The rest of the trip to Jordan was spent understanding their way of life. That included trips to the old souqs and the city centre. Jordan is one of the more liberal Islamic countries, but also one of the less developed Arab countries. There is little construction going on and there're only one or two urban shopping malls in Amman. It was so difficult to find a Starbucks outlet, which we did eventually in one of the two shopping malls. Then we realized that GST here is 16%, and it's not included in the display price. Just when one thought GST in Singapore is high. Considering the Jordanians' earning power is not very high, it's amazing how they can sustain a living with the high costs over there.
The Jordanians smoke, alot. Every taxi driver we encountered was puffing in the car. There're no anti-smoking rules indoors either, so we were perpetually breathing in second hand smoke. That's one of the things I liked least.
Also, jaywalking on the streets is considered perfectly normal because the traffic lights are non-functional or non-existent. It's really scary trying to dash across the road because the cars drive quite fast, so mostly we follow the locals heh.
The Treasury in Petra, which is the most well-preserved structure and was supposedly a tomb for one of the Nabataen kings. It's of Corinthian architectural influence, and the intricate carving is really beautiful. T'was a really breathtaking sight (:
A traditional Jordanian street, sort of Souq-like. 
We made a trip to the Dead Sea as well. It's the lowest point on earth, some 300m below sea level. Floated in the sea and smacked black mud all over. They supposedly have therapeutic and beautifying properties but when I woke up the next morning, I still had pimples so I have doubts over those claims haha.
Traditional Jordanian cuisine at a small hawker stall in the Old Souq. Dad has gotten sick of Middle Eastern cuisine haha. It's alot of salad (we don't exactly fancy vegetables), nan, kebabs and mutton. Our unconventional holiday destinations have proved to be very educational. We've had an insight into Islamic culture, and the practices and way of life in this part of the world. It's been an enlightening experience, and made me appreciate how fortunate we are living in Singapore.
This holiday has made me appreciate my family more too, though there is still a huge age gap between my siblings and I, and I can never seem to understand how they communicate in Maple-Story-talk >.< I found out that my sister wants to become a pathologist, and my brother wants to become a pilot. haha the lofty ambitions of little kids, hopefully they'll be translated into hard work and determination. Growing up is never easy, we've been through it and we would know.
