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Published: June 16th 2017
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Geo: 30.1451, 35.3979
Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1985 and, in 2007, was named one of the modern Seven Wonders of the World. It is not known exactly when Petra was built, but the city began to prosper as the capital of the Nabatean Empire from the 1st Century BC. It was later annexed to the Roman Empire and continued to thrive until earthquakes and changes in trade routes eventually led to the downfall of the city which was ultimately abandoned. By the middle of the 7th century Petra was largely deserted and it was lost to all but local Bedouins from the area.
The Nabateans carved these tombs and what is called the Treasury in the beautiful sandstone rock. Entering via the Siq, which is a narrow rock valley, is reminiscent of Utah's slot canyons. The Siq – the only pathway into Petra and the best description comes from the book,
MARRIED TO A BEDOUIN – And we could see what he meant. It is only a few meters wide and the sheer sides towering in reds and ochres cut out most of the sun,
except where shafts of it reached in and caught the leaves of high-up fig trees in splashes of green.
About a mile in, you turn a corner and get your first view of the Treasury building. This is the most famous site in Petra. It is called the Treasury because people at the time thought the huge urn at the top held the Nabatean King's gold. No one was ever able to destry the urn although many tried. The facade is in remarkably good condition in spite of its exposure to the elements. You can no longer go inside because stupid tourists couldn't resist carving their names in the sandstone.
Continuing into the valley there are many tombs as this was the main burial site for Nabatean Kings, Queens and their families. There are several that are as impressive, if not more so, than the Treasury. The colors are indescribable. I hope my photos will do it all justice.
The actual city of Petra is about 4 miles into the valley and is obviously a Roman built city with entry archway, "paved" main street and large temple.
We climbed up to the Monastery and some went on even higher to a viewpoint. I stayed and had tea with the cats and soaked up the sun. There is another climb up that takes you to a high point above the Treasury building.
Just wandering around in this amazing place is humbling. Only the bedoiuns of the area do any business within the site. Everything from coffee stalls, souvenirs, donkey and camel rides. It is the off season and, overall, tourism is down significantly so they are eager to get you to spend. In spite of this, they only need to be told, no thank you, and most stop asking. It is sad that people are afraid to go to Jordan. It is a peaceful country and well liked by all its crazy neighbors.
A long, tiring day but so worth it. To top it off, Ayman, our guide had arranged with the hotel to prepare two of his favorite, traditional Jordanian dishes. A lamb dish and a chicken dish - they were both delicious.
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