A ‘must see’ city whilst in Jordan is its beautiful capital of Amman. During the planning stages, one watched various ‘walking tour’ videos on YouTube to gain a sense of its accessibility and ‘rollability’. It was clear that one was going to encounter some of the same issues as Chennai in terms of the lack of drop curbs in addition to trees, traffic lights and other street furniture being located in the middle of pavements with little room to get past. It was for this reason that one decided it best to get chauffeured around the city in the wheelchair accessible van.
After a quick drive around the financial district, one arrived at the King Abdullah I Mosque which is believed to be the oldest mosque in Amman. Although steps lead up to the structure, a ramp (a lump of concrete) is located around the rear. Due to pavement issues and parking, it is necessary to roll up the main road to reach said ramp, however, drivers are courteous to ones presence…
Rather surprisingly, one was allowed into the mosque in Superbunny (after being denied access in Istanbul) to marvel at the architecture…
The next stop was the Citadel which stands proud over Amman and provides citywide views from every corner…
From previous research, one knew that the area was relatively accessible for wheelchair users. Again, disabled individuals can enter for FREE but companions must pay. It is worth noting that the main paths around the site consist of smooth paving. Of course, if one decides to take a detour, this may become a little bumpy…
Regarding accessibility of restaurants, a large proportion have one or two steps thus prior planning is recommended. However, ones private driver was able to seek an accessible traditional restaurant after making a few calls…
Driving through Downtown Amman, it seemed appropriate to stop off at the Roman Amphitheatre. Compared to the other places of interest, the entrance was up a flight of steps hence the manual wheelchair was used. As usual for Jordan, disabled individuals can enter for FREE. What is baffling, however, is that several ramps are located within the complex despite steps to enter…
There are also a few museum exhibits but, yet again, these have steps to enter. Before heading back to the hotel, one stopped by Rainbow Street which one was led to believe was a market area. In reality, it is simply a quirky art installation…
Tomorrow, one heads back to London Luton via Queen Alia International Airport.