by Natasha Tynes | Dec 31, 2005 | Food and Drink, Metro Daze, Shutterbug
Last night,
I devoured my first Mansaf for the first time in over six months! Yes, you heard me right: Six whole months without a taste of my country’s national dish! I know. I could lose my Jordanian citizenship for such a faux pas, but I’m sure those in charge would understand!
The place where we partook of this celestial meal was my friend Ajlounieh’s place, where we, along with other family friends, were invited to a dinner prepared by Ajlounieh’s super mom. Of course, and without doubt, the food was just divine. As was the case with my first Magloubeh in the US, I ate like there was no tomorrow.
Besides the heavenly food, the company was just divine. The guest list was diverse: Jordanians, one Palestinian, a Syrian, a Lebanese and some Americans. All were gathered together to get a taste of Jordan’s famous Mansaf.
So as not to break the tradition, we all enjoyed our Mansaf while talking about nothing less than the political developments in our volatile region. Our primarily pan-Arab chit-chat went on for hours and I have to say it was an entirely engaging and thought-provoking conversation.
Last night was definitely memorable. We had such a truly wonderful, wonderful time. I can’t wait for the day when I start throwing Mansaf dinner parties of my own. Hopefully this day is just around the corner. This picture comes courtesy of the one and only, Ajlounieh.
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 29, 2005 | Film
We finally finished watching Kristof’s Kieslowski’s Decalogue — a 10-part dramatic series based on the Ten Commandants that originally aired on Polish television. Although the series was highly enjoyable, it took us nearly a month to get through all ten episodes. The number one reason was the busy holiday season. Another was the fact that the series dragged a bit.
However, for anyone that enjoyed Kieslowski’s Three Colors Trilogy: Red, White, Blue, then the Decalogue is definitely a must-see. It has some cinematic elements that also exist in the Trilogy like the intermingling of characters from one episode to the next and the presence of voyeurs. But the Decalogue episodes are darker than the Trilogy and less artistic at times.
The most amusing part of watching the Decalogue is trying to determine which of the Commandments the episode is based on, which proved to be a difficult task at times as some are so broad and others focus on multiple Commandments. All in all, the Decalogue was worth it. Would I watch it again? Definitely!
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 28, 2005 | Jordan, my nation
A leading human rights organisation has called on the government to close the remote Jafr prison, located in an isolated desert area nearly 256 km south of the capital, Amman.
"The prison is located in a far away and isolated location that is difficult to reach, and so the inmate loses the opportunity to contact his family," stated a report released this week by the state-financed National Centre for Human Rights (NCHR), a quasi-governmental body. "The visits become a punishment also for their families due to the distance and cost of reaching [the prison]," stated the report, also noting that there was a perception among detainees that incarceration at Jafr was "an extra punishment."
Source: [IRIN]
The interesting bit about the report for me is that the concern came this time from a local human rights watch, something which might carry more weight in the eyes of Jordanians, as external pressure is hardly embraced in Jordan without scrutiny. And here is the official denial:
"Any allegations about beatings or torture are totally false, as there is no torture in Jordanian prisons," said police spokesman Maj Muhanad Shareida. "But some of the legitimate complaints in the report will be addressed by the appropriate authorities," he added.
Frankly, I find it hard to believe that torture does not exist in Jordanian prisons. Just last month the Washington Post revealed that some terrorism suspects held by the US are sent specifically to Jordan to be tortured. Oh well!
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 27, 2005 | Jordan, my nation
I deliberately stayed away from all news sources during the Christmas holidays to give myself a break from the daily dose of death and destruction. Now that I’m back behind the computer screen, things are not looking any better.
One particular news item is disturbing me a great deal: The abduction of Jordanian driver Mahmoud Salman Saidat. A group calling itself the "Hawks Brigade" has claimed the abduction and is demanding the release of failed Iraqi bomber Sajida in exchange for his freedom. Since the Jordanian government has already turned down their demands, saying they will not be "blackmailed" by kidnappers, Saidat’s chance of survival looks very slim. My prayers go out to Saidat’s family during theses very difficult times.
The kidnappers’ demand reminds me of a rumor that — according to my friends and family members — has been circulating in Amman for quite a while and is causing some panic. The rumor goes that Zarqawi is planning to kidnap a number of young Jordanian women in exchange for the release of Sajida! Of course it is a baseless and ridiculous rumor but it has managed to create quite a state of fear among some, at least for a while.
On the issue of panic post the Amman attacks, make sure to read Rami’s post.
by Natasha Tynes | Dec 27, 2005 | Jordan, my nation, Shutterbug
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Here’s another fascinating image from the early days of Jordan. This again comes from reader Abdo; thanks again Abdo! The caption reads:
"British Military police, who are in Jordan with the Red Devils at request of King Hussein, talking to local police in the streets of Amman."
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Last night,
