Jordanian dwellings, oddities for us

I want to share with you the story of my trip to the capital of Jordan, the city of Amman. It was in the early spring of 2019.
After the flight, having tasted a hearty Jordanian breakfast, friends to whom I came, went to work, and I went for a walk around the neighborhood.

I noticed something that I had not seen anywhere - the same type of houses. They are the same, there is little free space between them, they stand right next to each other. Many houses seem to be unfinished, because metal rods stick out from the roofs. It did not fit in my head how in the capital the houses can be in such a state. I want to note that I did not walk in the poorest area of ​​Amman, but not the richest either.

I was also interested in the question, why are all houses of the same color? No variety. I did not understand what the problem was, because the prices in supermarkets are not cheap, and in general the price for everything is too high, that is, money comes to the treasury, and the city is so pale. I even thought about starting a business in Amman for outdoor decoration of houses.

In general, after walking around the capital all day, I saw the same type, equally storey buildings, which were sometimes diluted by the presence of a high-rise.

Towards evening, at home, I was sitting in a large guest room, drinking aromatic Arabic coffee and chatting with my friends.

I asked, probably, 1000 questions as a small child “and why….”, “And how… ..”, “and where….”, “Why….”, Because I really wondered why in this country such at home.
It turned out that the economy of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan remains much to be desired... The money that goes to the treasury, it just goes to more important needs of the state, than decorative lining of houses, as well as ordinary people cannot afford such "delights" except that tourist hotels and hotels.

What are these houses?

Houses are built of white stone, because it is durable and other stone (red, for example) is much more expensive in the country. It is very hot in Amman in summer, white houses do not heat up and such buildings (cooled down at night) do not let the cold out during the day, and inside the premises it is quite cool and good. There are roller blinds on the windows, in addition to safety, they perform the function of keeping the room cool.

Also in winter, because of the strong white stone, the warmth remains in the house.
Another important point is that the houses do not have gas heating, like we do. To prepare food, residents use an electric stove or buy a gas cylinder and connect it to a gas stove. Solar panels are installed on the roofs and an internal boiler for hot water.
The house where I lived had wall-mounted batteries, in the basement there was a large motor for which it needed a lot of diesel fuel, which the residents could not afford. People prefer to warm themselves with air conditioning or, a cheaper option, a kerosene heater.

Why pins on roofs?

Everything is explained simply. Land in cities is very expensive and a simple average family is not able to buy a new plot for themselves. Well, only if you take a huge loan from the bank. Some go for it. But most people prefer to finish building their houses up. Floor by floor. Not very pretty, but everyone has a roof over their heads. Among other things, this method allows the family not to disperse, but to live together.

An important detail for any Jordanian is the presence of a balcony, veranda or courtyard at home, where you can sit and enjoy the evening coolness, and in the winter - bask in the sun.

Despite the monotony of Amman, there are many beautiful historical sites here. It is not for nothing that this city attracts so many tourists every year.

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