Tuesday, April 11, 2013 – Day 111
We were not sure we wanted to endure 6 hours in a bus (3 each way) but we knew we wanted to see Petra, so, we committed. A few days before, there was rain in the forecast, but our Cruise Director said he’d never known it to rain on any of his visits there and the morning of our trip the forecast was clear. The bus ride to Petra began at 6:30 am and was then delayed by heavy fog & ‘comfort stops’ and a head on collision that blocked the road.
So, this is a two way road, one lane in each direction. But as traffic came to a stop, the semi-trucks pulled up in the on coming lane and on the shoulder to our right, we were sandwiched in. The drivers abandoned their rigs and ran forward to the accident. It didn’t take long before they were coming back through the jammed together trucks and traffic got moving again. Fortunately, it didn’t seem that there were serious human injuries, the car and truck were pretty damaged though! We have noticed that it seems like in a lot of the world, lanes are just a suggestion. Drivers tend to use the whole road like they own it. Kind of unnerving. But we made it! Annnnd, you guessed it… it started to rain! We bought plastic rain tarps from the vendors and off we went.
A little muddy, but not bad yet! Off we go for the mile and a half walk down into Petra.
So, what is Petra? According to our guide and Wikipedia, the area was the home of an Arabian people called the Nabataeans as early as 7000 BC. The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs who invested in Petra’s proximity to the incense trade routes by establishing it as a major regional trading hub and their capital.
Along the trail the remains of a temple and or homes carved into the hillside.
The location on the trade route made the people quite rich, and Petra became the focus of their wealth. Unlike their enemies, the Nabataeans were accustomed to living in the barren deserts. They were particularly skillful in harvesting rainwater and diverting it avoiding flash floods. They were also skilled in agriculture and stone carving. Petra flourished in the 1st century AD, when the building we know as ‘The Treasury’ – believed to be the mausoleum of Nabataean king Aretas IV – was constructed in the sandstone rocks. This is the building you see in the Indiana Jones film. However, contrary to the film, there is no storehouse of riches on the inside.
Descending further down into the narrow passageway that takes you into the ‘city’.
I didn’t encounter Harrison Ford, but I like my ‘Indiana Jones’ better!
The sandstone walls of the canyon begin to tower over us.
One of the large sections of stone has been carved by the elements over the centuries. A figure that looks something like an elephant is the result!
The remains of manmade carvings along the canyon trail.
Not sure if this is natural erosion, or manmade, but I love the contrast to the other rock.
The remains of the water channeling system that directed rainwater to the city storage area.
The rain darkened walls get narrower and narrower as we approach the city. That tree growing out of the rock is pretty inspiring!
Almost there!!
We made it!
Kind of takes your breath away! The scale of this facade is awe inspiring.
I borrowed this shot from a fellow traveler. Seeing it I wish we’d made the climb up to see the view in person, but it would have been a challenge.
At the base of the ‘Treasury’ the camels were available for riding and taking pictures, but it was raining, and they seemed happy to sit and watch us crazy humans gawk at them. Of course, when Jeff, aka Dr. Dolittle, approached one of the camels he got a warmer welcome than I!
Jeff, the animal whisperer, makes friends wherever he goes!
Gotta love that smile!
The walk back up out of the canyon was a little muddier and slipperier than walking down. Some people took golf carts, some rode horses or donkeys, but we walked, earning our yummy lunch at the hotel at the entrance to the site. Tummies full of humus and pita we were kind of dreading, kind of looking forward to the 3-hour bus ride back. We passed another vehicle accident on the way back where a car had gone into a drainage ditch, landing on its side, half submerging it in the water. The driver was sitting on top of the car, so I assume no humans were physically hurt, but obviously he wasn’t having a good day.
We got back to our ship about 11 hours after leaving and were very glad to be back! Tomorrow is an even longer day as we explore Luxor, Egypt. We’ll be going to the Temple of Karnack and the Valley of the Kings.