Khaberni - Written by: Captain Tawfiq Al-Reyalat
During the daily walking program in the beloved Abdoun area, I was stopped by a beautiful young man
full of vitality and activity, a foreigner from Singapore who asked me in English
if I was a local resident, to which I confidently replied
that I do live in this area.
He then asked about some landmarks that were on his mobile phone located in this area.
Of course, the GPS location provided was way off from where the landmarks actually were
and since I am one of the original residents of Abdoun
and my late grandmother used to collect firewood and fetch water from the Roman well next to the landmarks, I knew the place immediately and told him to come with me so I could show him the archaeological site
Unfortunately, there is no sign or any indication of this place.
On the way there, we chatted and I told him that my grandfather was one of the first to settle in the Abdoun area back in 1904, and told him that my mother city is Al-Salt, and when he heard that, he told me he had visited Al-Salt and was very impressed by it.
Eventually, we reached the archaeological site, unfortunately
there was an iron gate and a mesh fence side by side on the periphery of the archaeological site, I felt like I was on a farm on the outskirts of Amman with the fence turned so that anyone could enter the place (it almost seemed like smuggling from Mexico into America).
We entered the site and I was surprised by the reaction
of the tourist; he began jumping with joy marveling at the beauty of the place, while I looked around and noticed scattered bottles of alcoholic beverages on the ground, then he gave me his phone, and I took more than 50 pictures for him, then I truly appreciated the value of the place.
If only the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism
would pay attention to this site and employ someone at the gate, and for your information, a person from the area ready to watch and maintain the site is available, along with building a fence around the entire perimeter of the site even if simply made.
Later, I tried to invite him to have Mansaf at my house, since it was nearby, but he thanked me and told me he wanted to continue his walk in Abdoun and enjoy its lovely atmosphere.
I decided myself to continue walking with the aim of losing weight and checking on my beloved Abdoun.
In conclusion
May God protect the great Jordan, its loyal people, and its triumphant Hashemite leadership
Your loving brother
Captain Tawfiq Al-Reyalat
