Jordan 2000, Part 1

WEDNESDAY 16 FEBRUARY

This was to be one of the best days of the tour. This was the day when we
visited Petra.

After buying the minibus tickets, we had breakfast. (I shouldn't write about
food when I'm fasting!) On the bus we met a Palestinian who was on the way to
Petra for business. Was angered by a couple of Europeans disrespectively
wearing short pants in this a Muslim country. 

Arrived in Wadi Musa just after noon. Was met by the usual touts, one of whom
was very rude - too rude to mention - when we refused him. After much bartering
and pleading for preference, we eventually settled for a place on the condition
that they'd try to get Mustafa, who spoke fluent Arabic, through to Petra at
the local price - local price is 1JD per day, foreigners 20JD. 

Without further ado we headed for Petra. After being dropped off  near the
entrance, Seoul and I went ahead of Mustafa and the Palestinian so that we
didn't ruin Mustafa's chances of getting through as a local. It still didn't
work for they wanted an ID card! We reunited and parted from the Palestinian.

Three words sum up the way I felt about Petra - wow, wow, wow! I was so
overwhelmed by it's beauty. I wish my English was better equipped to describe
how I felt and make appreciate it's splendours and beauty. I don't know where
to begin. Let me by giving a brief history.

Though humans first set foot in the area back in the 8th Millennium BCE (that's
10,000 years ago!), it wasn't until the arrival of the Nabateans ( a nomadic
Arab tribe) in the 6th Century BCE that the area started to really flourish. In
106 CE the Romans claimed the Nabatean kingdom but coupled with two major
earthquakes in 363 and 747 and a shift in trade routes, the city declined. For
700 years Petra was lost to all but a Bedouin tribe. However, in 1812 the Swiss
explorer Johann Burkhardt managed to find the 'lost' city. And then the
tourists followed.

So, what's so special about Petra? It's uniqueness and beauty. At the time I
compared it's beauty to that of the Grand Canyon but there are many such
canyons in the world, though none are as beautiful, but there is only one place
like Petra.

Petra is the only city, which I know, that is carved rather than built. The
city is built in to the red sandstone that protect it. As a result, the city
just blends in to the natural environment, not surprising as the city is it's
environment, existing in perfect aesthetic harmony with the mountains as it is
the mountains.

The Nabatean carvings are simpler, with the most basic residential housing
being nothing more than regular shaped caves, but the palaces, tombs and
temples are quite elaborate. The Roman structures are much more intricate. 

The entrance to the city, and once the only entrance, is along the canyon-like
siq, a mile long rift. As you head towards the siq from the entrance to the
site, large ghost tombs and caves stare down at you from distant mountain
faces. And then as you enter the siq, 200m high walls on either side begin to
block the sunlight, the temperature decreases and the rift channels cold winds.
Despite the cold wind it was a fantastically beautiful walk. 

After about 30 minute along the siq one comes to a small opening and to the
130m high royal tomb that is called the Khazanah (treasury), Petra's best
preserved monument, and after more siq the 7,000 seater Roman theatre, from the
top of which one gets soul-scorching views, particularly of the long row of
royal tombs on the face of Jabal Khubtha. And so the magic continues. The
monuments never cease to amaze you but it was Petra's beautiful setting that
held me more captive.

Wow! I had deliberately avoided seeing any pictures of Petra before visiting
and that made every moment that extra special. Every few minutes, sometimes at
every turn of corner, I'd shriek out aloud uncontrollably, to the bemusement of
Mustafa and Seoul, at the image in front of my eyes. Petra was the best place
in the Middle East. Inshallah, I'll be returning soon, perhaps as early as
2001. 

The siq started to widen in to a valley but it was getting late and we,
particularly Seoul, were hungry and so headed back to Wadi Musa. Ate at a cheap
looking place that turned out to be quite expensive (3 to 4 GBP per person) but
I didn't care for it was the most fantastic of days! It was very cold at night
so a hot shower would've been good but had to struggle to even get luke warm
water. But who cares!