Petra - April 14

Views on the way to Petra

Comfort Stop

There are 1300 passengers on their way to Petra this morning. 29 Buses are lined up ready to be loaded. The drive to Petra is 2 hours each way. However, there is a comfort stop at a shop and scenic outlook along the way, so the trip takes longer - especially since the women need to queue for scarce, meager facilities.  Lunch is included - served at a local hotel in Petra - so between travel and lunch, six hours or more will be spent before you ever enter the site. As a result, the time at the site is limited. Still worth the visit - but it does make one wish for more time to explore the city.

Port of Aqaba and the Arab Revolution Flag

Aqaba is a lovely port, surrounded by Mountains. It is the only port in Jordon. The large flag, flying prominently over the city, is the flag of the Arab Revolution (not the flag of Jordon). Here is where the Arabs, along with Lawrence, took the fort from the Turks in 1917 during the fight against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The rail line built by the Turks still runs alongside the Desert Road to Amman. There is one passenger train per day which takes 7 hours for the trip from Amman to Aqaba. You can make the drive in 3 hours.

We learn from our guide that due to the Arab Spring the number of visitors coming to Petra is about 20 percent of the usual number. He makes the argument for considering Jordan as part of the Holy Land - the site of Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan river is on the East bank - which puts it in Jordan. This has been certified by the Pope he tells us.

Old Picture of the Siq

Siq Entry

Siq Journey to Petra

We park at the hotel in Petra, and walk to the entrance. A further walk takes one to the Siq - a mile long narrow chasm which leads to the city. In places, the chasm is only 10 feet wide, and 100 feet high. The Romans tried to take the city by force from the Nabataeans, but the Siq made the attack impossible. Eventually the Romans cut the water supply, and were able to win the city in 106 AD.  After an eathquake in 363 AD the city was abandoned, but used often by Bedouins for shelter. The Siq is crowded with people, horses, horse drawn carts, and the occasional ambulance driven by the red crescent. This being Friday of Holy Week (Eastern Rite), and the day of worship for Muslims, many Jordanian families are visiting Petra..

First View of the Treasurery

The Treasury in Petra

After walking through the Siq, one comes upon the striking tomb called the Treasury. The façade dominates the exit from the Siq, being 130 feet tall and 90 feet wide. (This is the building featured in Tomb Raider). On top of the façade is a carved urn, now partially destroyed by Bedouin rifle shots. The Bedouin believed that the Pharaohs had created the tomb by magic, and that the urn on top was filled with Gold. They believed that breaking the urn would produce a shower of gold.

Remains of Ancient Petra

Palace in Petra

City of Petra

Ampitheater

Roman Avenue

The tombs, villas, and palaces are cut into the sandstone rock - carved from the top, down. We see several palaces which were later converted to tombs, and then to churches. The city had over 20,000 inhabitants at one time, and was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom which reached to Damascus. There is a theater, which was enlarged by the Romans. With more time, we could have climbed to the summit of the “Mount of Sacrifice”, which overlooks the city. We can see people who have made the climb way above us. The city has a remarkable set of cisterns and water channels, including a fountain built by the Romans.





























After too little time in the city, we need to retrace our steps to have lunch at the hotel, before the drive back to the ship. The lunch has Meze for a starter (hummus, olives, pita bread, and tabouleh), along with mensaf - a stewed lamb on a bed of rice with yogurt sauce.

Friday in Aqaba

We are back on the ship by 6:00 PM, just in time sail for Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt. From there we had planned to go to St. Catherine’s Monastery, but he trip has been canceled by the monks, who felt visitors would interfere with Holy Week. As a result we have not booked any trips for this port. A relaxing day will feel good. We will be at the bottom of the Red Sea - and will start for the Suez Canal the following day.