I've been going back and forth on whether to share this, but I just have to! In July, I had the incredible honor of attending my dear friend Noor’s wedding in Jordan, and I can’t quite put into words how much this trip has meant to me.
It's not just about the wedding itself, which was beautiful, but also how much one friendship can completely open up your world. So, here I am sharing some memories from my second visit to Jordan with you!
One of the most exciting parts (besides the wedding, of course!) was that this was Guillaume’s first time visiting Jordan. Having him by my side made this experience even more special. Guillaume and I are getting married next year, but funnily enough, we’d never attended a wedding together before, so we got to check that off our couple bucket list.
When I visited Jordan two years ago, I stayed with Noor’s family, but this time, it was different. Guillaume and I met in Amman, having traveled separately since we’re currently living apart. After meeting at the airport, we settled into our cozy Airbnb, and from there, we started exploring.
Amman, the capital, is so beautiful at night and the view from our place was lovely. Throughout our trip, Guillaume and I would go up to the roof and just sit and talk as we enjoyed the night breeze.
Amman is a city that pulses with life and culture, and though I'd only been here once before, I couldn’t wait to show Guillaume the places I did know. There’s something truly magical about seeing a city through someone else’s eyes, I've said this about New York and Tokyo and now I'm saying it about Amman.
We wandered through the streets, Google Maps guiding us in the dark, and spent our evenings eating amazing food and catching up.
I was surprised by how nostalgic I felt revisiting the city. Just two years ago, I was exploring these same streets with Noor, talking about our hopes and dreams for the future. And now, here I was, back for her wedding, with my own fiancé by my side!
One of our favorite spots quickly became Abdali Mall, which Noor and her mother took me to on my original trip to Amman.
If you’re ever in Amman and craving a great Starbucks alternative, I highly recommend Dimitri’s Coffee. Their toffee crunch frappuccino remains the best frappe I've ever had!
Despite my very limited Arabic, Gui and I had no trouble navigating the city. Everywhere we went, we were met with kindness—people were so warm and welcoming, often switching to English for us even if they weren't confident in their abilities.
Jordan in July, however, is hot, as you may have guessed! The dry heat can be overwhelming, so we often planned our outings around cooler parts of the day, retreating to our Airbnb when the sun was at its highest.
Even with the scorching weather, our trip felt calm and relaxing, and we tried to make the most of our time. I'll admit we were a little lazy though, we slept in a lot!
To beat the heat, we ate at Bekdash Ice Cream on Madinah Street. If you love ice cream, this is a must-visit spot. I know it's considered tourist-y, but it's famous for a reason.
Guillaume ordered the pistachio flavor, which had actual chunks of pistachios, and I went for my usual—cookies and cream. Let me tell you, as a cookies and cream expert, this was one of the best I’ve ever had. I can get really particular about my cookies and cream and this was the perfect ratio of cookies to cream!
Once again, we were greeted with warmth and friendliness by the staff :) Jordan has the kindest people!
Before I dive into the wedding itself, I need to talk about our overnight stay in Wadi Rum. If you ever get the chance to visit, I highly recommend staying in one of the famous bubble tents. Last time I visited and shared my experience, I stayed in a regular tent, which was great, but the bubble tents are on a whole other level.
This was our view waking up in the morning, it felt like a dream. The price is a bit more luxurious, but nothing that a stay in a regular hotel in a Western country wouldn't cost you (I believe about 100 USD?) so I highly recommend taking this option if you have the cash to spare.
We also got to go see the sunset on the sand dunes and rocks, which was something that genuinely moved me the last time I visited Wadi Rum. There's just something magical about seeing the setting sun over the expanse of the sand, and getting to experience that with Guillaume was something I had been really looking forward to.
Of course, no trip to Jordan is complete without visiting Petra. We made the trek under the hot sun, but this time I was better prepared—I stuck close to the shaded walls to avoid overheating. Thankfully, the tourist crowds were much lighter than during my last visit, which allowed us to take in everything without feeling rushed.
We actually had a guide talk us through the various sights this time, and though he was super knowledgable about everything, I had a few moments where I spaced out and didn't listen because I was snapping pictures and/or dying of heat! But he was very kind.
Finally, the wedding. I have never been a Muslim wedding and I was SO interested in how it would differ from the Western ones I've been to. For the sake of her privacy, I won't share too many photos.
I felt incredibly honored to be invited, and what touched me the most was how Noor and her husband, Zaid, made Guillaume and I feel so included.
A moment I will never forget was when we visited Noor at her grandparents house before her husband arrived with his family. I walked in and saw her sitting on the couch with her dress and makeup on, and my heart jumped into my throat. Everyone was talking, clapping, and celebrating, but the room faded into the background. I couldn’t help but get emotional, knowing I was witnessing such a significant moment in my friend’s life. I held back my tears, saving them for the wedding itself!
Every step of the way, Noor and Zaid made us feel like Guillaume and I belonged, and I'm beyond grateful. We had no idea where to stand, what to do, say, etc, so a lot of it we learned by watching, which was so much fun. We cheered with them, we clapped alongside their families as they walked into the venue, and we danced until our feet were about to fall off.
All those nights Noor and I spent having sleepovers, dreaming about marrying our boyfriends one day, and now here I was, watching her walk down the stairs, hand in hand with her husband. It was one of the most surreal and emotional moments of my life.
On July 5th, 2024, I had the honor of witnessing my bubbly, once red-haired best friend—the one who sat next to me in class—marry the love of her life.
That about wraps up my trip! I feel incredibly happy not only that I got to witness Noor’s special day, but that I got to spend such a wonderful trip with Guillaume and experience Amman for the first time again!
Jordan will forever hold a special place in my heart, which is so crazy because 4 years ago I literally didn't even know this was a place! That's the beauty of friendships, they really open your world.
If you ever get the chance to visit Jordan, go! Try learning some Arabic if you can and really immerse yourself, experience as much as possible. Amman is an incredible city, and I'm sure this won't be my last time visiting.
0 Comments
Post a Comment