Treatment
According to liuxers.com, medical tourism is one of the main sources of income for modern Jordan. More and more patients from the Persian Gulf countries, Lebanon, the USA and Europe come here for high-quality and relatively inexpensive treatment. More than 100 clinics are open in the kingdom, equipped with the latest technology and accepting patients with even the most complex diagnoses.
Jordanian medical institutions successfully cope with cardiovascular, bronchopulmonary, gastrointestinal, skin, oncological and gynecological diseases. Here, neurosurgical and plastic surgeries are performed, liver and other vital organs are transplanted. But it is clearly worth coming here without waiting for the appearance of dangerous ailments: relaxation in spa centers using water and mud from the Dead Sea is an excellent prevention and incredible pleasure. Even the local air, saturated with salty fumes, heals and gives strength.
A day package of spa treatments in 5 * hotels on the Dead Sea costs 80-300 JOD.
The southern resort of Aqaba has excellent thalasso and balneotherapy centers specializing in the treatment of diseases of the skin and the musculoskeletal system. Seaweed wraps, underwater massage and other procedures help you lose weight, recover from childbirth and surgery, and generally feel ten years younger. Main is famous for its mineral springs: healing water with calcium, magnesium and other trace elements improves metabolism and puts nerves in order.
Pilgrimage
The Holy Land – the Middle Eastern territory between the Mediterranean, Red and Dead Seas, Lake Kinneret and the Jordan River – is a very special place for Christians, Muslims and Jews. It was here that the main events described in the sacred books of the three world religions took place, it was here that the earthly path of Christ began and ended.
Thousands of pilgrims annually strive to visit the Holy Land, worship shrines and gain a unique spiritual experience. Most routes cover several countries at once, but Jordan deserves a separate visit. You can start the pilgrimage in the capital: the Israeli king David sent Uriah the Hittite to certain death to the besieged walls of Amman, in order to then marry his widow, the beautiful Bathsheba. Here it is worth admiring the Byzantine church, built in the 6th century.
In Petra, most likely, the Magi stopped, going to Bethlehem to the baby Jesus. And in the nearby town of Wadi Musa there is one of the sources of Moses – a rock, from where the prophet carved drinking water with a blow of a rod.
In a palace an hour’s drive from Madaba, Herod the Great gave the order to behead John the Baptist. From Mount Nebo, Moses first saw the Promised Land, and at the place where the Church of Our Lady in Anjar stands today, Christ and Mary stopped on their way from the Sea of Galilee to Jerusalem. In the Jordan River, the Savior was baptized, and from the Jordanian shore one can dive into the sacred waters completely freely.
Shopping
From Jordan you can bring Madab wicker rugs, bottles of multi-colored sand from Petra (it’s better to buy them in Petra itself – there is natural sand of different colors from the canyons of the rock city, and not artificially colored, as in most other places), handicrafts made from olive wood, ceramics and copper utensils, jewelry, Bedouin black silver jewelry and much more. Jordanian cosmetics based on Dead Sea products are very popular.
Unbelievable, but true: the traditional “eastern” bargaining in Jordan is practically absent. Prices, if dropped, are not much and mostly Bedouin boys selling souvenirs in Petra. In stores and shops, sellers behave extremely helpfully, politely and always with dignity: no one allows themselves to grab their sleeves and other Middle Eastern attributes.
Friday is a public holiday in Jordan. Christian-owned shops may be closed on Sunday as well. There is no single work schedule for retail outlets here: each owner determines it himself.
If a tourist is suddenly seized by an obsession to personally pick up dirt directly from the shore of the Dead Sea, one can ask one of the attendants at a coastal hotel to help in search of it on the shore. The service will cost 1-3 JOD, depending on the difficulties associated with its provision, and on the amount of good extracted. The best dirt is “radical black” and can be transported in multiple nested plastic bags. We advise you not to engage in independent “mud-searching” activities.
Cuisine and restaurants in Jordan
Jordanian cuisine as a whole is faithful to Arabic culinary traditions, but has many characteristic features. Contrary to popular belief, local dishes are not as hot and spicy as people think. But mint, a variety of greens and herbs, lemons, onions, pickled olives, and pine nuts are added to food everywhere. Salads, stews, pastries with various fillings, as well as dishes from finely grated peas with greens – falafel and hummus are popular among appetizers.
In addition to various types of lavash and ragyf bread, kmaj cakes are popular in the country, which are often used as a kind of “edible spoons”. Meat dishes are most often chicken, lamb or veal with rice or potatoes. Traditional side dishes are different types of salads and stews.
The local sweets are considered among the best in the Arab world. These are cookies sprinkled with sesame seeds, baklava (baklava) with pistachios, the famous canafa with cheese, kataef pies, guava dessert Zhavafa, excellent ice cream, candied fruit.
Alcoholic beverages can be purchased at any time, except for the month of Muslim fasting. Of the local strong drinks, it is worth trying “arak” with the smell and taste of anise, it is diluted with water. Good wine too. Beer is offered in many cafes and restaurants (but not all) and sold in specialized stores.
Street food like shawarma or fruit mix costs 2-5 JOD. Lunch in an average metropolitan cafe costs 7-10 JOD, dinner in an Aqaba restaurant costs 20-50 JOD for two, excluding alcohol.
The best Jordanian eateries are concentrated in Amman: spacious, decorated with an oriental flavor, they offer all kinds of national dishes prepared by talented chefs. For the most fastidious gourmets, gourmet restaurants with equally high prices are open. In the neighborhood there are more democratic pizzerias, steakhouses, coffee houses, gelaterias and chain eateries, so there will be no problems with the usual European food. In the vicinity of Jerash, Arab cafes are notable, where vegetables and bread are baked on stones in huge traditional ovens. The pride of Aqaba is fish restaurants, popular not only among tourists, but also among local residents.
