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Published: September 29th 2009
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How long have I been living in the Middle East? Have I slowly and unbeknown acclimated to the region, setting myself up for a culture-shocking return? Ha, what naivety! This is the talk of an overly alarmed and paranoid person I told myself. Little did I suspect, that my Western background and time in the Middle East would induce a magical spell, miraculously changing me into Indiana Jones (well, at least to some degree).
I woke up in Petra and prepared myself for a long day of walking in a desert region, and of course one important task was selection of the day's wardrobe. As I was in the middle of a four week long trip, my options were few. Thus, I selected the clothes that I have typically worn that have met the challenges of the exploring the region quite well.
Goretex hiking boots that can survive nuclear holocaust: Check.
White long sleeved Greek shirt that protects from the sun and stays cool: Check.
Grey pants that have multi-pockets and can unzip to become shorts (or swimming trunks!): Check.
Western style hat that maintains my background and protects me from the sun: Check.
With this objective complete
and a quick meal, I was en route to the ancient city, a place I was required to visit by traveler’s holy decree. While a few looks from other Westerners made me feel a bit of apprehension on the approaching path, I counseled myself that perhaps I had been traveling alone for too long this trip. Not until I reached the front gate of Petra and gazed upon the near worship of Indiana Jones with his very own array of 'adventure-snack-shops' did it hit me; I have become an adventurer (or in the very least, dressed the part). Yes, apparently Indiana Jones and I had completed the same wardrobe checklist before 'adventuring' in Petra.
Between Asians taking pictures of me and Americans remarking the obvious (for which I had forgotten how talented we are for this task), I had come to two conclusions. First, I really have lived in the Middle East for a long time. Second, the only person who has the power to stop me from having a good time is myself (thus, I had a good time). Ha, in all truth, I had to laugh at myself for dressing the part the day of and not
realizing it. However, with the self-guided tour that I took, the wardrobe did indeed serve its purpose. Most important though, once you walk the long and narrow path to finally arrive at the entrance of Petra, the magnificence is so overwhelming that any other small and petty thoughts like this simply drop away, as they should.
Petra, it must have been quite the city. While currently it has reached the ranks of one of the ‘new’ Ancient Wonders of the World, it certainly had it heyday in the past. With so many major powers coming through and exerting their influence in Petra, as well as Mother Nature playing her part, it is still difficult to know the full history of Petra. At this time, the consensus is that the Nabataean’s carved the original city back in 100 BC, perhaps earlier. While the area of course suffered from droughts, with damning the water and creating irrigation, Petra was able to become a major place of commerce. Being along a major trade route between Europe and Asia, Petra eventually began to incorporate much wealth and prosper. Around 100 AD, a Roman influence entered the scene eventually making the area a part
of the Empire. During this time, Rome obviously made its mark on many parts of Petra. Under Roman control, Petra did decline though, in part because of a shifting of trade routes. Once earthquakes hit and disrupted the irrigation methods, Petra lost its ability to sustain its large population.
Petra was visited as a novelty and still retained some habitants though. From around 500 AD-1200 AD, other major powers entered the area to play a role, such as Western Christian powers and Middle Eastern Islamic powers. Around 1400 or so, the West had lost all connection and eventually memory of Petra. Not until 1812 was Petra ‘re-discovered’ by the West. Since this time, its main role has been that of a tourist attraction, much more so once made famous by Dr. Jones.
As for my time here, it was a great experience. Hopefully by looking through the many pictures that I have attached, you may now empathize with me on how overwhelmed I felt by this site. Walking through an ancient rock city, exploring the inner temples, seeing its expanse from mountain tops, Petra made quite an impression. Often I simply couldn’t believe the quality of the detail
on some of the temples. We have to consider that originally, there was plaster and decoration on top of the rock. Can you imagine how lively a festival must have been here? I also much enjoyed that this site was not really under park control. By this, I mean you pay a ticket, and then you’re able to do pretty much whatever you want to. Besides local merchants trying to sell you goods, kindly pointing the next direction and random signs warning of possible danger, there is not much park supervision. I can see how this can be negative, while within many of the temples I came across trash and the aroma of a stale bathroom. On the other side, to be able to take any path you want and take time to reflect inside an ancient temple or an impressive view all by yourself has its own appeal. On a few nights of the week, Petra is supposed to have night shows in which candles light the paths, giving a whole different feeling to the city. Sadly, my schedule did not allow for this experience. For those who may travel here, make sure you ask about this.
In
the end, Petra was a place much worth visiting, and the traveler’s holy decree has been proven right. There are some place in this world that if you are able to see, you simply can’t miss. For me, I always prefer the simple logic of ‘never pass up a good thing.’ With no doubt, Petra is definitely a good thing.
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Jaren Chen
How's overall
Hey there :) i have always been interested in visiting Jordan. How's the country like? Is it easy to travel on our own there or go with a tour group? Worth the trip there? Any other must see places?