I'm Feeling a Bit Salty

Hello,

Yesterday I went to As Salt City with the SIT group. Salt is towards the center of Jordan and lies on the highway between Amman and Jerusalem. Back in the day, when King Abdullah I (the current king's grandfather) came to power, it was expected that he would build his capital in Salt. However, as we know, he chosed Amman instead. Abdullah II (Current King) choose the city as a place he would like to modernize. Because of this, the city has grown.



For more factual information about the city of Salt please visit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt,_Jordan

http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=182


While in Salt, I was first impressed by the warm, friendly feeling the city had. You felt right at home in the city. The city is also very old and you can feel the charming history of the place as you walked down the street. Since America is so young, you cannot experience feeling this type of history in the United States. It was magical. The people in Salt are called Saltea...or Salt-Te-Ay.  Hence, I'm feeling Salty...

Side note: I'm trying to make this more educational. While I will be talking about places, I also posted links so your can do more reading about city's, traditions and clothes. They are short quick reads that I think are awesome. Also, Mommy dearest, please print out the links for Grandmom and Grandad when you print out the blog. I think the websites will help back up what I'm writing. I've determined that this blog is my baby. I will be editing typos soon. I just don't have a lot of time.

Breakfast

The first thing we did in salt was visit a cafe for breakfast. We were served coffee or tea in addition to different breads. I had some bread that had a sweet cheese in the middle. I also had something that resembled a "pig in a blanket" as well as a large round piece of bread with some peppery salty seasoning. It was very tasty.

Rooftop View

Next, we visited the Salt Archeological Museum. We saw different artifacts that were burried in the soil in addition to how people were buried a long time ago in Salt. Personally, the roof top view was far better than the museum's collection. You could have a clear panoramic view of the area. Gorgeous! The weather was perfect also and the sky was clear.

View from the top of the roof

A beautiful mosque I saw from the roof.

Random man looking down on us from his window. I waved, but he didn't wave back.

A small walk way we had to walk across to get to the roof.

From the museum, we walked down Hamam street or "Bathroom Street". Back in the day before in door plumbing, people would walk out into this street to bathe or empty their chamber pots. Now it is a beautiful market place with stores stealing fruits, vegetables, clothes and other goods.

People are very friendly. A group of boys came up to talk to us. We took a picture with them. 

Man selling vegetables. 

A man was just chilling on the steps taking in the view of the market.

While walking down Hamam street, we bumped into a group of men, who were wearing Kefiyas, playing mancala and Backgammon. The guys were invited to sit down with them, while the ladies stood by and watched. Someone from the group called out my name and a man sitting at the game called me over. From what I was able to understand. He was telling me that Natalie is an Arabic name, not a Muslim name, and that there is a famous song about a girl named Natalie. My host mom and Ahmed have told me about this song and played it for me. Ahmed has even sung me a verse. I found it funny that this gentleman called me over to tell me about the song. So friendly, we talked for a bit but it was hard because of my limited Jordanian Colloquial Arabic. However, I was proud I could kind of follow. This must mean I am learning.

"Natalie" Song- The famous Arabic song "Natalie". Everyone keeps singing it to me or referencing it. Arabic and English Lyrics are below.


ي
natalie
(a girl's na me)
ناتالي .... ناتالي
natalie natalie
ناتالي قطعت خبارا
natalie at3et khbara
Natalie cut her news
ما تشوفا عين
ma tchoofa 3ayn
eyes don't see her
قالولي بعيد سفارا
alooli be3id sefara
they told me she has traveled so far away
قالوا بلادا زين
alo blada zein
they said her land is beauty
يا مين ياخدني دارا
yamin yé5ed,i dara
who can take me to her house?
تبوس منها الجبين
teboos menha jebin
so i can kiss her front
ناتالي .... ناتالي
natalie...natalie
***
رحت انا رحت بصّارا
ro7t ana ro7t bassara
i went to a forecaster
قالت برجك فين
2alet borjak fin
she asked me where is my sign of astronomy
برجي بالسما
borji bessama
my sign in the sky
و معلق بنجمة
we m3alla2 bnejme
hanged in a star
قالت يا خسارة
2alet ya5sara
she said "what a lost"
هونيك فوق بالمدارا
hunik fo2 bil madar
there in that orbit
ما يلتقو نجمين
where two stars can never meet
ma yelta2u najmain
ناتالي ... ناتالي ... ناتالي
natalie..natalie..natalie
***
حظي بالهوى اعشق أنا الغريبة
7azzi bel hawa a3sha2 ana el gharibe
what a luck for me that i love a foreigner
ما ينفعني دوا إلا عناق الحبيبة
ma yenfa3ni dawa ella 3ena2 el 7abiba
there is no cure but embracing the beloved one
صبر قلبي سنة و ما يزدها يومين
saber albi sana we ma yezedha yumin
my heart was patient for two year,he can add another two days
ناتالي .... ناتالي
natalie...natalie
ناتالي .... ناتالي
natalie...natalie

***
وجه القمر بيها
wajh el amar biha
the face of the moon is in her
و مضوي كل دارا
we mdawi kel eddar
lightening all the house
لو يرجع نهارا
law yerja3 nhara
if her day comes back
و اصطبح بيها
westebe7 biha
and i wake up on her
عيونا من نارا 
her eyes is made of fire
3yoona men nar
تحسبا شمسن
te7seba shams
that what the sun thinks they are(here eyes)
ناتالي .... ناتالي
natalie...natalie
ناتالي .... ناتالي
natalie...natalie

Man in Kefiyah playing backgammon

The Boys Club

Game time on Hammam Street

From there we went to a Cafe in Salt where we learned about traditional Salt wedding attire. Everyone got to dress up! The Bride wears a huge dress that set on top of a tall stairwell and then trailed to the floor. It is easily 10 meters of fabric! She also wears a red head thing that kind of resembles a Turban. The lady giving us the tour told us it was like a crown. The other female attendants have eye liner tatoos on their chins. Normally in the past, this would be tattooed on permanently. Nowadays, weddings in Salt resemble weddings in America in Dress. Apparently Bridal fashion is international. 

Men wear the Kefiya, or checkered scarf with the ahkel, or black head band. Palestinians wear white scarves while Jordanians wear red scarves. 

Below is a link for reading more about Kefiyas

Men's Keffiyeh- Particularly ready "variations" section.

Female friends with the bride. She is the one with the large red headdress. 

Bride and Groom. Groom is wearing a Kefiya.

Different types of veils were worn in Salt weddings in the past. The girl next to me has one with a face covering. I have a small headband. The tour lady took my hair out of the pony tail, but having not washed my hair for 3 days (common in the Middle East due to lack of water), I quickly threw it back up. She seemed displeased.



After the cafe, we visited Khader Church, a Greek Orthodox Church. This church is a 100km from where the original Palace was in Jordan. Apparently back in the day there were monsters that roamed the fields where the church is located. One day, a sheepard was out with his sheep and saw a dragon! He immediately prayed to God for intervention and help. Than St. George came down on a horse and killed the dragon, saving the man and his sheep. Because of this event, many miracles have taken place at this church. One man we met told us that his mother was diagnosed with cancer and told she had less than a month to live. After the diagnoses, she visited the church everyday. The son told us that she lived 18 more years before passing away. Many people travel to this church to make a pilgrimage. 

For More about Khader Church please follow link

Al Khader Church- St. George is the Patron Saint of the Church

Al Khader Greek Orthodox Church

Ceiling above the cave

Inside the church

When entering the church, the priest handed us each a green ribbon. He told us to tie it around our wrist and make a wish. The legend is if it falls off while you are inside the church your wish will come true. Mine did not fall off. Good thing I didn't ask for World Peace!

Oil and water crystals from the cave.

Hard to see because I cannot rotate the picture. Here is a cave where it is believed St. George Slayed the dragon. Apparently oil and water spontaneously drip down the cave. It is considered a miracle. 

Rumored to be St. George's footprint

Some of St. George's Bones

When leaving the Church, we bumped into a butcher. I found this odd, but took a picture of him. Turns out I would discover why he was there is a matter of seconds....

Kind of Like Gangs of New York.."The Butcher"

The butcher was there to slaughter the sheep that was chilling in the trunk of a car. How sad! And he was going to be killed in the street! We quickly walked away.

Poor baby!

The most beautiful thing to see in Salt is the sunset. There is a bridge where you can go sit and watch it. Apparently on a crystal clear day, you can see the Dome of the Rock in Palestine from here. Unfortunately, it was a bit cloudy, but it was still amazing.

Before sunset

Sunset

The Hill

Sun Set

Additionally I would like to discuss women's dress in Salt and Amman. I have not always known alot about different Muslim women's veils. I have heard people refer to all veils as burqas, and that is not correct. Below is a link about different veils. In Amman and Salt, I tend to see a lot of hijab, the simple head scarf with the face uncovered, The niquab, the veil with a face covering, and the Almira, or a tube like head scarf. I tend to see the niquab more downtown and in more of a market area. However, I do not see most ladies walking around with their face covered. In fact, many of women are either wearing a hijab or do not have any type of veil on.

Muslim Women's headcoverings and veils: Make sure you go to the bottom of the page to scroll through different pictures of different headcoverings and veils. I really am not focusing on the British wear a hijab day, I'm focusing on the clothing.

Sorry if this isn't interesting, it was kind of a tough day to summarize!
Natalie