Karak, Christian Crusader Castle, Jordan
As we were a group of 18 (we picked up an American and a Brit along the way), we hired a small bus and driver to take us from Petra (of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade fame - pictures later) to Amman, the capital - via the Dead Sea with a stop at Karak, the Crusader Castle and the Mujib Nature Reserve to do canyoneering!
The entrance to the castle - many Jordanians were visiting just as we left (I thought it more appropriate to place here than at the end).
High atop the mountains with great commanding views of the crucial valleys, you can see why the Christian Crusaders chose the area for one of their castles!
Remember that we traveled to the castle July 7, so during other seasons the area is lush with vegetation, especially so close to the Mediterranean Sea - the storms and rain will wash over Palestine and into Jordan regularly during much of the year.
Notice how old the rocks are in place. While the castle has been renovated (many times I am sure) much of the original stonework is still standing. Still no coffee, the one drawback to living on the Sinai and into Jordan is that most people do not get up early to make breakfast (see mine in my hand!). After all, the temperatures finally cool down by 10 - 11 pm at night so that is when everyone comes out to socialize and relax!
Nice view taken by Chad.
A shot from the hip by Chad. Very typical of the older men is the picture above. The Bedouin are the people of Jordan from which the King Abdulla II of the Hashemite Kingdom takes his role seriously and lovingly we were told, is shown below.
These are the streets just outside the Karak Castle (above and below). We only paid 1 JD (Jordanian Dinar, about $1.14) to enter the castle.
We ate our breakfast of Chicken Shwarmas - a pita type bread, really fila dough, wrapped around lots of chicken, etc. Below is, of course, another staple of Arabic food. Yes, they like their fried food too - notice that THIS part of the kitchen is outside (at least during the summer)!!!
Finally, we have had our breakfast, trip through the castle, and only an hour and a half!!! Lets go Canyoneering!!!
The entrance to the castle - many Jordanians were visiting just as we left (I thought it more appropriate to place here than at the end).
High atop the mountains with great commanding views of the crucial valleys, you can see why the Christian Crusaders chose the area for one of their castles!
Remember that we traveled to the castle July 7, so during other seasons the area is lush with vegetation, especially so close to the Mediterranean Sea - the storms and rain will wash over Palestine and into Jordan regularly during much of the year.
Notice how old the rocks are in place. While the castle has been renovated (many times I am sure) much of the original stonework is still standing. Still no coffee, the one drawback to living on the Sinai and into Jordan is that most people do not get up early to make breakfast (see mine in my hand!). After all, the temperatures finally cool down by 10 - 11 pm at night so that is when everyone comes out to socialize and relax!
Nice view taken by Chad.
A shot from the hip by Chad. Very typical of the older men is the picture above. The Bedouin are the people of Jordan from which the King Abdulla II of the Hashemite Kingdom takes his role seriously and lovingly we were told, is shown below.
These are the streets just outside the Karak Castle (above and below). We only paid 1 JD (Jordanian Dinar, about $1.14) to enter the castle.
We ate our breakfast of Chicken Shwarmas - a pita type bread, really fila dough, wrapped around lots of chicken, etc. Below is, of course, another staple of Arabic food. Yes, they like their fried food too - notice that THIS part of the kitchen is outside (at least during the summer)!!!
Finally, we have had our breakfast, trip through the castle, and only an hour and a half!!! Lets go Canyoneering!!!
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