Despite Hal’s protestations and Roba’s lamenting I think Abdoun circle is in it best shape :) OK, I kind of pity the shop owners. That why I did my national duty and bought Shawerma for the whole office from Dai3a (or Dai’a, whatever you prefer). So, while waiting to get my order (after I contributed to the Abdoun circle economy) I went for a walk on what was previously known as Abdoun Cirle. For those who don’t know Jordan, this is the commercial center of Amman’s poshest district, with lots of restaurants, too many billboards and what I will politely call ‘teenagers with wheels and too much time on their hands’ doin’ the ‘rounds’.

Look people, your circle will be back. Don’t worry. And it’s probably going to be better that before. I mean the old circle, which I am happy is now GONE, was a piece of urban junk. Just compare it to 2nd circle for example.

As I said, Dai’a was open. So was Kalha. The shawema skewer was not that huge but there were customer around. Don’t worry. I am sure the mighty Dai’a chain will not go bust!

Noodasia is also open, apparently. I saw them publish and ad in the papers telling people to come and eat.

And Tche Tche, was not forced to close as some blogger put it. They too are advertising themselves and EVEN MENTIONING THE CONSTRUCTION SITE AS AN ATTRACTION.

Today, someone in the office told me that Gerard, the ice cream man, is doing great business at night. Any confirmations of that, dear readers?

Barnies and Australian were closed.

But hey, everyone, you have got to take a walk on the make-shift metal bridge the construction company put over the circle. Now here is a cool urban experience! Walk from side to side and look down into the big trench being dug. Ponder how the city is being transformed. I like this bridge.

Because the streets are closed, you can easily find parking too.

Ok. The timing of this is indeed bad. The reason for that was the delay in bridge construction, I think. I know that many people consider this bridge a sign of urban excess and messed up priorities at the Greater Amman Municipality. I largely agree. I think we need more money put in public transportation and proper signage.

But cities need landmarks too. This will become the symbol of a new Amman for sure.

And here are my cameraphone snapshots. Enjoy.

Into the tunnel..

Abdound temporary bridge

Abdoun looking from makeshift bridge

Adounn: looking toward new bridge

Abdoun mess


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13 responses to “Dawwar Abdoun at its best”

  1. Nas Avatar
    Nas

    First, it has to be done…it will improve the flow of traffic in the inner circut their trying to build and connect Amman to the airport road.

    Second, Gerard will be the only business that won’t lose because everyone loves Gerards.

    Third, oooh yeah, bad timing. Could they have seriously not waited till after summer?

    Fourth, inshallah inshallah I’ll be in Jordan in time to see what they’re doing. I consider myself kind of lucky to be around during the time when modern Amman is being built and i can sit around years from now with friends and say “remember when they built abdoun circle?”

    Fifth, Dai3a rocks

    Sixth, The restaurants will stay open, the cafes might go bankrupt.

    Seventh, there is no seventh, I just got caught up in all the counting.

  2. Hamzeh N. Avatar
    Hamzeh N.

    Wow, it’s really weird to see these photos of the Abdoun area. I haven’t been there in 9+ months. Like I said on Hala’s post as long as they don’t give people a good excuse to head towards the Abdoun circle and get on the highway (which hopefully won’t be possible), everything should be fine, it will just be a pass through point for the highway, and hopefully the new faster traffic won’t interfere with the existing pedestrain traffic.

  3. Lina Avatar
    Lina

    Interesting :)

    Normally Abdoun circle is the last place I would go to for outings with my friends.. I much prefer Jabal Amman and Jabal Luweibdeh, but the other day, we decided to go to Casericcio (excuse the mis-spelling), and I parked the car right next to the big hole! It was somehow funny, and interesting to see so many people still coming to their favorite restaurants despite the closing and construction! One of my Gerard-obssessed friends has been going everyday since the circle closed!

  4. 3amzooo the GrEaT Avatar
    3amzooo the GrEaT

    nice post…but i dont think it’s messed up priorities, this bridge will complete the orbital driveway “al 6areeg al da2eree” that’s supposed to surround amman and make moving around it easy… and will help lessen the traffic jams impact on transportation…

    peace out

  5. nasimjo Avatar
    nasimjo

    Yes!
    Finally, this so-called intersection will become and intersection, because it was a mess!

    & about those guys having cafes around abdoun circle, i guess the had enough from the population’s money for the last couple of years or… let other venues be taken into consideration for a while (ok, ok, my communist half is popping up)….
    but really now, when a cafe’s owner says he will lost 350.000 JDs of his profit… i mean, c’mon man, some other people will have better conditions with those, or is it really important for you to have a new humvy every summer!

    grat post, ahmad.

  6. Haytham Avatar
    Haytham

    I do agree that this will make it much easier to allot of people, it also going to be a new look of modern Amman with that bridge connecting Abdoun area with the 4th circle area (WoW).

    By the way the contracted company doing the construction and building the bridge is an Indian company :) “allaah yostor” I will not cross the bridge before four months after the opening ;) . “Just kidding”

  7. Imad Avatar
    Imad

    Got to do this for my partner: CASARECIO IS OPEN TOO (you can even drive to their door… from behind). I see lina has been. Was it empty?
    About the Indian Company (Larson Tourbo?) building the bridge…. I’m not going to worry… .. who do you think built Dubai?!

  8. Janti Avatar
    Janti

    “Nas” comment made me wonder, “Modern Amman is being built”!

    Well, in fact it makes me feel like I’m from the outer space, because I can’t see that “modern” Amman at all… I just can’t!

    Amman still Amman, retard as most Arab cities BUT some malls were opened, some “modern” cinemas, night clubs and bars numbers are on the raise (what a shame in a Islamic country), more commercial than ever, life is getting harder, poor people are getting “poorer” and rich are getting richer, social life has been corrupted, a gap between western Amman and eastern Amman people is getting wider (in terms of everything)… streets awful, regulations also awful and retard, physiological problems are on the raise, faith and religion (Islam, Christianity) teachings are fading out from people hearts even more, local TV that doesn’t present anything that worth watching…

    WHERE IS MODERN AMMAN?

    Is this what you guys mean by modern Amman! OMG!! Then please please “Old Amman” come back again, we really need you.

    “Modern” Amman is just in your minds guys (maybe), you can keep dreaming but it’s not true and will never become true (indication indicates), I hope I’m mistaken though!

    End of my hallucinations! :D

  9. nasimjo Avatar
    nasimjo

    Hytham,, its a turkish company, the workers are indian, espicially on the night shift, simply because most the local workers who have worked at the site were either not prof (unfortunately) or refused to work night shifts

  10. RQ Avatar
    RQ

    Janti, I don’t think it’s fair to condemn what the country is trying to do with itself. Sure, as with all things, change comes with positives and negatives. If anyone’s to blame for the sprouting of not-so-savoury businesses or tasteless social characteristics then it should be the people who are supplying the demand and adopting said charactersitics so whole-heartedly. Blame your neighbours and your friends, don’t blame the government for trying to keep up with the rest of the world or for trying to improve itself with what limited resources it has. I for one congradulate Jordan on its forward-looking royalty and new policies. The Arab world is stuffed full of negativists and pessimists. Instead of tearing down developmental efforts and calling them ‘retarded’ (which is a politically incorrect usage of the word, by the way) or ‘backward’, try to do something to encourage your country on its way to developmental enlightenment.

  11. Nizar Kailani Avatar
    Nizar Kailani

    What is going on, are those pictures of Dwwar Abdoun, man i have not been home for wa while!

  12. walkom esh fi Avatar
    walkom esh fi

    esh fi hon ya jama3a ?! shu giset 3abdoun ma 3abdoun hehe nas weslat il gamar o inta ga3ed 3abdoun :P anyway it’s nice thanks for sharing :) i love abdoun cause there is no place like home ;)

  13. Shawn Albadawi Avatar
    Shawn Albadawi

    i would say that jordan is the best place ever…
    trust me guys i cant wait till i go back to jordan and feel alive again …
    anyway you all ppl have fun there..adios amigos ..and abdoun not a bad place but as you gurl said .jalab amman and jabal al webdah alot better ..