by Natasha Tynes | May 13, 2005 | Books
I recently finished Jamal’s Mahjoub’s novel Travelling with Djinns and I have to say it was better than I expected. I borrowed it from Amal back in Doha maybe two months ago but I never got around to reading it for one reason or another.
It tells the story of a Sudanese-British man whose marriage is in shambles so he decides to take his seven- year-old son on a road trip across Europe before he loses him to his wife when they eventually separate. It is well-written novel about travel, identity, relationships, family bonds and finding oneself. Yes, it tackles the cliché topic of being lost between East and the West but it puts forward a number of intriguing ideas. For those that love travel and enjoy reading about the crisis of identity, this book is an enjoyable read.
Right after finishing it, I picked up Sandpiper, a collection of short stories by Egyptian writer Ahdaf Soueif. I fell in love with Soueif’s writings after reading In the Eye of the Sun, which I thought was brilliant. Sandpiper is not as a powerful but is enjoyable nevertheless, perfect for a bed-time or plane read. There are just too many good books out there and too little time.
by Natasha Tynes | May 10, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Shutterbug
I’d been meaning to write about our recent visit to Karak Castle earlier but I have fallen ill for some reason. I have just gathered strength enough to last me a bit, so I thought I’d jot down a quick post before this nasty flu puts me back in bed. Still under the influence of the movie "Kingdom of Heaven," we decided to take a one-day trip to south Jordan to visit Karak Castle, which was featured prominently in this Hollywood production.
We had loads of fun. Getting there was part of the adventure, as we took a bus from Wehdat bus stop all the way to Karak. The trip was smooth, but I was suffocated by all the smoking on the bus. Apparently, Jordan’s public transport is still not smoke-free, despite laws saying it should be. When we arrived in Karak, we took a cab right to the castle gate. I learned on the Karak cab drive that taxi drivers in the city don’t follow the meter, although it’s right there in the cab. They just set their own rate.
When we arrived at the castle, we were surprised by how humongous it is. According to a tour guide I chatted with briefly, the castle is the second largest in the Middle East (no, I didn’t ask him about the first). We spent some three hours or so discovering all the nooks and crannies of this historic outpost all the while taking pictures, loads of them [An album of photos is up with descriptions of the site]. We learned that the castle was where Crusader leader Reynold de Chatellion hung his helmet.
I have to admit, I owe this sudden historic interest in this castle to the one and only Hollywood. Had I not seen this movie I would not have bothered to take this trip.
The castle’s museum was really top-notch, detailing the history of not only the castle itself but all of Jordan through various historic eras as well. I have to say I was impressed. We were also surprised at the number of tourists there, the majority of whom appeared European. This made me wonder: Are the efforts of the ministry of tourism finally paying off? Is the tourist trade actually on the rise? Or am I being too optimistic in speculating that the tourists we saw were prompted to visit the site following the movie’s release? Regardless, the trip was really fun. We had a blast!
by Natasha Tynes | May 7, 2005 | Film, Jordan, my nation
We went to see the movie Kingdom of Heaven last night at Century Cinema and were very surprised to find how packed the theater was. In order to find available seats for an 8:00pm screening, we had to buy the tickets at around 1:00pm. Apparently, Friday night is becoming movie night in Jordan. Anyway, the movie itself was well made, with superb cinematography and fine acting, although I’m not sure how accurate it was historically. Orlando Bloom’s performance was surprisingly top-notch. He really was the star of the film.
Kingdom of Heaven, which details a story of battles between crusaders and Arab Muslims over Jerusalem, was also well made in the sense that the spoken Arabic was actually accurate for a change. Unlike some other Hollywood productions, which used Iranian actors (or even a Maori native of New Zealand), indigenous Arab actors played the designated parts here.
Since I’m Jordanian and naturally biased towards my country, I couldn’t help but notice how many times the Jordanian city of Karak was mentioned in this movie. Even a whole scene took place inside the Karak castle. Personally, I think Jordan’s Ministry of Tourism should do something to promote the castle and city of Karak following the movie’s release. [Here’s a photo tour]
I’m quite sure Karak will become a name familiar to many after this flick’s run. My suggestion to the ministry of tourism: For crying out loud, market Karak as a tourist destination. Hollywood did their part (for once), now it is time to do yours.
by Natasha Tynes | May 5, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Mi Familia
For the past five days or so, we have been spending most of our time with la Familia, mostly with my sister and her family as they leaving for a vacation at the end of this week so we might not see them for some long time. However, I managed to scratch few things off my Jordan to-do list, which included eating mansaf (can I really avoid that?), having Rimini pizza, meeting up with friends and cousins and of course playing with my nieces. I still have a plethora of things to do here. I hope that I will make it before we leave.
I have not been really out much so I cannot offer any real punditry on Amman’s changes over the last four months. However, I could not help but notice one major development since my absence: the explosion of private radio stations. So far, I have heard of Mazaj, Beat, Play, Mood and Sawat al-Ghad. They are being advertised everywhere: newspapers, glossy magazines and on bulletin boards. I still can’t believe how many music choices are currently on offer to radio listeners in Jordan. Somehow, this variety feels over the top for such a small country.
Meanwhile, construction is still in full swing. Apartment buildings – many of which are hideous – continue to mushroom all over the place. No one can deny that Amman is expanding at a dizzying pace. But in spite of this sudden renaissance, will this culturally enriched city manage to keep its soul, one to which I’ve grown so attached? I wonder.
by Natasha Tynes | May 3, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Media watch
For one reason or another — and perhaps at this particular period of my life — it is always exhilarating to wake up in the morning and pick up a copy of al-Rai. As many might know, al-Rai is not exactly the pinnacle of journalism, very far from it actually. Reading it, however, always makes me feel like I’m home.
I recently finished Jamal’s Mahjoub’s novel Travelling with Djinns and I have to say it was better than I expected. I borrowed it from Amal back in Doha maybe two months ago but I never got around to reading it for one reason or another. 
