There is no way to explain the beauty and mystery surrounding Petra with any justice. The ancient city, carved into the massive red-rocked mountain faces, was hands down one of the most physically jaw-dropping and spiritually inspiring places I have ever been. This is definitely a noteworthy edition to the bucket list.
After traveling to the northernmost corner in Akko, Katie and I headed down to Eilat, the southernmost point of Israel, bordering the Red Sea. Our hostel was certainly unique with its circus ambiance- creepy manikins and paintings adorning the walls- but the adorable old man who owned the joint smiled every time he saw us and would say “Heidi from the mountains!” Our first night we walked down to the beach and visited tourist central. Lining the beach were zillions of clothing stores and top of the line restaurants. There was even a Hilton hotel and a Bible inspired theme park that towered over the surrounding area. We stood at the edge of the Red Sea and stared into the distance where we could see not only Jordan, but also Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
The next morning we were picked up by a tour bus to head to the border of Jordan. Although we paid online using a credit card, the Israeli tour leader claimed we had not paid… but Katie had left her card at home and I did not have enough money to cover both of us. Luckily, she let us through anyways. We left Israeli territory, walked through “no man’s land” for five minutes before reaching the Jordanian border. As we crossed through security, one guard spoke to me in Arabic knowing full well that we could not understand then flashed a big smile to the amusement of his colleagues. We boarded a bus that drove us from Aqaba through Wadi Rum, the desert that stretches throughout the majority of Jordan. At a rest stop Katie and I played with five little puppies and the owner of the shop playfully offered us one for free. I reluctantly refused his offer. Our tour guide was a five foot three, seventy year old Jordanian named Riyadh. He filled us in on some fascinating facts- for example, Jordan is the fifteenth cleanest country in the world according to the UN as well as one of the safest countries in the Middle East. The population is predominantly Sunni Muslims and Riyadh explained that they peacefully coexist with other religions. We winded through beautiful scenery- a valley of mountains dropped off on the left while the modern Petra, called Wadi Musa was built into the hillside.
After exiting the bus we began our journey. There is only one way in and one way out of the old city- the Siq. For a half mile, our group walked through a narrow passageway that had a smooth cobblestone floor and enormous cliff faces jetting up on both sides. As the tour guide made an effort to reaffirm multiple times, the bright red, orange, and purple in the rock were purely natural- the unique coloring of the rock actually reminded me of Sedona, Arizona. Despite the fact that this was only the entrance to the over 2000 year old Nabataean city, the Siq possessed many subtle treasures. I was especially impressed by the aqueducts carved into the walls to bring water to the inner portions of the city. Tombs and caves scattered all over the landscape, marked by Egyptian architectural influences. These caves were inhabited by Bedouins until the Jordanian government kicked them out in the '80s. Although the Bedouins resettled outside Petra’s walls, they continue to enter and profit from tourism. Bedouins offered horse, camel, and carriage rides while their children sell postcards and jewelry.
The highlight of the first day was the Khaznik, or the Treasury as English speakers have deemed it. This monument is the most famous attraction of Petra and the one you probably think of if you have even heard of the “red rose city.” The building, carved into the walls of the red-rock was way larger than I anticipated and intricately decorated. A third floor was recently discovered underground and you could visibly see the bullet holes at the top of the monument caused by the Bedouins looking for treasure. The site was recently named one of the new Wonders of the World…and I could most definitely see why. After our short tour of Petra, our group went to a restaurant where we ate a delicious buffet. Katie and I made the decision to stay overnight in Wadi Musa to tour Petra on our own the next day. The entire group left and a driver picked us up and took us to the Oscar Hotel. What we thought would be a luxury experience in comparison to our hostel bunk beds turned into a night of freezing temperatures and uncertainty. Katie and I seemed to be the only guests in the entire hotel. They placed us in the room closest to the lobby in which the heater was broken, leaving us shaking the entire night in a forty degree room. Literally.
We woke up early and embarked on our second day in Petra. Considering we had beaten any tour groups, we had to the opportunity to stare up at the Khaznik without a soul around. Then, we set our eyes on the second most famous attraction- the Monastery. Along the way, a Bedouin woman named Noel invited us to a cup of tea, actually demanded us to drink tea with her by stating it is inhospitable to refuse an invitation by a Bedouin. We drank tea, hot off the fire, while sitting with four Bedouins on the steep steps that overlooked the surrounding mountains and desert below. 800 steps and 2 ½ miles uphill later, Katie and I reached the top of the mountain. The monastery was much larger than the Khaznik but had less detail. We explored the area checking out caves and I headed for a view of “The End of the World.” The viewpoint definitely lived up to its name- I had to rock climb to get to the top of the cliff that dropped down into Wadi Rum. But the trek was worth the view.
Katie and I got to the bottom of the mountain with shaking legs but decided to push forward and climb a new route to the point of high sacrifice. We thought that the climb would be shorter and sweeter but along with the rain, the hike became a grueling uphill battle. At the highest point, we climbed up onto a large rock platform that had a 360 degree view of Petra, the mountains, and the desert below. A sign pointed to where animal sacrifices occurred. We ate some bread and jam then headed down the mountain. We were supposed to meet the new tour group at 3:30 in the parking lot but guess what? We could not find the bus ANYWHERE! And we did not have a functioning phone since we were in a new country. We made the decision to exchange money to dinars and to take a cab up to the restaurant where the group would most likely be eating lunch. When we got to the restaurant the group was there but they had already eaten and it was only 3:45. The driver exclaimed “no, no we left at 3:30 and you were not there.” However, the group informed me that they had actually left around 2PM. Meaning, the tour guide had left Katie and I in Petra to fend for ourselves. Luckily things worked out in our favor anyways. After the long drive we stopped in Aqaba for a quick stroll around the city and then headed back to the border. I felt instantly more comfortable the second I crossed back into Israel.
Katie and I spent our final night in Eilat hunting down cheeseburgers. We got kicked to the curb several times for even suggesting the chef forego kosher procedure to add cheese to the plain burger. Finally, we found a new American restaurant called Moses where we splurged on massive burgers and fries…pure happiness.
Petra is certainly a treasure of the world. Without hesitation I would tell people over and over that it is a spot they have to see at some point in their life. At the same time, I feel that some of the magic derived from the fact that Petra is not overrun by tourists, and I hope it never will be. Petra renewed my confidence in my studies of history. The massive structures and complex architecture serve as a reminder of the capabilities of humans at such an early time period as well as the mysteries of the past. What I would give to be able to go back in a time machine and view this flourishing city at the height of its power. I guess there are just some things the human mind will never be able to grasp.
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