Jordan, impressions

Am I back on the blog? I hope so. Let me try to add some impressions about Jordan that I didn't have time to write in the first post.

Overall it was a great experience: it felt wonderful to be in the desert, sleep the first night under a beautifully clear sky, see the remnants of a hard-to-grasp past (this I discussed in my first post), drink excellent tea prepared by bedouins, (try to) smoke the narghile, etc...

Part of the experience was also reading some English-language Jordanian magazines in the hotel in Petra, mostly one focusing on society called "OK". I noticed the reform of education was a big subject. Many other modernization projects were mentioned. Also, the Jordanian "blogosphere" was mentioned with a page on a Jordanian blogger who had made his "coming out" on his blog: the magazine reported reactions from other bloggers and from the doctor responsible for the AIDS program in Jordan - if I'm not mistaken. Most reactions were critical, saying, for the most moderate, that his sexual life did not interest them and for the more conservative that it was a shame.

Last impression. I bless the benefits of peace, allowing to travel freely from the Jewish, westernized, Israel to its traditional, Arabic neighbor across the Jordan. Similar landscapes but a different world, only a quick border crossing away. If only the same could be achieved with the West Bank...

I'm presently learning Arabic but can only say a few words so far, so I'm eager to learn more and return to try my Arabic in Jordan!