Ajloun, and placement

We traveled to Ajloun, north of Amman, today. I was asked to write a blurb about it for the Qasid website, so rather than describing the same event twice, I'll just copy it below (I'll link to the website if/when it ever gets posted).

Got placed in level 3, the lower of the two options. Class from 8AM-12PM every day, starting early tomorrow.

Ajloun:

            Yesterday was everyone’s last free day before diving into intensive Arabic classes for nine weeks. Qasid staff took that opportunity to arrange a day trip to the Jordanian towns of Ajloun and Jerash for sightseeing, lunch, and pre-class bonding.

            After a twenty-minute search for a taxi, I finally arrived at Qasid in time to catch one of the buses. We hit the road and headed north. I landed in Amman only three days ago, so this trip for me was actually my first glimpse of the Jordanian countryside. The dense urban landscape I had grown used to began to fade away. Within just a few kilometers of the city, I started to see farms, trees, and – to my surprise – vast stretches of greenery and forest. My impression of Jordan as an expanse of unbroken desert was cruelly shattered.

            After riding on some of the steepest, most winding roads I have ever traveled, we finally arrived at Ajloun. The town’s most famous site is the 800-year old castle perched atop one of its mountains, built by a nephew of Salah ad-Din in the time of the crusaders. We were treated to a guided tour of the site. Though I didn’t take notes, the history went something like this: originally the site of a Byzantine church, the hilltop was fortified against the crusaders in 1184. It passed hands several times, including to the Mamluks, who used the building as a medical college. Ottoman garrisons were also stationed here, until earthquakes in the early 20^thcentury left the castle in ruins. Jordanian authorities were actively working to repair and restore the site.

            The damage to the castle almost made it more interesting to an architecture buff like myself. Collapsed sections of roof exposed the underlying vaulted arches and made visible the various additions and expansions made over time. The damage did not prevent us from scaling to the very top of the castle and enjoying the spectacular views. Though we suffered from hazy weather, we could still make out the Jordan River and the Golan Heights in the distance – our guide assured us that, on a clear day, the Dome of the Rock was visible from the top of Ajloun Castle.

            After Ajloun, we retraced the winding mountain roads back to Jerash for lunch. We had all been briefly introduced to Jerash by the reading passage of the Arabic placement exam, and so knew something of its Roman heritage. We saw the ruins of the gate and hippodrome before sitting down to a lunch of bread, hummus, babaganoush, and a great pepper-meat-potato dish that I had never tried before. After lunch, it was back on the bus and back to Amman to enjoy our last few hours of freedom before the start of class at 8AM the next day!