Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Every economy needs day labourers, wherever you are and, as we headed out to Saladin's
Castle, we passed groups of day labourers waiting to be hired. Along the roadside, they were
grouped by trade. Some were jackhammer operators, others had a form of 'hod' and I pre-
sume they were brick layers.
It was a long winding road coming down toward a broad fertile valley of black soil blanketed
with crops. The length of the valley was indeterminate as either end just disappeared into the
haze. We then found that this was part of the 120 kilometre long Bekaar Valley, which ran
all the way through Lebanon and beyond.
It was a steep climb out of the valley; with the road going up and up until we seemed to be
at such a height you were not game enough to look over your shoulder at what was behind.
At the top we disembarked and boarded much smaller vehicles to go the rest of the way.
There was an interim stop at a decrepit café that had a magnificent view over the valley.
There was a bunch of locals staring at a TV screen watching an Arabic soapy. They were
oblivious to our presence and intent on the screen until the show ended.
Across the road, one of the local women was operating a bread baking operation. The bread
was tasty and the mint tea served in the café was hot. What more could you ask. The smaller
vehicles turned up and we crammed in. The ride was very hairy, twisting and turning down
a steep ravine and up the other side until we eventually reaching the Citadel of Saladin.
Our introduction to the citadel was dramatic. One of the most impressive features of the fort-
ress is a 30 metre deep ditch cut into living rock. The ditch, which runs about 150 metres
along the side of the castle is about 20 metres wide. Centred at the entrance to the ditch they
left a 30 metre high needle of rock to support the drawbridge. The drawbridge itself is no
longer there.
The modern day entrance was on the south side of the fortress, up a short set of steps and
through a defensive anteroom. Like many of the castles subject to progressive fortification,
the place was a rabbit-warren of steps and narrow passages. On the right of the entrance is
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