Petra

Trip Start Jul 28, 2007

Trip End Nov 10, 2008

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Flag of Jordan Petra, Jordan
Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Well things didn't work out as planned and I did not spend my birthday at the pyramids! I thought Petra would be nice, one wonder of the world for another, but I was disappointed. I got there at 10am and quickly went to the sight. When you first arrive you must enter through the Siq, a canyon like long corridor that ends up at the Treasury (featured in Indiana Jones and the last crusade). The Treasury is the most important building in Petra and is well preserved. I wasn't excited too much by it, but rather by all the camels around. As you keep walking you see the remnants of tombs everywhere. There is also a Roman theater and a church. The best thing in Petra is really the site. It's huge and the rocks are red with beautiful patterns and shapes due to erosion. The scenery around is spectacular and it's worth climbing everywhere to have a look, which I did of course. The first day I climbed to the monastery, the best preserved place after the Treasury. When you get there you keep walking to 2 view points where Bedouins sell nice expensive jewelery. The whole Bedouin village (4000 people) works at Petra. They also "FISH" girls and invite them to a BBQ and to sleep overnight under the beautiful stars. I was given the speech and obviously refused the invitation!

The second day I had a much better time and started to like Petra a lot more. It is amazing to see the same sight twice because the light changes completely during the day and it looks very different. This time I climbed up to the place of sacrifice with 2 Danish tourists. The view was wonderful, the best in Petra! We then came down around the mountain to see more tombs. After that I climb to the other side from where you can get a view of the Treasury form above (also in Indiana Jones). I was a bit tired after that, but kept looking around a bit. Then sat down in the shade with my bag of chips and my book. I was never able to read a word! Some donkey guys came to talk to me and then a restaurant owner offered me a job in a travel agency! Too bad I don't really like the place, that would have solved my problem...........

In the evening I went out with a Spanish girl I met at Mount Sinai. She is going out with a Bedouin guy! They picked me up and we went to the Movenpick Hotel roof top for a drink. They were playing nice Arabic music and one of their friend and a waiter danced a Bedouin dance. Later they got me on the dance floor to tried that dance, a lot of steps and leg up! Everyone was dancing, 2 of the waiters and even one of the cook! They also played a meringue, which the Bedouins were not too good at and a twist. I tried to smoke the sheesha without success, but had a great time! When I got back to my hotel the guy made a comment that I had gone out with some Bedouins! Apparently the Jordanians don't like them. At the bar, we had an interesting conversation..........I heard all kinds of stories about these guys having a different girlfriend every day! There were saying that Canadian women are easy.........I did defend our case! There is a small number of foreigners married to them and staying in the village. One is even selling a book "Married to a Bedouin"!

3rd day in Petra, really one day is not enough, but 3 is too much. I took a different way in and walked into the wadi (dried river bed) to get to the main part. There was a sign saying dangerous without a guide, but the Danish girls had done it and they are not good hikers like me, so I wasn't worried. I had to slide down on my butt a few times where there used to be small waterfalls and go through mounts of garbage, that was fun and a bit challenging! I made it out near the village and walked back to the main area. Then I climbed up another place, this one really high, but the view wasn't as spectacular. I met my Spanish friend again for lunch and got sunburned sitting outside without moving. We took it easy in the afternoon and had a drink, did some window (well, rather table) shopping and left. The place where I am saying has a huge buffet every night. There are about 20 dishes and only one is not vegetarian! Yummy! I watched Indiana Jones in the evening!

Amman hotels

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