Petra

The next morning we woke up, had breakfast, and prepared for our journey to Petra. Also at the camp was an American guy named Zach who was on leave from his job in Afghanistan. He was also heading to Petra, so we shared a taxi with him to the site. The three of us, all being young American travelers, decided stay as a group and tour the ancient city together. Petra sits next to Wadi Musa, a tiny town now infiltrated with tourists who come for Petra but try to stay isolated from the real town as much as possible (and instead stay at their 4 or 5 start hotel on Tourist Street.) We, being poor and unemployed, chose the Orient "Hotel" in town for just 8 Euros a night.

The site at Petra is larger than it appears...I think we spent almost 6 hours there by the end! After paying a hefty 35 JD to enter (about $50), we headed down the beginning path and into the +40 degrees Celsius blistering heat. The real fun starts as you enter the Siq, a long winding path set between huge red rocks that was cut by an earthquake many years ago. The small shaded trail boasts some amazing shades of red and orange and leads you to the most photographed place: The Treasury. In Bedouin legend, the Treasury was thought to once hold the Pharaoh's treasure in the big urn on the top. What makes it so unique is the way it is carved right into the rock itself, so that the building goes in rather than juts out of the mountain.

(Left) The Siq pathway

(Right) The Treasury

There is so much to see and so many places to climb up to get great pictures of the area. On a whim we three decided to brave the 170m climb via stairs to see the High Place of Sacrifice. The stairs seemed endless and always on a slippery incline, but after about a half hour we reached the top, breathless and sweaty. The views were pretty amazing, and the sacrificial place was as strange as it sounds (though used only mainly for animals.) After a much easier return back down, we continued on and saw the Theater, caves cut into the rock, and more of the amazing colors of Petra.

From the High Place of Sacrifice

Almost making it to the end, the only remaining thing was another climb, this time longer and higher, to see the Monastery. Again we refused the easy way via camel or donkey and climbed the stairs until our legs couldn't handle any more. As we finally made it to the end and verged around the last corner, we saw another amazing facade carved into the mountain, similar to the Treasury. Not actually used as a Monastery but more as a court, it feels as if it is hidden up high and away from the rest of the city and is a treat to see when you finally make it there.

By this point we had had enough and our bodies were extremely tired, hungry, and unbelievably still thirsty after drinking 2 liters of water each, so we returned the way we came and left Petra behind us. After a much needed shower and dinner, we had planned to return to Petra that night for a special event only held 3 days a week: Petra by Night. It was recommended to me by a few people and I so was glad I listened to their advice! Marissa and I, and 100 or so other tourists, ventured back into Petra at 8:30 that night, under the stars and guided only by candle luminaries. It was a beautiful sight and felt like a really unique, special experience to be wandering back into the Siq all the way to the Treasury by candlelight. At the Treasury we sat down to tea and heard Bedouin music and stories of ancient Petra while sitting under the stars and lights- it was quite an event!

Luminaries in the sand

Unfortunately I had developed a very painful ear infection, probably due to the day at the Dead Sea, and I have been battling it for the last few days. I couldn't really enjoy everything pain free as I would have liked to, but they were still an unforgettable couple of days!