Petra

The passports  are getting filled up with places we never thought we would  see.  Some of the stamps might make getting into Israel problematic in the future.  Not sure what to talk about today, the fights on the two-hour bus ride to Petra  or Petra itself.  I think I will start with Petra and leave the obnoxious, fat, ugly Canadian tourist for the another blog.   Petra is phenomenal; an amazing sight.  We began our journey in Aqaba and lies at the end of the great rift valley so the geology is fantastic.  It is also right beside the city of Elat in Isreal.   Our guide told us of the land deals between Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. So that Aqaba could get a port entrance they traded the oil filled land to the Saudis and with the Israelis it was land negotiated due to the war (if negotiate is the correct term.) But, back to the geology, you can see where the plates have lifted over time.  Aqaba tends to get a major earthquake every 33 years and the landscape reflects that.  The city is surrounded by mountains and you can see where past lava flows intruded through the older basaltic and granitic rock.  As we drive further in you see boulders strewn across the landscape of red sand.  Unique rock formations fill the landscape and as we proceed further we are reminded of the Grand Canyon, Zion National Park and Arches.   At one point our guide tells us to close our eyes and when the bus comes to a stop he tells us to open them and we see a beautiful canyon vista that contains the lost city of Petra.   The city Petra was developed by the Nabataeans more than 2000 years ago and constructed in sandstone.  Petra became the hub for the caravans which transported all the goods in the region.  The Nabataeans became rich exacting tolls and protecting caravans and used this wealth to fund the construction of the city.  In 106 AD they were annexed by the Romans and even though they flourished for a while, eventually Petra fell into ruins and was lost until a Swiss traveler Johann Burkhart rediscovered it in 1812.  It was initially lost due to an earthquake centuries ago that destroyed the dam and allowed the city to be repetitively flooded and, consequently, evacuated.  Walking through Petra, you see the influences over time from Graeco-Roman, Egyptian, Mesopotamian and local styles.  We passed by tombs and entered the As Siq which is a 1200m long and 80 metre high, very narrow gorge.  It reminded us of the slot canyons in Arizona, but much bigger.  Emerging from the narrow confines of the As Siq gorge, the vista opens suddenly to reveal one of the highlights of Petra: the treasury.  All the carvings were done from the top down and you can see the footholds that the artisans used going up hundreds of feet.  It is spectacular.  We also saw sacrificial areas, numerous tombs and the Theatre that looks like a Roman  amphitheater but was created before the Romans took over.  Initially it seated 3000 but was extended to seat 7000.   We hiked for hours and still could not see it all. We missed climbing the 1032 steps that led to a monastery so we have reason to return.   Much of ancient Petra remains unexcavated.  It is the most fantastic man-made place Cia has ever seen and she was happy that the temperature was in the mid twenties versus the usual high 30's or low 40's.  Among the numerous remarkable sights we have seen on this voyage, Petra is the highlight of the whole trip for Cia.   Tip: Be sure to see the lost city of Petra if you ever find yourself travelling in Jordan., and if Petra is not in your bucket list, add it!