My Very Own World

The two crusader castles that withered in blue sky ,bellowing with white clouds and golden sand.

休壩堡壘Shawbak Castle,Jordan和卡拉克堡壘Kerak Castle,Jordan.

結束了佩特拉古城觀光後，就踏上約旦的"國王之路"，這條快速道路是約旦的南北交通主動脈，建設在黃沙碎石地面上，婉沿百里穿梭於沙丘高山險峭之間，行車其間不時上下猶如船航行於海浪之上，約旦特殊的荒漠自然地貌一覽無遺。

I stepped on The King's Road right after finishing the tour in Petra.The highway is the main artery of South-Eastern transportation in Jordan,which was built on golden gravels and sand,and intercrossed among high hills,ragged precipices,and golden sand, and which went along hundreds of miles.Driving on it,my car was like a boat sailing on sea waves that went consecutively up and down,and meanwhile,I'd also taken in all natural unique landscapes in Jordanian desert.

(1).休壩堡壘Shawbak Castle,Jordan

眼前又是另一座峭壁，司機卻忽然提醒"快看快看"，一轉彎，休壩堡壘豁然巍巍佇立在山岩之上，車子由遠至近的接近，漸漸在視覺上顯露它的雄渾氣勢。

My driver suddenly yelled to me "look,quick", as our car ran by another mountain wall on the right.A grand castle perched on the top of a rock.The castle looked even greater as our car slowly approaching it. Behold,the Shawbak Castle.

然而這座城堡已經失修太久，現在正重新維修，現場我看到有工人外，竟然還有一些在配合觀光客的演員，打扮成古羅馬士兵在休息。

However,Castle Shawbak hasn't been under maintenance for a long time.I saw some workers doing restorage on the site,and a bunch of actors dressed like ancient Roman soldiers for the tourist business.Some of them were resting in the shades.

這個城堡亂垣殘壁太多，但是地理位置處於制高點，景觀上還不錯，除此之外，
並沒有太多可以值得停留久一點的重點。

Shawbak Castle had many parts that were broken,unfixed.However,the panoramic views were excellent dued to the castle occupied the highest point in the area.Except this point,I didn't think there were more reasons left for me to stay a bit longer.

城堡是十字軍東征的其中一處軍事堡壘，除了還保留一些石砌相關軍用建設外，就屬秘密通道最引起我興趣，但是我不敢下去，因為這座城堡很明顯並沒有好好維護，很怕忽然坍崩或被落石打到。

The castle is one of the crusader castles.Except some stone-made military facilities,what left to intrique people's interests is the secret channel that leading to an exit,if the casle were under beseige.But I was afraid of its safety,I might be hit by falling stones for the site was not properly maintained.so I didn't go down to explore.

行程結束後，司機開車繞著城堡往下坡去，竟然在山坡壁上，看到秘密通道的出口，還是很有驚奇感，總是感到古時文明在這麼艱難的天然環境裡，仍然是生氣勃勃。

After I finished the tour,the road that we drove down surrounding the hill.Before long,my driver pointed to me the exit of the secret channel,which was on the wall of the hill ,exposed in the open.I felt surprised once more to see ancient civilization's vivid power on a difficult land.

(2).卡拉克堡壘Kerak Castle,Jordan.

在往摩西尼波山(Moses,Mt.Nebo)時，這個景點是我臨時要求加上去的，當時前幾個月時，有恐怖分子在另一旁的市區引爆，殺了人了，在圍捕的時候，有至少4個歹徒往山上的這個堡壘藏匿，軍警圍攻下，最終一一伏法。

On the way to visit Mt.Nebo(Moses the prophet),I improvised to add up this site to my itinerary.It was because having a terrorist attack in the town of Kerak city(where is beside the castle) a few months earlier,before I heading to visit it.The terrorists ignited bombs and the explosion killed some innocent civilians.
Jordanian police and military police went on a pursuit,at least 4 bad guys escaped to hide in this castle.Immediately police besieged it and in the end,all the terrorists were either captured or killed.

我好奇就去了，咦?那我要不要把猴子改成貓?
I was curious,so...yeeee~ should I change my mugshot from monkey to cat? lol.

我當時是奇怪為什麼這群恐怖分子要往山上跑，現在就覺得，應該是慌亂中傻傻地亂選目標吧?因為卡拉克堡壘從12世紀以來，就一直容易受到敵人圍攻，這個地點在這一區中太過於關鍵，它是古時控制中東敘利亞首都大馬士革到埃及之間貿易路線(死海東岸路線)的主要城堡之一，也是可以往西向耶路薩冷，往東可攻麥加的武裝重心，所以古時就是十字軍東征的重要堡壘。

I wondered why those terrorists chose it.Now I think there was flat and sandy ground all over this area,except the castle on the top of the small hill.So,they might run to it chaotically.
As a matter of fact,Kerak Castle has been an easy target to be sieged by enemies ever since in old times,due to the importance of its location.
It was one of the cities/towns that controlled the trading route(East of Dead Sea) between Syrian Damascus to Egypt.It was also served to be a key location to Jerusalem,West,and to Mecca,East .That is why Kerak Castle was also crusaders' vital fortification in old times.

它在歷史的角色是很重要，但是若要獨立寫成一篇景點介紹文又太過於費工，因為這個景點很單純，景色也不複雜，我Post上照片，大家欣賞欣賞就好，以後有人有要經過，是可以去玩，雖說不會很失望，但是大約2小時就已經足夠了。

It might play an important part in history,but it would be too plain to write a sole article particularly just for it.Its view is simple,so to speak.So,I ,here,upload my touring photos for you guys.If you want to visit it.It is all right(It wouldn't be disappointing too much),but I think it would only take you 2 hours top.

~ End ~