Jordan & the Lost City of Petra

We had a great dinner last night at a highly recommended local spot in Eilat with Jackie, Chad, and Jonathan. All the food was exceptional and we were the only tourists in there. Got to bed at a reasonable hour as we had to catch a ride to the Jordanian border to meet our guide there before heading to Petra. After crossing the border we had about a 2 hour ride up to Petra and the city built into the mountains. If you haven’t heard of Petra before apparently it was featured in one of the Indiana Jones movies as there were a couple signs there to remind you.

If limited to one word to describe Petra it would be stunning. We had a quick 10 minute horseback ride up to the entryway which takes you into the city. Petra is completely hidden in the mountains and you can’t even see it from several hundred feet above on the way in. It is nestled between some of the largest mountains in Jordan probably around 5 – 6K feet. Petra was built by the Nabataeans, an ancient Arab tribe more than 2200 years ago. Petra was perfectly situated between Egypt, Babylon, China and India and provided a link to the Mediterranean coastal cities. They were experts at collecting every bit of water and sold this water to people crossing the desert and became very wealthy with this trade. The first signs of their ingenuity are apparent with the canal they dug into the entry way to the city to collect water. They actually built two canals, one encased with a pipe which carried drinking water and the other for animals. This water then flowed into large reservoirs so that it could stored, used and sold to passersby. The Nabataeans were also expert engineers which is evident throughout this hidden city with the structures they carved into the mountains. It really is something you need to see to believe. To think that they built this city over 2000 years ago with stone chisels and determination and to see the intricate detail given to building final resting places for the King, the royal family and the commoners is truly amazing. It is estimated that at the height of Petra’s growth there were approximately 35,000 people living in the city.

The entry way into the city takes about 30 minutes but this is not just open space. You walk through two mountains separated through time which tower over the walkway providing much needed relief from the sun. Along the way there are some carvings made to honor the God of the Mountains (they were Pagan people). After about 30 minutes you turn the corner and through the sliver of mountains you see the Treasury (a tomb for the King) which is literally carved into the side of the mountain. The amount of detail and size are stunning. We spent about 10 minutes taking pictures and getting the history of this monumental achievement considering when it was built. After this we continued walking deeper into the city which had burial tombs built into mountains virtually everywhere. Around every corner and walking through the mountains were carvings and tombs for the cities departed and final resting places. You really can’t believe how big Petra is until you see it. You can’t help but envision how thriving this city would have been back in the day with people from across the world passing through it. Another surprising observation was how well preserved the city is despite all the elements of the desert and a massive earthquake that happened hundreds of years ago. The carved mountains are still in great condition and the only thing that has not been able to withstand the test of time are the living quarters. These have been reduced to rubble but you can see where they used to stretch over 18 kilometers because there is rubble strewn across the valley hills.
We spent roughly 6 hours walking the old streets of Petra and could have spent plenty more. It's a city of unparalleled history and beauty as there truly is nothing like it anywhere else in the world.

After Petra we showered up, grabbed some dinner at a local seafood restaurant on the Red Sea and are getting ready to hit the sack before our drive into Jerusalem tomorrow. We have to get there by sundown otherwise we won't be able to check-in until the next day as everything shuts down on Friday at sundown until sunset on Saturday (the Sabbath). The following day we'll be hitting the Dead Sea and are hoping to get access into Bethlehem but that is completely dependent upon the security situation which is tenuous at best right now with the Palestinian controlled area.

Lastly, I still need to get caught up on our hike up Mt. Sinai which has been the highlight of the trip so far but keep falling behind. Appreciate all of you that are taking the time to read this blog and learn a little more about the Middle East. If you have any questions or want me to ask our guides anything in particular feel free to post a comment on the blog. I'll get it and will be sure to get back to you.

Ryan