Wadi Mujib and Karak

Considered in one way, today was about transit--moving us from Amman to the city of Wadi Musa to prepare us for our visit to Petra. But, oh, that every transit day during a tour could be like this one. About two hours out from Amman we came over a rise and the vast expanse of "Jordan's Grand Canyon," the Wadi Mujib (or Arnon river, as it is called in the Bible), opened before us. From the canyon's rim to its bottom is an elevation change of over 3,000 feet. And we got to drive all the way down one side and up the other in our tour bus.

After we came out of the canyon, we came upon the surprise that Omar had promised us. The black iris, the national flower of Jordan only blossoms in the particular region south of the Wadi Mujib and for only about two or three weeks. Our timing was perfect--although what few Jordanians who were driving down the highway must have found it quite a sight to come across 30 American tourists clamoring around one another trying to take pictures of a wild flower on the road side. Nevertheless, it gave us a memory and connection with Jordan that is certainly not shared by every tourist to this country.

Our interim destination for the day was the crusader era fortress of Karak. The fortress was built by crusaders in the early 12th century from the rubble of much earlier Nabatean and Hellenistic ruins. This earlier use of the stone is clear visible in the rock surfaces that protrude from the walls at numerous points in the castle. The fortress was eventually taken by the Muslim general Salah ad-Din (whose name usually appears in western history books as "Saladin"). The Muslims consequently repaired much of the damage done to the fortress during the siege and subsequently expanded it as well. The difference in the construction techniques are clearly visible in the ruins.

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Last modified: May 24, 2007