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Published: September 16th 2019
Wadi Rum This morning, we headed on a picturesque jeep safari exploring Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum also known as the valley of the moon is a beautiful desert wilderness in southern Jordan. The place is known for its dramatic sandstone mountains. The landscape of Wadi Rum is so unique that it was used to represent Mars in the movie "The Martian." It is also the place where Lawrence of Arabia as well as other movies including Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen were filmed.
In Wadi Rum, we got to meet some Bedouin people who gave us a traditional lunch with some Bedouin Tea (Yum!). We also climbed up a hill, which was super tiring and saw some unique carvings in the rock.
Petra After our morning in Wadi Rum, it was time to head to the ancient city of Petra. Along the way we bumped into a "I love Petra sign" and witnessed a beautiful view of the overlooking countryside. We finally reached Petra in the mid afternoon.
Some interesting facts about Petra include:
1. It is
referred to as the "Rose city" due to the colour of the stone out of which it is carved
2. The
Treasury is the most popular monument in Petra. It is estimated to be over 2, 000 years old. It was featured in the climatic scene in the popular 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
3. Petra is home to over 800 carved tombs
4. Petra was created as a trading hub by the Nabataeans, a nomadic Bedouin Arab tribe in the area. The Nabataeans were accustomed to living in the desert and were able to repel attacks. They were particularly skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving.
The Walk up to the Monastery After we toured the huge Petra city, it was time to climb the over 800 stairs to the Monastery. It took us about one hour with a couple of rest stops to climb up all the stairs to the Monastery. We were encouraged by other tourists and locals along the way to keep on going as we continued to climb the never ending stairs. Luckily the stairs did end and when we reached the top, we
Petra
The Monastery. We make it!were rewarded with an incredible view of the Monastery that rivaled the beauty of the Treasury. The Monastery felt more secluded and mesmerizing as there were less locals and tourists at the site.
After spending some time reveling at the beauty of the Monastery it was time to head back into town. We spent time at a local restaurant before heading off for the night. Tomorrow, we plan on waking up extra early so that we can make our way to the high place of sacrifice.
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