Day 3 – May 15, 2022

Mt Nebo

Mt Nebo was our first stop of the day. It is an important site for many religions as it is presumed to be the last place Moses stayed after wandering in the desert with the Israelites. It has an old church archaeological site that has been excavated and covered with a building to protect the mosaics, pillars, and other antiquities that were inside. There really is not much to see but for many, it has some spiritual significance.

Tree of Life Handicraft Center

Our next stop of the day was the Tree of Life handicraft center. It is a location where people with disabilities go to learn and develop the art of tile artisan creation. They say they are sponsored by the Queen of Jordan who covers the cost of shipping pieces to any location in the world. Many different organizations also include this on their tour to encourage support for these local artisans. But beware, if you want a piece of tile artwork, 60% of the money goes to the artisan, but it will set you back 100 Jordanian Dollars for a small coffee coaster or 10,000 JD or more for one of the larger pieces.

Karak Crusader Castle

Our final stop of the day was Al-Karak Castle. A castle that was built between the 10^th and 12^th century AD. There was one particularly intricately carved stone near the entrance that I found the most interesting piece of artwork on the site. As we continued through one passageway after another, it was fascinating to see how they built these old fortresses to withstand attacks from the outside. There must have been at least three levels for this castle, and one could almost get lost in the labyrinth of rooms and passageways. This is a kid’s dream place to explore and get lost within this historic site.