

It was such a great last day in Jordan and reaffirmed there is so much more to see.

I will be back.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not request that I write a favourable review or wish that I could stay for just one more week.

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Amman in photos is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Amman in photos is a post from: Bacon is Magic

The first comment I received from many people was that there would be no bacon in Jordan. Guess what: there is!

Sort of.

In Amman I saw this curious tray of beef bacon at the hotel and had to try it. You are not fooling anyone with this smoked meat but it was tasty. Mahmoud told me it was possible to buy bacon in Jordan as Christians do live there too but you simply had to know where to go.

So crisis averted. Bacon is everywhere.

 Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Bureau, they did not ask that I write a favourable review or be so inquisitive with my guide about buying bacon in Jordan.

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Food Photo Friday: Beef bacon is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Food Photo Friday: Beef bacon is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Going to Petra Kitchen was great but I wasn’t finished my Jordan food exploration. Jordan Tourism also booked me into Beit Sitti, an Amman cooking school in the artists’ neighborhood.

Maria runs the school and named it Beit Sitti because it means “My grandmother’s house” and throughout the house you can see beautiful vintage photos of her grandmother and mother.

I was so excited when Maria told me I would learn how to make my favourite Jordanian food – mouttabal!

As the group was small and I hate peeling potatoes, Mahmoud pitched in and peeled mine to make the siniyet kafta which is kind of like a meat loaf topped with potato and tomatoes.

I always considered myself to be a good cook but I was no match for Aya and her father, from Egypt. Aya was finishing up her Masters at the Sorbonne in Paris and has ambitious plans to take on the world. The girl knows how to make bread.

It was a really nice night of standing around a table, preparing food and laughing about life and everyone’s cooking skills. I really do believe there is no better way to spend a night than around great people and delicious food.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not insist that I write a favourable review or ask Mahmoud to also participate in the class.

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Cooking at my grandmother’s house is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Cooking at my grandmother’s house is a post from: Bacon is Magic

I got a lot of flack when I announced that I did not like green pepper, who knew it would be that controversial? I’m not a picky eater but there are a handful of things I don’t like and even more that I’m not crazy about.

Or so I thought.

I tried some of these things in Jordan and realized I did like them. Well I like them in Jordan.

Falafels

There are many falafel shops in Toronto and I have tried them many times, really wanting to like them but always feeling lukewarm about the rockhard flavourless balls.

Falafels are typical Jordanian food but here they are light, fluffy deliciousness. I think the brightness of parsley helps the flavour but overall they are a must-try.

Lemonade

I usually only drink water or alcohol. I’m not big on juice or pop, but here in Jordan lemonade is mixed with so much mint it is green and absolutely delicious.

And the mint doesn’t stop there. I resisted drinking any tea here but then Mahmoud told me to try to sage tea with mint, I’m a complete convert and love it.

Maybe I should have a site called Mint is Magic?

Eggplant

On my formal list of the 5 things I don’t like. I have tried to cook eggplant so many times. I still don’t like baba ganosh but mouttabal is an delicious blend of roasted eggplant, yogurt, tahini, garlic and lemon.  I will be making it at home.

Lamb

I have tried lamb before, even in New Zealand where it’s supposedly the best, but have never been crazy about it. The national dish of Jordan is mansaf, and it changed my mind about lamb.

A large flatbread is topped with rice, almonds, pine nuts and lamb that has been simmered in dried yogurt and then mixed with water to create a creamy sauce. My driver Rami explained that many people need to take naps afterward and I can attest that it true.

I could go on and on about Jordanian foodbut I look forward to every meal here. Fortunately I have not seen a green pepper yet!

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Bureau, they did not request that I write a favourable review or decide that I had been wrong about so many foods I thought I didn’t like.

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Jordan surprises a food snob is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Jordan surprises a food snob is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Have I said how much I liked Jordanian food? I do, and you know I would not lie. I had no qualms about sharing my disdain for English food or Austrian schnitzel.

Jordanian food is delicious.

The food is simple but flavourful and I was dying to learn how to make it. Fortunately Jordan Tourism had booked me in at Petra Kitchens to learn some of my new favourite dishes.

I know not everyone likes to chop vegetables as much as I do so I wanted to share this stewed chicken recipe which was so simple but really delicious.

Sawani dijaj or oven-roasted chicken

The Arabic word for baking dish is “suniya” or “suniyat,” the plural form of which is “sawani.” Thus Suniyat dijaj is literally a pan of chicken.

2 chickens
2 lb tomatoes
3 cloves garlic
1 T. salt
½ C. vegetable oil
2 lb potatoes
1 lb onions
1 ½ C. water
1 t. cumin
1 t. cardamom
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. pepper
1 t. nutmeg

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Wash chicken and rub with salt, oil and spices. Cut up and brown in oil (about 15 minutes).
3. Chop onions into thin rings.  Slice tomatoes into thin slices. Chop potatoes into thin crosswise (oval) slices.
4. Combine vegetables in skillet. Saute them in oil until the onions are clear.
5. Place the chicken in a greased baking dish. Add onions and potatoes. Arrange the tomato slices on top. Cover pan.
6. Reduce oven temp to 350° and cook for 45 minutes.

This popular entrée has many variations. Try out pan-roasted meat (suniyat lahma), vegetarian roasted eggplant (suniyat betinjan) or a something-for-everyone combination of meat chunks, chicken and eggplant. Versions using meat should be cooked longer.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not request that I write a favourable review or realize I’d love Jordanian food so much.

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Food Photo Friday: Jordanian stewed chicken is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Food Photo Friday: Jordanian stewed chicken is a post from: Bacon is Magic

After a full day of Petra in the sun I had to chug coffee to have enough energy to head back for the Petra by night show. I had heard enough from others to know this was something I should not miss.

Sure I’m no Dave from The Planet D but I do love night photography and in safe cities I have spent hours wandering the street plopping down my gorillapod to open the shutter. I hoped I could capture the vastness and beauty of Petra in the darkness.

With the soft glow of candles, people wander through the canyon to the treasury where they sit and drink tea while listening to traditional bedouin music. Afterwards they give you enough time to take some photos, even organizing a group flash so people can try to capture the structure.

But I hate flash.

So I tried to be patient and wait for everyone to take their photos with much dissatisfaction while my camera on its gorillapod was set to go.

I was the last person there. Fortunately much of the staff remembered me from the morning and tried to shoo everyone else away so I could take a few shots of the treasury and then leave as well.

Wandering Petra at night alone was definitely a highlight, I may never be a professional photographer but I had fun all the same.

 Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not request that I write a favourable review or be one of the last people to leave the area so I could take as many pictures of this beautiful area at night.

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Petra by Night is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Petra by Night is a post from: Bacon is Magic

While staying at Feynan EcoLodge I was invited to see how bread in Jordan was made by a local Bedouin family. I have now learned a few words in Arabic but certainly do not know how to communicate.

But sometimes all you need is a smile.

Here Um Khalid invited me in with a warm smile to show me how she makes the bread I have been devouring at the lodge. It is this thin doughy deliciousness that she throws onto the heat with ease.

She then asked if I wanted to try but turns out I will never be a baker. Mine was thick and chewy – and not in a good way. After a few bites I could not pretend to enjoy it.

We had a lot of laughs and didn’t need to speak the same language to know I would never have a future making bread. Fortunately the children who were dancing around in excitement were only too gracious to take it off my hands.

I really wished I could have stayed longer at Feynan. It seems like such a special place. The family was so gracious and I was jealous when I heard someone had been here recently to volunteer to teach English at the school.

If only I had the patience to teach.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not request I write a favourable review or make such terrible bread it would be difficult to pretend I liked my own food.

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Food Photo Friday: Making bread in Jordan is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Food Photo Friday: Making bread in Jordan is a post from: Bacon is Magic

Most people come to Jordan to see Petra and plan their vacation around it. It is definitely up there with most impressive ruins around the world. It is so famous that when Reine from Jordan Tourism asked me what I was most excited about in Jordan she was surprised I answered food and not Petra.

Do not underestimate my love of food.

But I knew Petra was a big deal. I had seen the photos of the Treasury, named so because people mistakenly thought this large space had once been a bank. Apparently they were wrong but it remains the iconic photo of Jordan.

My guide Mahmoud and I traisped through the beautiful canyon to the Treasury and it lived up to the hype but after the obligatory photos he explained this was just the beginning of Petra. In fact only one-fifth of the ruins had been discovered but the site is massive and most of it is underground.

As he explained the history we were approached by some Bedouin children trying to sell souvenirs. All were very polite and certainly not as aggressive as those I have encountered at other sites like Angkor Wat.

It tugs at your heart.

Mahmoud explained that tourists should not buy from these children. There are many programs to get these children into school, and if people did not buy from them they would have a better opportunity in the long run.

With so many options at Petra Mahmoud asked me what I wanted to do, I had already explained that I am a self-professed lazy traveler.

He was hesitant to push me to do any hiking but knew there were a couple of climbs of 800 steps or more. He liked the Monastery the best but warned me it could take an hour to climb. Not wanting to pressure me he did say I could take a donkey up hill.

I am lazy but I am also stubborn.

There is no way I would not take a donkey up or any other animal. I could put my laziness aside for an hour.

And I did.

It was a surprisingly easy climb with shallow steps and sights to keep me occupied so time passed quickly. I was shocked when we reached the top that there was this massive site.

It was worth it and now I have redefined my adversion to hiking from all hiking to hiking for more than two hours.

Disclosure: I was a guest of the Jordan Tourism Board, they did not request that I write a favourable review or be so stubborn to prove that I am not always a lazy traveler.

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800 steps to prove I am not lazy is a post from: Bacon is Magic

800 steps to prove I am not lazy is a post from: Bacon is Magic