Petra

Okay. Here's the story...

We woke to a glorious morning. Clear skies, a stiff breeze, and a bounce in our step. We packed up early and headed down to the gates. After getting our tickets and passing through the entrance, we began our journey down to the siq (pronounced 'seek' - the huge crevice that opens up into Petra). Along the way, we got a small taste of what was to come...

sunrise

Obelisk tomb

The siq itself is incredible. It winds for 3/4 of a mile, and still bears traces of the people who brought it to life. We could see hooks notched into the rocks high above us, where oil lamps used to burn as streetlights. The walls were lined with troughs that had been dug into the rock, providing running water for the city with some of the most advanced water supply engineering you'll ever see in the ancient world.

the entrance to the siq

a tree grows by a water filtration station

winding...

...occasionally cavernous

water piped through to the city

this place just dwarfs you

pagan idols, with Greek inscription below

huge carved mural on the wall - camel feet remain, next to the lower half of a man

Petra was the creation of the Nabataeans, an Arabic tribe that profited enormously from the trade routes of their region. They flourished especially off the value of frankincense and myrrh, building grand and opulent structures in the stunning cliffs of this mountain pass. Though they were later annexed by the Roman Empire, they prospered for many years. This was an advanced culture, a city teeming with life, bursting with art, trade, architecture, and agriculture. The place was HAPPENIN'. When the trade routes shifted, though, it began to fade, eventually falling to ruin in the 14th century. It was only discovered by the modern world in 1812.

So there's your history lesson. Now, you want to know how cool it was to walk in Indiana Jones' footsteps?

It - was - AWESOME.

As we wound our way through the siq, Naiem kept holding us back, dragging, delaying us. As we reached its end, we realized why. He wanted the sun to be just right.

And then there it was. We could only see a sliver at first, but as we charged ahead in excitement, it grew and grew until it loomed over us like a colossus...the Treasury.

This is what most people think Petra is: this singular carved rock face. First of all, that's wrong. Second of all, even if it was, it would still be worth it. Third of all, it's way, way bigger than it looks in pictures.

But it wasn't all. We split off into smaller groups with different agendas. Some would tour the ruins fully, some would hike to the High Place, some would visit the Byzantine church, and some would climb to the mountaintop monastery. Some, like yours truly, would try to do all of that. So here's a little taste of this sprawling, epic, legendary place of wonder.

I present to you: PETRA.

Salome on a camel

look at the size of these things!

cliff dwellings

more camels with Karl and Kim!

theater carved straight out of the cliff

the palace tomb

up on the "second level"

looking down on the temples

the Roman colonnaded street, complete with marble pavement

the temple

view from the temple

tiny theater in the temple

gate at the end of the street

Qasr al-Bint, probably the main temple of the Nabataean capital

inside Qasr al-Bint

heading up Ad-Deir...

...the view getting more intense as you climb

one of a hundred Bedouin tents, one of a thousand sets of stairs

preeeeetty high

made it to the Ad-Deir monastery!

I have no idea...probably another tomb

inside that probable tomb

the floor of the Byzantine church

climbing to the High Place of Sacrifice...

the kids

the view!

the High Place of Sacrifice

We trekked back to our hotel, exhausted and excited, to load up the bus and head to the border. A breathtaking ride over the ragged mountains of Jordan gave us an astonishing view of Mount Hor. This is the burial place of Aaron, where now gleams a white shrine atop the peak.

Getting through the border back to Israel brought us a palpable and surprising sense of relief. Though the border offices sit only 100 feet from each other, the difference in culture is clear as day. Jordanians are a beautiful and friendly people, but Israel operates in a way more familiar to Westerners. And Uri welcomed us back with open arms. He even sang a little for us!

We drove to Elat for the evening. A resort town on the banks of the Red Sea, it hugs the border with Jordan, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. A little surreal to look from one country to another, to another, to another. Our hotel was excellent, and we somehow found enough energy to sit for long hours after dinner in deep conversation. A handful of us stayed back with Uri to talk international politics, then stroll down to the Red Sea. It was surprisingly warm!

This is a cool country. We're happy to be back.