Ajlun

Went on an excursion yesterday to Ajlun – had lunch and then went to Salahdin’s Castle. So anyway, the site used to be a Byzantine church, but it was leveled by an earthquake and so Salahdin built a castle there. It was then taken by the Romans (?), then Mongols, then finally the Muslims again (or something like that, I can’t remember because I didn’t take any notes. So as usual, pictures.

Entrance – Stairway

Arrow Slits

Archways

Cistern

Internal Passageways (To Prison)

Internal passageways

View of First Tower from Inside Castle

Catapult balls

Passage to roof

View of Ajlun from roof – you can see all the way to Al-Aqsa in Palestine, snow on the mountains in Lebanon, and to Baghdad – on a clear day that is. We could just see snow on mountains in Lebanon. – 361-4

Second Tower and view towards Iraq

Islamic carvings inside castle

There was this little secret passageway we went through which got us back to the main entrance very quickly, but it was pitch black, and you had to jump down all these mini cliffs – we emerged covered in dust.

Secret Passageway Entrance

Didn’t get home till fairly late – we found Gloria Jeans *yay* so had coffee, then wondered around the area for about 3 hours, buying sweets and other assorted food. So Im tired today…I really wanted to go to the Abdali markets, but everyone else is to tired to so I guess I’ll have to leave that till next week insha’allah.

First day of classes tomorrow – it seems so strange having class on a Saturday. Our weekends are Friday and Monday…

Ma’a Salama

Testing, Testing (1,2,3)…

Had my orientation and test today… The test took me all of two minutes – long enough to look at each set of questions, realise that I had absolutely no idea how to answer any of them, then to walk out and hand it in. My oral test didn’t last mush longer – salaam, how are you, I don’t understand the question. 30 seconds al-hamdoulillah. I guess I’ll be in level one! *mock surprise*

Went to the bank to get money out to pay rent – got out 100JD. Didn’t realize till I got home that I had forgotten to withdraw rent money… Don’t want to have to get a cab back to the bank (only 2 accept my card). **do’h*blonde moment**

Going to Ajlun tomorrow insha’allah so maybe I’ll have some interesting pics.

Can you believe it’s taken me 5 days to find a garlic crusher – which apparently don’t exist here so I had to settle for a mortar and pestle, just try crushing garlic with one and see how you go! *hmph* Oh, Umm Abdullah: I made the recipe you gave me tonight, except that when I took out my chicken I found it was off, so I had to use chickpeas. It was really good al-hamdoulillah except that I put so much garlic it burned my mouth! Oh and Umm Khadija: you would hate it here, nowhere sells red chillis – not the big ones, not the small ones… NO CHILLI!

Ma'a salama

Al-beled

Couple of days ago I went on my own little adventure in downtown Amman. See pictures below for brief recap.

Started at Jebel al-Qala’a (the Citadel) – apparently it is the highest hill in Amman which it doesn’t really appear to be so because from the top you still look “up” at other hills (note, there is not any part of Amman that is not a hill, my legs are so sore). Anyway, it is the site of ancient Rabbath-Ammon, there are ruins of a fortress and agora on one side of the hill and the ruins of a Umayyad palace on the other side.

Ruins of fortress and agora.

Umayyad palace – domed audience hall

Umayyad palace – Courtyard

Umayyad palace – Colonaded street

Umayyad palace – residential and administrative buildings

Can you spot the well in the first one?

Temple of Hercules – built by Marcus Aurelius

Assorted items from the National Archaeological Museum.

From here we walked to the Roman Theatre.

This one is taken from Jebel al-Qala'a

I walked all the way up. *yay* I'm still feeling it two days on!

From the Roman Theatre we went to the vege market, then late-lunch, then sweets, then the mall (food shopping), then finally home. We left at 10am, got back home at 10pm – I think I’m sill recovering.

Went back downtown yesterday to buy some prayer clothes and such - not such a long journey. I have orientation and my test today… Make du’a for me please.

Reading a really good book at the moment – something to think on…

“When the historical record prevails, it will be recalled that the most serious threat to the world has always been racism and bigotry. Is it that ignorance of the record produces bigotry, or does bigotry exist independent of any record? In any case, the cost of ignorance is always the denial of dignity”. (Abou El Fadl, 2001)

Masjid an-Nur at maghrib

Ma’a salama.

Gas Truck

This is my friend the gas truck. He starts driving around the area with his little jingle going from 7.30am until 4.30pm - non stop. When you want gas you chase him down so you can trade your canister for one of his. Check out the little boy chasing the truck!

Sorry that it's sideways - you get the drift anyways

Mt Nebo, the Baptismal Site, Jordan River, Jericho and the Occupied Territories

Today was great – but incredibly tiring. I’m just going to post up the pictures with captions – explanation is too much. Enjoy.

Mt Nebo - this is the place where it is believed that Prophet Musa a.s. (Moses) stood with his people after they had wandered in the desert for 40 years and he saw the Promised Land (i.e. Jerusalem. Prophet Musa a.s. never made it to the Promised Land and it is believe he is buried not to far from Mt Nebo in one of the valleys on the Amman-side.

(1) Mt Nebo - looking towards Amman

(2) Mt Nebo Directional Plaque

(3) Mt Nebo - looking towards Palestine

(4) Mt Nebo looking towards Palestine - you can't really see it in the photo, but Jericho is down there - the little town in the middle.

The following photos are all taken in the museum on top of Mount Nebo - it is actually an old Catholic Church, but it is not used for Mass or anything anymore.

(1&2) Pottery from the ordan Valley

(3) Mosaics

(3a) From a monastery in the Jordan Valley

(3b) From the Kayanos Church















(3c) Latin mosaic from a nearby church




(4) The Catholic Church on Mt Nebo

After another long drive, we arrived at the Baptisimal Site - this is the place where Prophet Isa a.s. (Jesus) was baptised by Yahya (John). There is also a touristy walk in the "Wilderness" to give you the feel for what Prophet Elias a.s. (Elijah) experienced as he wandered in the wilderness. At the end of the "wilderness" path, before you get to the Jordan River is the Church of Bethany. Stuck my hand in the water (Jordan River) and it was so cold, couldn't believe it.

(5) Part of the "Wilderness Walk"

(6) Church at Bethany

(7) Chuch at Bethany through the wire - the wire is there because the area was covered with landmines during the 1967 war with Israel and large areas (the wired off bits) have still not been cleared.


(8) Steps down to the Jordan River on the boarder with Israel.





(9) On the Jordan River - the bank on the other side is Israel, about 3 metres away.

(10) This is the opposit ebank of th eJordan River - you can see the Israili flags just next to the trees.

(11) The beginning of the road home.



It was a really long day - cold then hot, then cold. I think I lost about a billion brain cells from the carbonmonoxide poisioning (I was sitting at the back of the bus). Ate an incredible amount of junk food... Couldn't cook dinner when I got home because I can't figure out the oven... Sometimes I'm little blonde.





Sorry about the formatting but I can't be bothered to fix it at the moment..