23.03.24 Post 09 – Aqaba, Jordan and Petra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

Well – have I used the word AMAZING yet. I was going to save that for Petra in case it lived up to its billing and AMAZING barely begins to describe the city carved into the rock! Fitting, because Petra gets it name from rock, just like Peter was the rock upon which the church was founded. Rock is everywhere and beautifully decorated and carved rock. Caves and pillars and tombs and steps and even an amphitheater carved directly into the rock.

You start your journey to Petra with a two-hour bus ride from the port of Aqaba over the jagged mountains surrounding the port. Petra is at about 3,000 feet so the winding track to get there is beautiful. There are many vistas that give you the opportunity to look out over the desolate countryside. The hills are often dotted with shepherds tending their flocks looking for patches of green.

Upon arrival in Petra you have a short downhill walk to the entrance to the Siq, a walkway that leads between the elegant, narrow cliffs to The Treasury. Each curve in the narrow passage reveals another mouth-dropping sight. I can’t tell you how many times I literally had my breath taken away by the amazing sights, both natural and manmade. The path is nicely manicured and only a few sections have loose rock and gravel. Most of the path is great and some of it is even remaining stones set by the Romans. As you gaze up at the layered cliffs you have to keep a sharp eye out for the passing, golf carts, donkeys, horses and camels. What a tremendous mix of humanity coursing through the centuries-old chasm!

The Siq narrows and ahead you see a brilliant light, so bright that you can’t tell what it is, because the cliffs have shielded you from the sunlight. Your eyes can’t adjust quick enough and all you see ahead is bright light. As you approach the opening, your eyes adjust and the majestic Treasury looms ahead with a throng of people from all over the world, camels, donkeys and horses all mingling like they have for thousands of years. Today it is tourism, but in the past this sight has greeted traders from around the world. The thought of Petra actually being a vibrant community with homes, tombs, shops and world-wide travelers is almost overwhelming. The 121-foot-tall carvings of the Treasury loom directly in front of you. Carved directly from the rock, the columns grow right from the carved steps below and the handholds used by the carvers are still visible next to the ornately-decorated façade. Once you catch your breath after seeing the Treasury, you realize that this magnificent building is just the tip of the iceberg. To the right and to the left the valley meanders, ever-widening and each turn reveals more stunning carvings. Caves, homes, tombs, shops and throngs of people gaping at the wonders that have inspired us for centuries.

As our time was limited, and we had to walk all the way back up the trail to get back to the bus, we were only able to scratch the surface with what we saw. We continued on with our guide for another mile or so past the Roman amphitheater literally hewn from the rock, said to seat 8,500 people.

I feel compelled to say that Petra is one of the most spectacular sights that I have ever seen. In the few hours we had to explore, it revealed so many wonderous details that if I ever get to go back I would like to spend a few days hiking the trails and seeing many more of the fantastic buildings. You could literally climb on most of the rocks and it would have been very interesting to have a lot more time to explore.

Awe inspiring and truly worth the visit – Petra rates right up there in World Heritage Sites that must be visited!