The Joys of Jordan: Amman

Robert Louis Stevenson once said, "I travel, not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move." Well, I haven't moved from Riyadh in the past three years and I would be lying if I didn't say that I felt the need to stretch my wings a bit. I already scheduled my long-awaited trip back to the Philippines for June but I had made an earlier commitment to join our District Toastmasters Annual Convention (DTAC), slated at Amman, Jordan that late May. Having said that, this is admittedly, an overdue post. Nevertheless, let me share with you the joys of Jordan in a two-part series: the first will be about the city of Amman; while the second part will cover my trip to Petra, the Dead Sea and Mt. Nebo.

Ready to do some virtual traveling? Here we go.

Let's begin with a short introduction of Jordan:

"The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan can be found in the midst of Saudi Arabia, Syria and Israel. It is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and it is one of only three members of the Arab League that maintains a diplomatic relationship with Israel (Egypt and Palestine are the other two). It is ruled by a constitutional monarchy with a representative government. The legal system in Jordan is based on the French code law system via the Egyptian civil laws while Islamic law is limited to civic status legislation for Muslims."*

I also learned that Jordan is primarily a nation built on a mountain, hence the weather is beautiful with cool winds to sure swift by in the evenings. It's an "open" country where you can find cinemas, un-divided restaurants and of course, the tourists spots that they are known for. 

The posh poolside of The Landmark Hotel, where the DTAC was held.

Anyway, I arrived in Jordan not necessarily in the best circumstances as a fellow Toastmaster who flew to Jordan with me was denied entry upon our arrival at the airport. Due to the stress of the situation and granted that I was about to spend my first night in Jordan alone, booked in a conspicuous yet cheap hotel downtown, the organizers of the event who met us in the airport thought it best that I stay at the hotel where the event was going to be held - the famous Landmark Hotel. I was supposed to stay with other Toastmasters who had rented an apartment in Amman, however they weren't arriving until the next day. Tired and hungry, I eagerly accepted the room that they offered, free of charge -- an admirable gesture of hospitality from the Jordanians, right off the bat (More on the lovely Jordanians in my next post). 

Here I am during the opening of the District Toastmasters Annual Conference 2011.

Getting over the hoopla of the first day and finally meeting up with the rest of my housemates got me pumped up to finally enjoy Jordan and what it had to offer. Oh, and I was also excited for the Conference! It was my first time to attend at the District Level and I was interested to see how other Toastmasters were like outside of Saudi Arabia. During the registration, the initial meet-and-greet was filled with natural high! Just imagine a gathering of the most extrovert and/or talkative people in the region and that was it. :) 

Though quite admittedly, the Conference took a backseat for the most part of the trip as my housemates and I were leaning towards exploring Jordan more. My fellow Toastmaster, let's call him Dr. D, served as our personal fairy godmother throughout our sojourn in Jordan as he has visited this country more than once, the last being back in 2003. 

We had the whole itinerary set for our Jordan escapade, inserting a few educational sessions of the DTAC here and there. First off, we visited the Jerash site - which is a highlight, should you decide to discover the city of Amman. There is an entrance fee of about 5JD and prepare yourself for a lengthy walk (as this is required of almost ALL of Jordan's tourist spots).

What greets us at the entrance. 

The Jerash happens to be the second-most visited tourist spot in Jordan (next to Petra) and it is home to the some of the most preserved Roman ruins in the Middle East. I was astounded as I first sighted these huge creations and was at awe at how someone, from a time and place with less technology than what we have today, was able to erect these monumental sights that have obviously, stood the test of time!

The first pathway that will lead you to enter the site.

One can go back in time and witness a Roman Chariot.

A jousting tournament is also put on for show.

There is a re-enactment show that features the Roman Chariot experience plus a Jousting tournament inside the Jerash grounds and there is a separate fee for that. However, since my friends and I were on a tight schedule and we were set to walk all the way through the Jerash grounds, we had to sadly refuse the show. Fact though: If you know the movie "A Knight's Tale" starring the great, late, Heath Ledger, this is where they filmed it!  

The view on our way up: strong pillars remain standing.

Once I reached the top, this was the view from there.

What appeared to be a fountain site. 

It was exhilarating to view these grand creations. I made sure to touch each and every one of them. Unfortunately, we had only scheduled three hours of our time to explore the Jerash site and we had to run all the way back to the Landmark Hotel to take part in the prestigious Banner Parade of our Toastmasters event. It happens to be one of the proudest moments of my Toastmasters journey - carrying the banner of my beloved club amongst all the other Toastmasters clubs in the whole of Middle East. 

Strutting through the parade with PRTC's banner. 

A photo-op with other leaders of Riyadh-based Toastmasters.

The next day, the group and I were set to visit the old part of Amman where there were other ruins to be found, particularly in the highest point of the Amman area called the "Amman Citadel." It was a beautiful day to walk around the city and since it was a weekend, we couldn't find any commercial stores open. Hungry and hoping to fill ourselves up for the long walk ahead, we enjoyed some authentic Jordanian street food - which cost us only about 2.5JD for a group of five people! A stark difference to the 17JD per person that we paid for in the breakfast buffet of The Landmark the other day. Here are just some of our sweet street captures:

I would say that this part of Amman felt like what "Batha" is in Riyadh.

Traffic is a global phenomenon.

A by-the-street food stop. Where the cooks don't wear gloves and yet the food tastes great!

Hummus. Yogurt Dips with Eggplant. And Eggplant with Chilli. Perfect with Khubus!

After a morning feast, we began walking down the Old Amman area to find the old Roman Amphitheater and the The Jordan Museum for Popular Traditions. It was another sight to behold as I imagined that place to be where theater plays were portrayed, or possibly gladiator fights, and the rows of people who must have sat and screamed as they enjoyed the entertainment. I thought, this must be where the Master of Ceremonies stood:

F na F ang pagiging Toastmaster.

I climbed up til the first row and man, was that HARD! No rails!!! 

Inside the Museum of Popular Traditions, we found bountiful items that reflected the many cultural aspects of Jordan and its region. Here, we have the large cooking pan that they use to cook "Mansaf" which is the national food of Jordan. 

Mansaf is made of lamb, yogurt and rice. A delicious dish, but wasn't available in the museum.

Gems and stones turned into jewelry.

The fasyon in neighboring regions.

Masks and adorations for the face of hunters and leaders.

Silver bangles, anyone? I think Kim Kardashian has a similar line.

After exploring the museum, we then headed up to the Amman Citadel. It's a very clean and seemingly organized archeological site where you could probably take a date on a stroll and enjoy the view of the city from the top.  ;)

We made it!

The Pink Tarha in Jordan!

I am so insignificant compared to these!

A restored gateway.

The entrance that won't lead you anywhere, but at least it looks grand! 

This is what remains of the pillars that used to stand.

A beautiful view of the city below. (That Roman Amphitheater was where we were earlier).

Yo, we got playahs in Jordan too! Represent, represent! 

What makes these two sites amazing is that you need not go far off the Amman area to find these historical places. They are nestled and preserved right within the urban setting and it will have you admire them for having kept it this way all these time. Can you imagine how these would have been treated in the capital of the Philippines? It's a sad truth that our own cultural sites have not been as highly maintained as these places (but hey, this segment of the sentence can make up for a totally different blog entry). 

Our tour of Amman had us engaged in a beautiful marriage of the old and new Jordan. On one end, there is the flourishing of luxury and a bustling city, while on the other end, stood the guarding of the past, still relevant and respected, calm and quiet. More to come on my next post on Jordan, as our DTAC event comes to an end and where I'll be bringing you the sights of the Dead Sea, Mt. Nebo and the tale of the most excruciating walk of my life in the City of Petra! 

xoxo,

E

*Taken from Wikipedia article.

The Night We Ate The SR125 Steak

Shoegarfreeruby and I promised we'll treat ourselves when our June payday comes. We had the grand (bonggang-bongga!) plan of eating in a restaurant that originated in Paris where others have to line up for hours. Surely, like us, you'd be dying to eat in Le Relais de L’Enrecote. Say wut?! I have to admit I can't pronounce that. I tried a few times until I had to ask the waiter already. Lol. What I can pronounce, and happily too, is the star of this resto's menu. Actually, the ONLY thing in their menu --- steak-frites. Come again? Steak and fries.

Le Relais de L’Enrecote is known for their steak and fries and that alone. You'd be surprised they're quite famous for it too so dining in here is such an experience we'd be willing to line up for it if needed. Thankfully, all we needed to do is call for a reservation.

The facade is posh and elegant. Blink and you might miss the cursive sign.

R and I spent a few minutes waiting outside the restaurant along Tahlia, just a few steps away from Chili's, because the prayer was still on-going when we arrived (excited kasi!). We thought we had to fight our way in and we were ready just in case people are already blocking our path. Lol. It wasn't necessary because the only table occupied was one. It became two when we took our seats. Good thing we picked the after maghreb prayer schedule because the place is jampacked after 8:00pm.

Branches of L'Entrecote worldwide have the same look and ambiance.

We thought we had to act all formal and sosyal (in fairness, I even wore my best abaya for this!) but the bistro is so simple yet elegant it’s nearly a sin to act pa-sosyal pa. Of course, there's no need to peruse a menu as there's none. We were immediately asked how we wanted our steak done. “Oh medium-well monsieur! Merci!” (Testing lang. :P)

They served us a simple salad first. It was so basic it only had lettuce and pieces of walnuts on it drizzled with their signature dressing. 

The starters.

The only thing I can remember about it is that it was too salty. The mustard dressing was a little bit bitter too. I'm not big on green stuff so I munched them lazily. There was bread too but I hardly glanced at it; just took a photo. 

Bland bread.

I was excited to begin my steak! Good thing, we didn't have to wait long for it. I wasn't really looking for anything fancy but I was still surprised when they placed an ordinary-looking plate in front of me filled with thin fries and a few cuts of meat. R and I were glancing at each other and asking, "this is it?!"

This is it!

I ignored the fries first and went straight to my steak. I sliced a piece and pierced it with my fork (I think I'm holding my breath while doing this). I put the piece of meat in my mouth... there were no fireworks, I tell you. There was no shout of pure ecstasy (I'm still talking about food). There was no "Eureka!" moment. I only managed to chew and chew, quietly savoring the succulent meat; its mild flavor swirling in my tongue spreading a unique flavor ingrained in my taste buds forever but can't describe with words now. 

Perfect combination.

It wasn't anything spectacular... It was amazing in its simplicity. The meat was tender and the sauce was mild and not overpowering. Although I wasn’t really impressed with the sauce. I initially thought it was good of epic proportions because it was a heavily-guarded secret! (O diba?!) Is it because I’m not French and not used to this kind of steak sauce? I dunno. The golden fries, which I ignored for a few minutes, came to focus when I popped a string in my mouth. The crispiness felt wonderful and right. I began eating the meat with a couple of fries and the combo was perfect!

Of course, I was already thinking the fries, even if it resembles a hill on my plate, and the slivers of meat, were not worthy of their SR125 price tag. (I completely forgot about the disappointing salad by now. Did I mention that here?! Really?) Alas, we were not yet finished. There was a second serving of fries and steak. I was already full when I wiped out my first serving but I kept on eating because the steak-frites is really good and not at all cloying!

A menu is only available for the desserts. Because we're delirious and can't quite think for ourselves after the main meal, we asked the waiter to choose for us among their highly-recommended desserts. A tower of meringue and ice cream were put in front of us and it was a wonderful sight. 

How sinful is this?! Vacherin, SR38

The Le Vacherin de Relais interweaves different textures from crisp, coarse, smooth, silky, soft in the layers but the taste is just one – sweet. I’m not exactly raving about this dessert.

Of course this meal is best enjoyed with wine the Le Relais de L’Enrecote in France is known for but should we even dare bring this up? Soooo…

Are we recommending you try Le Relaise despite of its hefty price tag and loner dish? Of course! You only live once right? And it's not every day you get to eat the steak-frites the world is lining up for. This can earn you bragging rights too... only if you know how to properly pronounce the name though. :)

Le Relais de L’Enrecote

Almas Plaza, Thalia Street

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

T: 01-4615058

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The BBW Wonderland

And so the wait is over... the Bath and Body Works Store in Riyadh is open! 

My friends and I saw it this weekend. We giddily entered to see if our favorite scents are available and what other treats await us. (I was like this girl lost in a candy store.) We went from one shelf to another like giddy school girls spotting a crush. Lol. This time though, it's a different "candy" we're ogling at. Smelling too, instead of tasting. 

A wonder land!

We asked a salesman politely if we can take photos in the store. He said yes with much enthusiasm. We took photos as close to the products and shelves as possible to remain discreet and avoid taking photos of people inside the store. There were a lot of people that night but not enough to restrict movement. 

SWEET PEA!!!

Of course, I looked for my fave fragrance first. I didn't have to look hard because this is at the front. Sweet Pea has always been my favorite BBW scent. It's a soft, delicate fragrance of sweet pea petals and watery pear with freesia, raspberry, and musk. I can't get enough of this! I still have the body spray and lotion now so I didn't buy any thing from the line. Well, nothing yet! Humanda ka kapag ubos na. Hehe. Shoegarfreeruby likes the Warm Vanilla Sugar scent, which is currently on a Buy 1 Get 1 promo. This combination of vanilla, basmati ice water, and sandalwood is so sweet and comforting. 

Carried Away

A few of their newer scents are also available. Among them, I like Carried Away, a blend of jasmine, raspberries, and vanilla. And isn't the packaging adorable? Might get this next time so love might sweep me off my feet. ;) Other scents we saw are Country Chic, Island Colada, Japanese Cherry Blossom, and Midnight Pomegranate, which they seem to be highlighting to cater to the Arab market because of its dark, sensual scent (like oud maybe).

Gift sets

Your gift list solved.

You won't get stumped on what to give your family and friends now!

There are gift sets available for SR225 each, or maybe lower depends on what you want to include.

Water cans!

We were smitten with these water cans. Surely we don't have any need for it but it's just too cute and refreshing to see them here. And in green too!

Here's the price list for the fragrances. Some scent lines are more expensive than others so check the tags first. The salesmen are really helpful too so inquire! Hindi bawal magtanong, sabi nga ng friend ko when I became too shy to ask, lol. We'll put in the prices in USD from the BBW website so you can compare if they're worth buying here or you'll just have to order from online sites.

Body Lotion (237 ml) - 45 SAR | $10.50

Fragrance Mist (8 oz) - 25 SAR (small) | 55 SAR (large) | $12.00

Eau de Toilette (2.5 oz) - 100-120 SAR | $29.50

Shower Gel (8 oz) - 45 SAR | $10.50

Body Cream (8 oz) - 50 SAR | $12.00

Hand Cream (2.5 oz) - 40 SAR | $10.00

Bubble Bath (8 oz) - 50 SAR | $12.00

Smaller versions are 10-20SAR less than their big counterpart.

A combination of small bottles of lotion and shower gel are perfect for gifts.
30 SAR each set.

They don't only have the fragrances. They also have lip glosses and lip balms. They have the color lip gloss, sheer lip gloss, and mentha lip gloss. They also carry C.O. Bigelow's popular all-around rose salve used to soften the lips, face, cuticles, elbows, knees, etc.

Lip treats galore!

Lottsa choices and flavors! 

We didn't get any thing from their lip line though 'coz we found the 35 SAR (each) too expensive. These lip treats are only $7-8 a piece in the US. Hmn, maybe we'll get one or two if our curiosity gets the better of us tomorrow. :P

Cute hand sanitizers

The pocket-sized hand sanitizers are so tiny and cute! They go for 15 SAR each and comes in your favorite fragrance. They also have a line that signifies your horoscope sign and the traits that come with it. For example, I'm a Virgo and it says in the bottle that I'm witty, perfectionist, reliable, and helpful... oi, so me! LOL. They have the holder which you attach to your bag so it's easy to pump a little into your hands any time any where but they're pretty expensive at 20 SAR.

They also have a range of face care and aromatherapy products which I didn't get to know further because I became attached to their home fragrance line. I looove scented candles, tarts, and linen sprays... basically anything that gives my room the smell that coincides with my emotions (emotera kasi! haha!). 

Yummy scents!

Their Slatkin&Co. candles look so sleek in their glass holders and they also have very lively colors. I like the Sweet Pea variant of course... and the Frosted Cupcake (so sweet and ahhhhh nakakagutom!) I like their Strawberry Patch, Island Margarita, and Warm Vanilla Sugar. I hope they bring Salty Caramel, Homemade Cookies, and Mint Chocolate too (puro pagkain talaga?!).

Lovely candle holders!

Candles (4 oz) - 45 SAR | $9.50

Candles (14.5 oz) - 95 SAR | $19.50

Candle holders/sleeves - 65 SAR up

Their Wallflowers also piqued my curiosity. For those who don't want lighting candles in their houses , especially those with children who are malilikot (aren't all children?!)... then these are for you. They're pluggable home fragrance devices. Just put your favorite single bulb refills and plug! The salesman said a bulb can last up to 3 days. 

Can serve as decors too!

Look at that egg container for four bulbs! So kyot.

Wallflowers Starters - 35 SAR | $6.50

Wallflowers Single Bulb Refills - 25 SAR | $6.50

For those who are avoiding anything with flame, plugs, and batteries, then they also have these egg-shaped home fragrances but I wasn't able to check them out further. Oooh, also the nifty Scentportables.

Eggscents! Cool!

So there you are... I'm sure I haven't featured every thing but that's about most of the items you can expect to see in the newly-opened Bath and Body Works in Sahara Mall and Kingdom Center. For years, I've been buying Victoria's Secret body sprays as pasalubong for my sisters and friends. I think it's time for a change. ;)

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A Hula Hooping Tarha

Hula Hooping. Yep. Remember grade school? No, I didn't hula hoop back then. I was very athletically-challenged when I was young and I could never keep a hula hoop revolving for more than one turn. So you can imagine my hesitation to try hula-hooping as an adult even though I've read a lot of good things about it.

Hula hooping is used for dance, play and self-expression. Some even say that it has meditative effects on them and can be a good outlet for stress relief. In the US, there are clubs formed just for Hula hoop enthusiasts. Heck, according to fitnotic.com, you can even hula hoop while you're pregnant! Even celebs are hooping!

Beyonce and Marisa Tomei hoop! Photo taken from Google.

It was my mom's idea to try hula-hooping for exercise. After a lot of research, my mom decided to buy an adult size weighted hula-hoop from Hoopnotica. These hoops are waaaay bigger and a bit heavier than the kiddie hoops. I'm not sure if these are available in the Riyadh yet, but you can purchase them online or make your own. Check this link for DIY instructions.

My mom would hoop everyday and my little sister would even join the fun with her kiddie hula-hoop. I was left out of loop because I was hesitant to try it --- up until I saw the results. Within a month, my mom lost enough weight that she started buying clothes one size smaller. Now that my mom has graduated into the heavier hula hoop, she lets me use her old weighted hoop. I figured, if they could do it, so can I! Na-challenge much...

I'm saving up for these. ^_^ Photo taken from Hoopnotica.com

Well, it took me a few tries before I got the hang of it. But I can now hula-hoop for 30 minutes straight without stopping! With hula-hooping you flex your core muscles, sway your legs and bend your knees to keep the hoop up. In a few minutes, I'm already sweating a bit and my hips are less stiff.

Hula hooping on my lunch break!

My mom said that it works better if you hula hoop for 1 hour but in 20 minutes intervals. I am slowly building a habit around it, waking up earlier in the morning and I've recently tried hooping during my lunch break. (I brought the detachable travel hoop). Hahaha... that was fun. For a more visual take on hula hooping, check this video.

To a slimmer waist! Ajah!

Sampaguita Pride

Topped with Sugar Sprinkles

If our array of cupcake reviews didn't satisfy your lust for the heavenly dessert, then perhaps another one will.

We present you one of the most popular cupcake havens in Riyadh... Sugar Sprinkles. 

It's another one of those location we found via the Internet because we don't know the street by heart. I told our driver to just go straight in Takhassusi Road and just go straight. I don't have an estimate on how far it is from the Aiziza Panda in the intersection of Takhassusi and Mecca Roads where we're coming from. Just go straight. What kind of a direction was that?! Well, a direction that can lead us to this sweet place apparently. It's rather easy to find if you're always looking at the right side of the road. It was almost near King Abdullah Road (or was it?); the pink signage completely drew us in. Oh, and the long lines. So really, what's with Sugar Sprinkles? 

It's a dainty place to be in. The pink and brown scheme is a winner already. It's a theme that's mostly chosen for weddings and interior design so it's related to cheery, sweet vibes. We love the hints of warm sugar&cinnamon and freshly baked bread in the air inside the small store. We love the various decors too.

A shelf of ceramics

Cute accents

The cupcake display case is a sight to behold. It's not a chore to know what flavor is the cupcake. Just look at them and ingredients will be naming the flavors: cookies and cream, kitkat, red velvet, blue velvet, carrot, strawberry... All yum!

Oh the choices!

Size CUTE!

Their big cupcakes are SR8 each while the smaller ones are SR3. Get the cute, small ones if you're dying to try everything... and because they're really cute. :D

Choc'lit toppings!

How do I say this? Some of the cupcakes hit the mark but others are just off our palate. The red and blue velvet are pure love. We like that they're simple but luscious; the cupcake breaking apart smoothly with a bite. 

The velvets

The others, especially the ones with chocolate as base, are quite predictable: sweet and decadent. 

That's looks like a Hershey's Kisses on top! :P

The carrot cupcake is tasty and nutty. I'm not a fan of too much texture (a grinding in my teeth) in my cupcake but that's just me. The fruit flavored ones are a miss though. I can taste an artificial flavor in there, with a slightly bitter aftertaste. Even the color red and yellow looks artificial. Others have a crumbly base. It's a hit or miss thing. Their frosting is good. It compliments the bread.

Aside from the cupcakes, try their English bread and muffins. They look and taste good! Their cakes are wonderfully decorated too. Might order one on the next Pink Tarha occasion. :)

You'll never regret eating them! :D

Sugar Sprinkles

Al Takhassusi Road, Riyadh, KSA

01-2290505

www.sugarsprinkles.com.sa

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