The Ancient Rose Red City

Petra.  What can be said about Petra?  We met up with our local guide, Mohammad – no worries about calling him the wrong name – and started the long walk into the Siq.  With the theme music to Indiana Jones going through our heads we anticipated seeing the Treasury at every corner…but we had 1km to go before seeing this breathtaking spectacle for real.  The colours along the way were spectacular, we saw the water channels they created along the side of the canyons; the various stations with god blocks to praise the Nabataean gods; the original paving stones…and then we were there.  Our first glimpse of the Treasury as we wound our way through the last section of the canyon tantalizingly close, and then you step out into the open courtyard and see it whole for the first time.  Words cannot describe how we felt as we stood in front of this magnificent structure, but we were both grinning from ear to ear.  Surprisingly enough the interior is very simple so it looks like they put all their effort into the façade.  It is now believed that this was not a treasury but a temple, which really makes sense when you stand there with mouth open in awe of what these people achieved.

We spent 8 1/2 hours walking around this area, there is so much to see and that blew us away.  We climbed up to two separate areas, first to see the Monastary (1200 steps) and the views of the desert, the second was to the High Place of Sacrifice.  It was high!  But it felt good to get some cardio and strengthening done.  Donkeys make this journey multiple times with people on their backs, it was a shame to see them slipping and sliding on the slick sandstone but they managed to keep their footing.

Here we are, in the old city of Petra and I meet someone I know!  What are the odds on that?  Ana, who also worked at VANOC, was there with her sister and some friends and we were walking past when I did the double take and called her name.  Incredible.

You know, travelling with someone as beautiful as Errin is always interesting as man after man falls at her feet.  Today was no different as she was courted by a Bedouin who reminded me of Captain Jack Sparrow, only a little darker.  He was only interested in talking to her and invited her to join them for dinner at their camp.  She politely declined although I think she has missed out on The Man of Her Dreams….especially since she has just bought the book “I married a Bedouin”.  A true story of a NZ NURSE who was invited to dinner by a Bedouin in Petra and got married to him…..I’m just saying…….

The end of our long, exhausting day was at the Cave Bar, the oldest bar in the world.  It was a Nabataean tomb and it appears the skeletons are still residing under the floor. 

Packing up once more and heading out tomorrow for the last day of our Jordanian leg which should prove to be very exciting.  We will be participating in something that is akin to cannyoning, but not as scary (I hope!), and heading into the desert for a 4x4 excursion – with any luck we will not get stuck, finishing off with a trip to a natural hot spring before we drive to the airport for our 3.30 am flight to Istanbul!