Petra, Aqaba, Jordan - Saturday, April 12th

The site we visited today was Petra, which is approximately 1-1/2 hours outside of the port of Aqaba, Jordan.  A few passengers on this world voyage shared with us that one of the main reasons they chose to sail on this particular cruise was to visit this site.  Petra was selected by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the "28 Places to Visit Before You Die".  It was the location for one of the final scenes in the blockbuster movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.  It is an ancient city carved into solid rock by the Nabataeans as early as 300 B.C. and abandoned after the 14th century A.D.  At this time it is estimated that only approximately 15% of the city has been excavated.  It is traditionally believed that Aaron, brother of Moses, is buried on a mountain in the area, near the location where he struck the rock to supply water to the Israelites when they were wandering in the surrounding desert.  You can catch a glimpse of his tomb as you approach the entrance to Petra.

The Nabataeans were clever and practical people who did not believe in national exclusiveness.  Consequently, Petra is a beautiful blend of Greco-Roman, Egyptian, Mesopotamian and local styles, all fused to create a magnificent patchwork of architectural beauty.  The rock is a beautiful shade of rose and it is a truly magnificent site when it is illuminated by the rays of the sun.

It is quite a hike from the car park to the main entrance of Petra.  The walk along the long deep and narrow gorge is called the Siq.  As we walked through the Siq, over dirt, sand, rocks and cobblestone pathways, we were surrounded by stunning natural beauty.  The Siq is hemmed in by cliffs soaring up to 80 meters.  As we passed through the majestic corridor we witnessed bizarre-looking geological formations, colorful rocks, agricultural terraces, water channels cut into the cliffs, dams, and votive niches carved into the rock.  It was a bit of a surreal experience, sometimes walking through massive rock formations which had been split during a massive ancient earthquake.

As we arrived at the main entrance to Petra we suddenly emerged from the canyon to come face to face with the Al-Khazneh, or the Treasury.  It is the pride and joy of Petra and is widely considered the most beautiful monument there.  It was carved in the 1st century B.C. as a tomb of an important Nabataean king and possibly later used as a temple.  Standing in front of the monument we felt dwarfed by the huge size of the facade.  It is truly breathtaking.

Although Bob and I both made the hike to Petra we had different goals for the day.  My goal was simply to take a leisurely pace and make it to this point since we were on a very tight time schedule.  Bob decided to push himself harder and make it deeper into the site.  So, since Bob has more to say about his experiences there he'll take over the narrative now.  I'll come back after he's finished to add one last experience I had before leaving this magnificent site.

In Petra you can choose to walk on level ground to view many of the monuments, but to capture an overview of the entirety of Petra and the surrounding area you must climb to the top of the adjoining cliffs.  I choose to climb up to the High Place of Sacrifice.

The High Place of Sacrifice is accessible only by climbing 600 to 800 steps depending on with whom you talk.  I started to count the steps but got to about 80 before I gave up and concentrated on the fantastic views and my own walking pace.  The steps are carved into the sandstone rock and are very high.  There are no horses or donkeys to take up these steps because they are so steep and narrow (with drop off ledges that you have to watch out for).  You are on your own for the one hour climb, but once you reach the top you are rewarded with the spectacular view of Petra below as well as the surrounding countryside, including a distant view of Aaron’s Tomb.

The High Place is well preserved and an infrequent visited sight because of the steep climb.  During the Nabataean era it served as a venue for important religious ceremonies honoring the gods.  The two altars were also used for funeral rites and include channels into which the blood of the sacrificial animal may have pooled.

By the time I arrived at the summit, took a number of photos, and talked with a few of the locals, it was time to trek down the mountainside.  Actually the trek down from the site was more difficult than the hike up to the site.   The legs are used to climbing up but are not trained to handle the jarring journey down the high steps.  By the time I reached the bottom my poor legs were spent but I had only one hour to make it back to the visitor center about two miles away.  I made the first mile with difficulty but when a local Bedouin offered a horse ride for “only a tip” I jumped at the opportunity.  The ride back was uneventful on the horse and saved my exhausted legs.  He delivered me all the way to our bus but when I dismounted the horse and gave the horse owner $10 he became incredulous and demanded at least $50!!  After I reminded him that he told me that any “tip” would be sufficient he began yelling saying that I was not paying him enough for the 10 minute ride.  I told him he could call the “tourist police” or accept the “tip” as I was going to walk away and board my bus that was leaving in about five minutes.  He took the “tip” but was not a happy camper.  Many of our fellow passengers had a similar experience but most of them paid the exorbitant and demanded “tip.”

OK, now I’m back to finish up today’s narrative.  The only other interesting experience I have to share is similar to Bob’s.  I was at the Treasury, looking at the time and thinking I had to quickly hoof it back to the bus, otherwise I’d be left behind.  I was exhausted and started looking around for a horse-drawn cart to take me back up to the visitor center.  Our guide had told us in the morning that we should be paying only $30 US dollars for a one-way ride.  That would be the cost for TWO people in one cart.  All of the drivers wanted at least $45.  They all turned me away so I started walking back on my own.  As I walked, one driver stopped and agreed to take me for $30 (since this was the only money I had).  Trouble is, he only took me a short way then stopped the horse and told me he needed more money for me to ride the rest of the way.  I told him, once again, that I had no more money (which was the absolute truth).  First, he told me the “police” would arrest him and put him in jail if he didn’t charge me the “normal” price.  When that line didn’t work to squeeze more money out of me he said he and his brothers, sisters and parents lived in a cave and desperately needed money.  This story didn’t work either, since I had nothing left to give him.  He told me he knew of an ATM and he would take me there so I could get additional funds.  When I turned him down, he somewhat impolitely told me to get out of the cart.  Sooooo, I climbed down and proceeded to walk back up the hill to the bus.  My story wasn’t as bad as other couple of passengers.  There were two very elderly ladies who got into a cart and were EACH charged $45 one way.  In addition, at the end of the ride the driver demanded another $10 to take them up to the visitor center, which is only a short walk (although uphill) to the bus. 
 

So, our visit to Petra was exhilarating, captivating, frustrating, and exhausting.  We can now scratch it off our bucket list.  It was truly a magnificent site but one that demands a lot of energy and persistence.  We were blessed with extremely beautiful weather which made the hike much more pleasant than it could have been with warmer temperatures.  It’s one of those places that we can say we’re glad we’ve seen but probably wouldn’t return.

Now, a couple of relaxing sea days for our bodies to recuperate, and an exciting trip through the Suez Canal.  Can’t wait.