Directory A–Z - Jordan - page 638

Toilets
Most hotels and restaurants, except those in the budget category, now have Western-style
toilets. In most others you'll be using squat toilets with a hose for ablutions and a water
bucket provided for flushing.
Toilet paper (the use of which is considered an unsanitary practice in most Middle
Eastern countries) is seldom available, except in the midrange and top-end hotels and res-
taurants. Local people prefer to use the hose and then deposit any toilet paper (used for
drying purposes) in the basket by the side of the toilet bowl; these baskets should be used
to avoid blockages as the sewerage system is not designed for paper. For those who can't
do without it, toilet paper can be bought in most grocery shops throughout Jordan.
If caught short in the desert or hillsides of Jordan, it is imperative you choose a spot
well away from water courses and bury the outcome in as deep a pit as possible.
Tourist Information
Jordan has a good network of tourist offices and visitor centres. The main tourist office in
Amman is located on the ground floor of the Ministry of Tourism & Antiquities
( www.tourism.jo ) in Jebel Amman.
The comprehensive website of the Jordan Tourism Board (JTB;
www.visitjordan.com ) has regularly updated information. JTB also publishes some excel-
lent brochures in several languages. These are available from its offices in Jordan and
abroad. Contact the following offices for a brochure and map package:
France ( 01-55609446; [e-mail]; 122 rue Paris, 92100 Boulogne-Billan-
court, Paris, France)
Germany ( 069-9231880; [e-mail]; Weser Strasse 4, 60329 Frank-
furt)
UK ( 02072231878; uk@visit jordan.com; 115 Hammersmith Rd, London, W14 0QH)
USA ( 1877-7335673, 703-2437404; contactus@visit jordan.com; Suite 102, 6867 Elm
St, McLean, VA 22101)
Travellers with Disabilities
In late 2000 Jordan celebrated its first-ever Olympic gold medal, won by the female ath-
lete Maha Barghouthi in the Sydney Paralympics. It was a proud moment for Jordan and it