Crusader Castle

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Monday August 7, 2006 - Another early day. Got up and had to take a taxi to the bus station to get the bus to Karak, which is two hours from Amman. Finished reading my book so that I could swap with my roommate. When I got there the driver told me to get off, but I couldn't see where the castle would even be. Just like yesterday, only not as bad. But frustrating. So I asked a man in the street which way to go, but since he didn't really speak English, he walked me all the way to the castle. Very nice actually.

Spent the next three hours or so wandering around. It is a standing castle, but a lot of ruins. A lot of it is without a roof, and then there were also plenty of passageways which were covered. It is an old crusader castle, and was very important for sending messages between Cairo and Demascus.

At one point I took a break and relaxed in the shade, and a tour group came along below me. So I listened in to what I could hear - very fun to steal information and history.

Afterwards I checked out the museum and had the guard open up a special locked gallery (hallway) and then I was on my way. I asked several people where I could get the bus and then all said it was about a kilometer away. And much to my dismay it was. But some weird non-English speaking guy followed me there and kept miming scaling the wall and pointing to his crotch, so that was entertaining.

Got on the large semi-airconditioned bus where the windows didn't open and everyone smoked. It was horrible. Made even more special by the fact that the driver's window was open, and all the cold air seemed to leave it, but the smoke stayed. Interesting.

Finally got back to town where I negotiated a share taxi solo and then walked the rest of the way. Had dinner with my roommate and planning a quiet night.

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