Sunday, August 2, 2009

The Wonders of Petra, Jordan


The Bedouin people who used to live in Petra, before it became a monument, are now the only ones who can sell jewelry and other crafts and they have the best tea. We love her smile and elegance.
We began our walk down the path to the siq in Petra in Jordan first thing in the morning, as the security guards reported to work. The Nabateans built Petra during the Greco-Roman period.
The security guards in the distance show the massive scale of the canyon walls as you walk through the siq. The trough at the base of the canyon walls would collect rain water and deliver it to the city at the bottom of the canyon.
Some visitors rode into Petra by carriage. It all looked and felt so dramatic. We felt that we had stepped back for a few minutes to live in ancient times.
The caves carved into the canyon walls reminded us of the architectural style at the Taos Pueblo of New Mexico.
The treasury carved into the canyon is familiar to those who saw "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade." It was not a treasury at all, but is a plain room carved into the canyon. It is a magnificent site to behold. Petra as a city in its heyday earned its wealth because it was located on a major trade route.
Camels provide traditional transportation for people in the canyon, unchanged for centuries, except for the camel driver's cell phone. We really enjoyed riding camels as it is a very comfortable ride and camels are very easy to get on and off.
Some Bedouins serenaded visitors with their songs that echoed in the canyon. The music was enchanting and we greatly enjoyed the cultural experience as we stood in awe before the monastery, high on the mountain.

The Monastery is reached after a long climb out of the canyon. Like the Treasury, it was not really a Monastery, but was so named by later European explorers who used their imagination. It was a long hike up the mountain to get to the Monastery, but well worth it. It is awesome to turn the corner on a hike and see this amazing carved building rise from the mountain and desert.

13 comments:

Kcalpesh said...

Beautiful pictures! I've always enjoyed visiting and reading about such histroci places! Nice post to begin with... thanks for you comments on Pixellicious Photos!

Phivos Nicolaides said...

Gorgeous pictures from a fantastic place. Only those who have visited this 'city' can realized what a unique place it is! Your post reminded that I have to write something about Petra!!

Phivos Nicolaides said...

Since you don't display your e-mail, please note that I have bladly added you on my "Blog List"! If you don't mind please send me your e-mail. Kind regards, Philip

brattcat said...

Thank you so much for bringing these images and experiences to those of us who have not had the opportunity to visit Petra. I enjoyed every photo and every word!

Frank said...

Spectacular series of photos. The immense size of the canyons and colors are hard to believe. It is so intersting to be able to see and compare pueblos with carved buildings in Jordan. My favorite shot is of the musicians playing for tourists. Nice! I guess in a way we're lucky these ruins remain at all after the Taliban blew up the giant Buddhas in 2001.

Love the new site. I wish it great success. (Keep the good wine and even Coronas flowing.)

Mo said...

You certainly get to some wonderful places

NikonSniper said...

great photos. very cool.
nikonsniper steve

Unknown said...

Fabulous shots! This is a place I want to go for a long time and still is on top of my list.

glenda said...

Fabulous travel photos.

Mirela said...

I envy you, Petra is one of the few places I HAVE TO visit... there's something about that place... Btw, the first photo of a woman looks like a painting - WOW. That's a National Geographic-level photo!

Btw, if you ever find yourself near Croatia, let me know :).

Leif Hagen said...

GREAT blog! I really want to go to Morocco someday! Love the India pics too! They remind me of my 5 week Rotary GSE trip to Bangalore, Delhi and Agra! I just put together that Julie and David are both CDP bloggers and married! Regards!

Tash said...

Magnificent photos! This part of the world is so rarely seen nowdays...I'm so happy you shared these.

Anonymous said...

looks a bit like your visit of slot canyon

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