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Camel & Treasury
Everyone seems to have this pic, but I got the camel. Bonus for me. And now...Petra.
I started out early for a morning run yesterday. Folks don't seem to open up shop very early around here, so I figured a 6 am run would be a little less uncomfortable. I ran up the steep hill from Wadi Musa into a neighbourhood, very quiet and no traffic. Key. On my way back down the hill I met a friendly guy working on his car and an older guy waiting on a corner, presumably for a bus. As I passed he yelled out "Yes! Quickly!" Fun guy.
Then the early start @ Petra. The descent from the Outer Siq was nice, most of the touts hadn't gotten to work yet. It's about a 2k walk to the Treasury, which can't help but be impressive.
One thing I noticed coming into the Treasury, but became a theme for the rest of the day: some tourists here just don't get it. Sorry, but true. I hesitate to even bring it up, b/c I hardly want to come across as the know-it-all tourist passing judgment on the plebs...
But people showed up to Petra like they were on their way to the waterpark or to cruise
How not to dress in Jordan
These girls (esp. the one on the left) got all kinds of attention. Unwanted attention. the malls in Santa Monica. Jordan isn't that conservative compared with some Middle Eastern places, but wearing a mini-skirt or a cotton dress thin enough to see through if the sun hits it...you just don't want to attract that kind of attention here.
In fact, this morning, one of the staff at our hostel in Wadi Musa, Leia, was telling us some horror stories of tourists (girls) that had been horribly harassed in and around Petra, to the point of some druggings and even rapes by Bedouins whose libidos got the best of them when they see a cute western girl. Just in the couple years she's worked at the hotel, she's apparently seen this over and over again. I had heard and read stories/warnings that this could happen, to the point of women being separated from their boyfriend or husband by a smooth-talking team of Bedouins and taken advantage of. Crazy, but I didn't know how common it was. Apparently, fairly...if you don't understand the culture and keep your wits about you. And for the love of YHWH, keep the skirts for Santa Monica, hey?
Okay, sorry...rant done.
Just before the theater, I turned off to
Nabatean High Place
The altar, with steps and cistern, are on the left. The table in the center was where the sacrifice would have been prepared, with seating all around. climb up to the High Place of Sacrifice, which not only affords sick views of the entire Petra valley, but also was the place where animal and likely human sacrifices were offered by the Nabateans around the 1st c. AD. It was really cool to pray over that high place.
I took the back way down, and saw some unmissable ruins and inscriptions. I also ran into Heather, who, along with her husband, is taking a 3-year round-the-world trip! She had some amazing travel stories, definitely check out their blog and site: www.jumpamonkey.com.
After descending from the High Place, I headed towards the Monastery steps - by now, the multitude of touts with donkeys were getting kind of annoying, and the donkey crap was definitely starting to get to me in the desert heat. On my way up I ran into my new friends from the Hotel, Joe and Steph, so we climbed the rest of the way together.
I must say, for all the horrible things I'd heard about Wadi Musa (rip-off joint, bad behaviour by shopkeepers, touristy feel, etc.), I really liked it. I didn't find those things to be true at all. So there.
Until later - steve g
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