Travels low cost: Amman and the castles of the desert

Thursday 25 March 2010

Amman and the castles of the desert

The long drive to Amman foresees stops in significant places scattered here and there in the center of Jordan.
We cross the vast Wadi Mujib, a unique natural park, as it is located 400 meters below the sea level. A deep gorge splits the sandstone rock crossed by a river, to get to Kerak where there is an ancient fortress.
The next stop is Mount Nebo, one of the most important Christian sites in Jordan. It’s important also because in March 2000, Pope Joan Paul II made his pilgrimage right there, in the Holy Land.
And finally we reach Amman, capital of Jordan, a surprisingly quiet town in terms of safety and a nice place to visit by foot. We visit the Roman Theatre and the Citadel, then everyone is free to go wherever they want. We go having a cup of tea in a public place: Raffaella, Carla and I were literally scrutinized from head to toe. Here it is unusual (and it’s probably bad costume) for women to go to bars mingling among men! Therefore, the owner of the restaurant asks us to sit on the terrace of the building, away from all the local people. I find a nice gift to take to Sebastian, but fate wants that I forget it inside the taxi when we go to have dinner.
We have some moments of panic when, after dinner, we take another taxi but the driver doesn't understand where our hotel is located. He is almost angry and I’m afraid that he will suddenly drop us in the middle of the street.

Amman. 2010 © Giovanna Puccia. All rights are reserved.

Amman, the Citadel. 2010 © Giovanna Puccia. All rights are reserved.

2010 © Giovanna Puccia. All rights are reserved.

Wadi Mujib. 2010 © Giovanna Puccia. All rights are reserved.

Do you wanna see all pics taken in Jordan? Then click here

The next day is dedicated to the tour of the Desert Castles, two of which were built in the eighth century by the Umayyads, near the present border with Iraq. In order of proximity to Amman, the three castles are: the Castle of Kharana, the Qusayr Amra and the Castle of Walid. Actually, they are palaces fortresses, because the Umayyads were originally Bedouin traders and wanted to appear as "princes of the desert" in the eyes of the Bedouins. They used these buildings to satisfy their desire to celebrate, eat and drink, sometimes also with some girls.