Walking to the first castle, Qasr Kharana, which was really a desert inn, on a very windy day.
The 2nd castle was full of beautiful mosaics. Qusayr Amra is described by our Lonely Planet guidebook as being "famous for its hedonistic (and somewhat risque) 8th century frescoes of win, women and wild good times, but I loved the geometric style of this floor and the animals best. There were frescoes of woman that may have been naked or artfully, but I was drawn to the animals more. Oddly we overheard one Spanish tour guide saying that Jesus was on the ceiling of the frigidarium. The guide who took us to the room showed us the man as representing middle age, there was also a young boy and an old man. I think our guide was correct. Why would someone put Jesus in an Roman/Islamic bathroom, especially over your head staring at you?
The artwork was eveywhere, floor to ceiling and included pictures from throughout their daily life. I also like all the camel pictures.
Who doesn't appreciate the artistry of a bear playing the banjo?
The guards in the front gate of Castle Azraq entertained themselves by playing this game they carved into the stone. I think it looks a lot like a Mancala board.
A room with a view of a mosque.
Aaron in the room where T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) hid out during a very cold winter.
It's a beautiful day for visiting the desert castles. The sky is as blue as Bubby's eyes.
Walking to the first castle, Qasr Kharana, which was really a desert inn, on a very windy day.
The 2nd castle was full of beautiful mosaics. Qusayr Amra is described by our Lonely Planet guidebook as being "famous for its hedonistic (and somewhat risque) 8th century frescoes of win, women and wild good times, but I loved the geometric style of this floor and the animals best. There were frescoes of woman that may have been naked or artfully, but I was drawn to the animals more. Oddly we overheard one Spanish tour guide saying that Jesus was on the ceiling of the frigidarium. The guide who took us to the room showed us the man as representing middle age, there was also a young boy and an old man. I think our guide was correct. Why would someone put Jesus in an Roman/Islamic bathroom, especially over your head staring at you?
The artwork was eveywhere, floor to ceiling and included pictures from throughout their daily life. I also like all the camel pictures.
Who doesn't appreciate the artistry of a bear playing the banjo?
The guards in the front gate of Castle Azraq entertained themselves by playing this game they carved into the stone. I think it looks a lot like a Mancala board.
A room with a view of a mosque.
Aaron in the room where T.E. Lawrence (of Arabia) hid out during a very cold winter.
It's a beautiful day for visiting the desert castles. The sky is as blue as Bubby's eyes.
Don't you love the call to prayer? I don't think I've often been so moved as I was by that. We were in Jerusalem way up high when the mid day call to prayer began down in the old city. But it came from many many mosques all at slightly different times. It was a choir of prayer. I'll never forget it.
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