On the way, we took a short break at a grocery store to confirm directions and buy snacks. The owner's wife and mother waylaid me and, after confirming I was "USA" asked: "Obama...why?" in tones of deep anguish and disgust. I wanted to answer "Because of Bush" but wasn't sure I was up for a deep philosophical and political discussion. So, onward and upwards we went.
Ajloun Castle was built by Saladin's less famous nephew Izz al-Din Usama as a counter to the Crusader castles in Karak, in southern Jordan, and Belvoir, in the Galilee. It overlooks and protects the three main wadis connecting the Jordan River Valley to northern Jordan and Syria.
I was expecting more of the same broken-down castles we saw spread throughout the eastern desert but Ajlun surprised me. Huge and relatively intact, I could easily imagine coming around a corner to find a bunch of soldiers readying a pot of hot oil and stacking up the cannon-balls, ready to beat back Crusaders.
would hate to be roaming these halls at night
he is a pretty saintly baby...
cannon balls
the upper floors were in various stages of intactness
Jordan River Valley
Since it was in the area, we also stopped at Tel Mar Elias, the site of Tishbe, the hometown of the prophet Elijah. There are the remains of a large and a little church there with some fairly intact mosaics.
chevron is so hot right now
baptismal font
Crew is clearly absorbing it all...
There is also a tree with ribbons (and kleenexes and plastic bags) tied all over it. Neither guidebook could give an adequate explanation for why these were tied into the tree - perhaps the Jordanian equivalent of tie-ing the yellow ribbon 'round the ole oak tree? Or maybe they just couldn't find a trash can and were more conscientious about the dangers of littering than the rest of Jordan?
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