First we stopped at Kerak Castle which is one of the largest Crusader castles in the area, built in the 1200s when the Crusaders were defending Jerusalem. It was taken over by Saladin. Kerak Castle had a lot of fun passages to explore. Next we drove up King's Highway to Amman. The goal was Papparotis which, in Jordan is in a swanky outdoor mall. First we had lunch in a patisserie , then walked around the mall. At 5 we had buns at Papparotis. Then when Nadia's parents and siblings had landed and had enough time to get to the relatives, we showed up. The relatives lived in a 3 story house, the top level of which had just been added and which Nadia's family (of which we are considered a part) is staying in. A different family had been living there but moved down to share level 2 with another relative so that we could have the top layer to ourselves. We were met by at around 80 peoplem; only about 30 of them lived at the house. Everyone took their shoes off at the door. Then the men sat on the floor in one room and ate while the women and children were in at least 2 other rooms. It is a communal eating system using the bread to pick up the food although most of the Westeners also used cutlery and separate bowls. Many of the relatives stayed there. When we left in the morning we passed by a number of them sleeping on the patio and in various places around the house. We shared a room with Nadia's 3 sisters on the top level.
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| View from Kerak Castle |
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| Raynald of Châtillon who took possession of the castle in 1176, dropped his enemies over the cliff, probably this one which went down a very long way |
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| View of the Castle from across the Valley |
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| Pile of shoes stacked outside the door of the first level |
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| dinner! |
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