Jordan Day 2: Desert Castles and Amman

Day two was spent exploring the desert castles east of Amman closer to the Sa'udia and Iraqi borders. Built along the ancient trade routes in the 600's and 700's the purposes of these structures is not fully known. Some believe they served as fortresses for defensive measures, or might have served as hotels along the caravan trade routes. The three we visited vary greatly from one to another and each offered something unique to see and experience. At times I could almost feel the ancient ghostly past whisper through the sand. Interesting to think what might have happened here all those 13 some odd centuries ago.

We first visited Qasr Kharana . . .





































Qasr Amra . . .












Not far away

Qasr Azraq . . .











Amman . . . After touring the desert castles we headed back to Amman for lunch and a tour of the city.




Another impressive lunch spread. Lunch is the main meal here, and after this I was pretty much done for the day! So delicious!


Very traditional lamb and chicken dishes with rice.




The aftermath . . . and our driver smoking a hookah in the background. Hookahs are very popular in the middle east (gaining ground in Europe too), and gratefully the hookah smoke is far less offensive than cigarette smoke.


Fresh kill hangs freely in front of shops all over town.



After lunch we hit the town, stopping to see the citadel, museum and the Umayyad Palace atop a central hill in this very hilly city. This spot is layers of 1000's of years of history. And it comes with a spectacular 360 degree view over the city of Amman.


Madeleine enjoyed looking at ancient jewellery.


Not sure what to make of the ancient remains of a child.


Trevon making new friends, per usual.












Standing on this hill with 360 degrees of this view while listening to the call to prayer echo off of every hillside was a chilling moment I shall never forget.



We spent the rest of the afternoon wandering the heart of the old city. We wound our way through the old shopping alleys near the mosque among all the locals surrounded by shops and stalls selling just about everything under the sun. It seemed we were the only foreigners about.






Dallin was pretty stoked to get his very own Arab head scarf, otherwise known as a hata, so he could live out his Lawrence of Arabia fantasies on the desert. Turns out the hata is not really a fashion statement, but an essential article in the hot desert sun.