Our first full day in Jordan started with a drive north from the city of Amman to the town of Ajloun to see Ajloun Castle.

This 12th century Muslim castle was used to control traffic along the ancient King’s Highway and to protect the area from Crusaders who wanted to reclaim the Holy Land from Muslim rule. The Holy Land consists of Israel, Palestine, western Jordan, southern Lebanon, and southwestern Syria.

The landscape was hilly along the drive, with many olive trees!

Sights along the way.

Our first glimpse of the castle.

Our driver stopped at this store for cigarettes. This was a moment because our driver was not our tour guide.  He would take us to our destinations, then sit with friends, smoke and drink Turkish coffee!

Getting our tickets at the tourist centre.  Then having a coffee at the cafe!

Our driver for our week stay in Jordan, Walid.

Picture of the Royal Family. Abdullah II of Jordan and his wife Rania and children. The family belongs to the Hashemites, the ruling family of Jordan since 1921 and claim to be direct descendants of Muhammad’s daughter Fatimah.

This looks to be a picture of Queen Rania during a visit to the cafe.

Jordan is called The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

Pictures of the cafe.

 

The entrance to the castle grounds.

Murals along the wall, walking to the front of the castle.

You enter to the left side of the castle then walk to the front.

View.

History of the castle – timeline.

 

About the architecture.

 

Courtyard.

 

The entrance gate.

 

Walking along the entrance into the castle.

 

Looking down at the dry moat.

Entrance.

 

An archery window.

Walking inside.

 

Looking back outside.

As we walked through the castle, I enjoyed the many arches and the play of light.

 

Inner courtyard.

The museum.

 

Stones for catapults.

Mysterious Michael.

I believe this is the remains of a Byzantine church?

 

On the roof.

 

Looking down at the steps leading up to the roof

Wee little lizard!

Father and son from Jordan. They were so cute – dressed the same – both wearing Ray Ban sunglasses!

 

Walking around the back of the castle.

 

We did not have a tour guide for this castle, as it was small enough to check it out ourselves.  We enjoyed the castle, while trying to imagine what it would have been like living there so many centuries ago. Jordan gets a cool winter!

Ajloun is about an hour or so drive to the south of Syria.

S, 🙂