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Visa |
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The citizens of
Russian
Federation and
the states of
CIS can get a
visa on arrival
to Jordan (on
condition if the
period of
passport
validity is not
less than 6
month). The
price of
Jordanian visa
is 10 Jordanian
dinars (JOD).
You can make
currency
exchange on your
arrival, at the
airport. 10 JOD
are equal to 15
USD.
The exception is
only for
citizens of
Moldova. For
them the period
of getting a
visa in the
consulate of
Jordan is 2
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The children,
who are in the
passport of a
parent, enter
the country with
the help of this
visa (it is
necessary to
inform that you
are going to the
country with a
child. The mark
is done in the
visa). The
children who
have their own
foreign passport
(or other
document which
allows going
abroad) will pay
a full price of
a visa, but it
is necessary to
inform about the
document the
travel agency
with the help of
which you are
going to Jordan.
A free visa can
be got by those
who are crossing
the board of the
country via the
special economic
zone in Aqaba
(via the port).
A visa is valid
during three
months in
Jordan. It is
necessary to
register it at a
police station
or at the travel
agency meeting
you in Jordan.
The terms of
staying in the
country will be
prolonged free
of charge and a
corresponding
seal will be
put. If you do
not do these
procedures you
will be fined
when leave the
country. A fine
is taken for
every day of
staying in the
country without
a visa.
Exit tax is 5
JOD for every
person, the
payment should
be done with
JOD; dollars are
not admitted.
The tax is not
taken if you
spent in the
country less
than one day.
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Time |
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There is the
change of summer
time for winter
one in Jordan.
The difference
between local
time and Moscow
time is one hour
and it is the
same like in
Kyiv, but
because of
difference
between the
dates of
changing the
time in Jordan
and the states
of CIS, it can
be two hours.
The time is
changed on
Thursday at
night in Jordan
and it is
changed on
Saturday at
night in the
states of CIS.
From October
till March the
local time
leaves behind
Greenwich Mean
Time (GMT). The
difference is 2
hours. The rest
of the year the
difference
between local
and GMT is 3
hours.
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National currency,
currency exchange |
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National
currency
is
Jordanian
dinar.
There is
an
abbreviated
variant
– JOD.
The
state
issues
hard
cash
worth 1,
5, 10,
20, and
50 JOD
and ¼ of
JOD and
½ of
JOD.
There
are 100
piasters
(or 1000
fills)
in 1
dinar.
But you
can hear
the name
“fills”
very
seldom,
“qursh”
is used
more
often (1
dinar =
100
qurshes).
The
majority
of small
shops
prefer
local
currency.
Money
can be
exchanged
at
airport,
hotels,
banks
and
particularized
interchanged
stations.
You
should
not
exchange
privately.
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use
credit cards in big
tourist centers, hotels,
ticket offices and big
shops. Tourists can pay
and get money with the
help of credit cards in
local banks connected
with the appropriate
credit system.
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Banks |
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Banks are open
from Sunday till
Thursday from
9.00 a.m. till
3.00 p.m.
Interchanged
stations are in
all banks and at
the most of
hotels.
Jordanian
Central Bank
sets rate of JOD
to USD and other
world currency
every day.
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Mass Media |
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The Russian
channel РТР
(RTR) and other
satellite
channels are
broadcasted in
all five-star
hotels and
several
four-star
hotels. The main
daily newspaper
in the English
language issued
in Jordan is
“The Jordan
Time”. The
weekly newspaper
in the English
language “The
Star” is issued
every Thursday.
It has an
affixture in the
Russian
language.
Besides, one can
buy many foreign
(French and
English)
newspapers at
the hotels and
magazines in the
Russian language
in supermarkets.
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Telephone |
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The telephone
service is very
reliable in
Jordan. It is
possible to call
abroad from
Jordan using any
public or
private
telephone. There
are two mobile
operators in
Jordan – “Zain”
(great covering
zone) and
“Orange”. The
price of local
calls is
approximately
0,1 of JOD per
minute, the
price of the
minute if you
speak to Moscow
is 0,7 of JOD.
Incomings are
free of charge.
That is why we
recommend you to
buy SIM card of
the national
operator. Using
mobile phone,
you pay money as
for a
long-distance
call. In several
hotels you pay
in accordance
with the
international
tariff scale.
Besides, in the
majority of
hotels you pay
minimum for 3
minutes
irrespective of
real duration of
the call.
If you are
outside your
hotel and need
to make a call
within Jordan
you may use a
telephone in any
of the shops.
The
international
code of Jordan
is 962.
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Internet |
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The majority of
hotels and
internet cafés
are ready to
offer you the
Internet. In
some hotels you
should pay for
this service, so
it is better to
get such
information
beforehand (on
the hotel site
or at the travel
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Water |
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There is water
filter equipment
in all
three-star,
four-star and
five-star
hotels. In
5-star hotels
you can get
bottles with
drinking water
free of charge.
The water is
changed every
day. At shops
you can buy
drinking water
at lower prices
than in hotels.
In Jordan water
is priceless.
The Jordan
government asks
everybody to
save it.
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Transport system |
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JETT interurban
bus service is
very comfortable
and it connects
nearly all
populated areas
of the country.
You should
reserve tickets
by phone or book
them in advance
(anyway it is
necessary to
confirm your
travel at the
special
booking-office
at the bus
station). The
most convenient
way of travel is
a taxi. It is
divided into two
types: a
fixed-route taxi
(white colour)
and ordinary one
(yellow colour).
The latter has a
built-in
counter.
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Medical care |
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Amman and other
cities are known
for the high
quality of their
medical care.
All doctors can
speak English.
Some of them
can speak
Russian because
of getting
education in
Russian
Federation and
the states of
CIS. In big
hotels when you
are sick you can
consult a hotel
doctor.
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Electricity supply |
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In Jordan an
electricity
supply is 220 V,
50 H. Being in
Jordan one can
use a plug with
two knife or
cylindrical
contacts.
If your
electrical
appliance
voltage is
different you
need a
transducer (it
is available in
any hotel).
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National cuisine |
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Despite the
well-known
opinion, the
national cuisine
is not very
pungent and
spicy. Mint,
greens and
herbs, lemon,
onion, olives
and cedar nuts
are used in it.
The national
cuisine consists
of juicy snack
(mezze),
aromatic flat
bread.
Tremendous
sweets in syrup,
pistachio nuts,
mansaf
(traditional
Jordan dish),
lamb with rice
and yoghurt
creamy sauce –
you can try all
these dishes in
all Jordanian
restaurants
cooking Arabic
dishes.
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Hummus is
a tasty dip of
chickpeas with
tahini (sesame
seed paste),
garlic and lemon
juice.
Baba ghanoush
is a dip made of
boiled or smoked
eggplants and
tahini.
Ful is
made of boiled
beans with
garlic, lemon
juice,
caraway-seeds,
and olive oil.
Kubbe is
deep-fried meat
balls with
spices and
bulgur (wheat),
onion, cedar
nuts.
Sambusek
is a small
pastry stuffed
with meat, white
cheese (sheep’s
milk cheese),
spinach or
herbs.
Tabouleh
is a salad that
includes mint,
bulgur, parsley,
tomatoes, onion,
and lemon juice.
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Mansaf is
a Jordanian
national dish:
lamb seasoned
with aromatic
herbs served
with rice. It is
cooked in
original creamy
sauce made of
dried yoghurt.
Mansaf is cooked
and served
nearly in all
restaurants.
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Kebab is
an original dish
divided into
several types.
It is cooked
over a charcoal
fire. The
restaurants
serve shish
kebab (beef and
lamb), shish
taouk (chicken),
kofta kebab
(lamb with
spices).
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Jordanian sweets
are the best
Arabic sweets.
They are pastry
with
sesame-seeds,
baklawa with
pistachio nuts,
konafa with
cheese, gataef,
ice-cream,
candied fruit
and so on.
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Baklawa
(baklava) is
made of delicate
layers of dough
with nuts and
sweetened with
honey.
Konafa is a
shredded dough
filled with goat
cheese, then
baked in syrup.
Ataif is
cooked during
Ramadan, it is a
special dessert.
The small,
deep-fried
pancakes are
stuffed with
nuts and cheese.
Mamul
pastry is filled
with nuts and
dates. Rose
water is added
as flavoring.
Mohalabia is a
milk pudding to
which rose or
orange water is
added as
flavoring.
Sahlab is
a hot milk
beverage.
Pistachio nuts,
salep (white
flour like
powder obtained
from the dried
tubers of a wild
orchid, Orchis
mascula),
cinnamon and
rose water are
added to the
beverage.
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Tea and coffee
are traditional
for Jordan. They
are very popular
here. Tea is
served very
sweet in small
cups with mint
and herbs.
Coffee is served
without sugar;
cardamom is
added.
Traditionally
coffee is taken
with a cup of
cold water.
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Coffee
is a
symbol
of
national
hospitality.
So, do
not be
surprised
if
shopping
you are
invited
to have
a cup of
coffee
while
the
salesman
is
looking
for the
goods
you are
interested
in.
Moreover,
you are
invited
to have
a cup of
coffee
or tea
in any
Jordanian
house.
It is
not good
to
reject
an
invitation.
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Tea
is
served
in small
transparent
glasses;
fresh
mint is
added.
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Alcoholic drinks |
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In Jordan
several types of
good wine and
beer are
produced. There
are also a lot
of foreign types
of alcoholic
drinks. They are
sold in the
majority of the
restaurants,
bars and
specialized
shops (except
Ramadan). One of
the most famous
national
alcoholic drinks
is arak,
aniseed-flavored
distilled drink.
Arak is usually
not drunk
straight, but is
mixed with
water, and ice
is then added.
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Restaurants |
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Amman
restaurants
serve a wide
range of
national and
international
cuisine dishes
(Greek, French,
Italian,
Asiatic,
Arabic). Usually
dinner costs
20-25 USD or
even more (from
45 USD).
Restaurant “Kan
Zaman” (“Ancient
time”) is
situated on the
way to the
International
Airport. It
looks like
Arabic medieval
castle and it
serves Swedish
table. Recently
new restaurants
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“Rim Al-Bavadi”
(“Abraham the
Sultan”),
“Havara”. All of
them are famous
for the perfect
national cuisine
and high level
service.
Those who have a
rest in Jordan
are advised to
drop in the
restaurants
“Captain” (it is
made in the form
of the head of
the ship and
situated not far
from the hotel
“Aquamarine-2”)
or “Ali-Baba”.
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Local peculiarities |
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Jordan is the most
stable and safe country
of the Near East. In the
streets of the cities
and towns there are a
lot of policemen;
traditionally the
Jordanians maintain
order themselves and it
results in absence of
the criminality.
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Clothes |
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Clothes
must be
modest
(mainly
women’s).
For
excursions
everyday
comfortable
clothes
and
solid
footwear
are
recommended.
Short,
tight-fitting
skirts
and
dresses,
open
arms are
banned,
especially
in the
down-town
of Amman
and in
the
countryside.
It is
better
to wear
conservative
clothing.
You
should
not wear
shorts.
Some
mosques
are
prohibited
for the
non-Muslim
to
enter.
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Women
should
not
occupy
the
passenger
seats.
Ask
permission
before
taking a
picture
of
somebody.
It is
prohibited
to take
a
picture
of
military
objects
and
transport
infrastructure.
On the
sea
shore
women
should
not
sunbathe
topless
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Smoking
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Smoking is permitted in
Jordan. It can be banned
in the big hotels.
Smoking Nargileh
(Hookah) is enjoyed in
cafes and restaurants.
The tourists who smoke
can not resist the
temptation to try it.
Jordanian tobacco is
famous for its mildness
and aromatic flavor. |
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Tipping |
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It is not
obligatory to
leave a tip but
if you do it pay
attention to the
tip amount.
In the
restaurants and
hotels simply
add 10 % to the
whole price of
your dinner; you
should tip a
waiter.
The hotel
servant’s tip is
usually 1/ 2 or
1 JOD (2 USD).
In the taxi
simply add 0,2
of JOD to the
counter
readings. |
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