where the streets have no names

This is my third weekend here and still i don't know how to move around by transportation in Amman. It's actually kind of embarassing and ego-damaging for my generally very independent and walk-about ways but I'll get there eventually... just need to learn basic taxi-drivers' Arabic (hun - here -, schwei - slow down, a litlle) and how to get to the circles. Maps are outdated most of the times, so follow my advice, stick to the circles.

Important Notice: if you wanna go around Amman, forget about street names (they exist, but no-one really knows or uses them), focus on the 8 circles (roundpoints ranging from big to tiny, barely noticeable) and landmarks, although this is also tricky cause it might be pure luck to find a taxi driver who actually knows what you're talking about... And if he doesn't, most probably will keep going randomly until you notice it because he won't admit his ignorance.

And i don't keep talking about taxis because I'm a fancy person (though I am too :P), but because apart from them you have basically private cars and buses which don't go everywhere and don't leave until they're full and again you should know some Arabic already or know basic way of how to get to a place so that when they say a name it actually rings a bell to you and you drop off. And taxis here are cheap, which makes sense, given the situation. So public transportation here could definitely be better, reach more places and be more constant. But it's also part of the charm!

But all of this because I'm planning to go to Jara, friday open air fair, in fact a lot of people want to come too but none seem to know exactly how to get there... including Jordanians! So I guess we'll follow someone's advice and ask to be taken to Rainbow St (which is actually not the real street name but everyone calls it like that) and then look around until I find lots of people and the market on the right.

Until I improve my scarce Arabic and learn by heart where the circles are =)

I'm leaving now!