Exploring the red-rose lost city of Petra
Trip Start
Jan 19, 2010
1
18
36
Trip End
Jan 26, 2010
Where I stayed
Crowne Plaza Petra
Petra, Jordan
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Enclosed by these beautiful red-rose towering cliffs that soared as high as 500 feet tall, Michel and I followed Rod down a wide rocky pathway located right next to the Treasury. Right there, we were greeted by the stunning Street of Facades lined up with tall impressive tombs with large temple facades all carved in the mountain.
From that point on, as we continued walking down the road, the rest of the lost city of Petra opened up in front of us. Under the piercing rays of the sun and a beautiful blue sky with white cottony clouds, a wonderful ancient city stood radiantly where 2,000 years ago 40,000 people used to live. Enough to keep us all here for many days to come, unfortunately having only one day to explore, we made our way to the most important sites!
On our way, we passed by many locals selling hand made jewelery, crafts and souvenirs, young children running after us trying to sell postcards, people riding camels, horses and donkeys. In one area, a young Bedouin was showing his trade skills by filling up glass jars with coloured tinted sand and making various designs with it with the help of an instrument.
Our first stop was at the "Urn Tomb" the first of the so called Royal Tombs. Built high on the mountain side, it was quite an impressive sight and required a number of flights of stairs to climb in order to go there. Regretfully, time pressing, we did not explore it.
As we continued walking along the road into the heart of the city of Petra, we followed Rod to the next main monument, The Theater. Being cut out of solid rock and where 7,000 people used to sit, it was now badly deteriorated and damaged by floods but still stunning under the sun's glare.
The Colonnade Street was where we then made our way and which ran in the center of Petra. Being in ruins as well as badly damaged by the floods, the Colonnade Street still gave us an idea as to how impressive it must have been 2,000 years ago when rows of columns stood on each side of it. At the end of the street, a triumphal arch laid in ruins as we walked next to it being the final stop of the tour.
By the time Rod completed his guiding tour with us, it was 1:00pm after which we all went our own separate ways having the rest of the day to do whatever we pleased.
As Michel and I separated from the group in order to explore on our own this gigantic ancient city of Petra, we knew exactly where we were heading. We knew exactly what we wanted to do and the challenge awaiting us as we marched rapidly in the direction of an arrow pointing up, way, way up the mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, stopping only for a minute to catch my breath plus being blinded by the sun's rays as I glanced way, way up to the top, it was with anxiousness that I proceeded climbing the steps cut into the rocks that would lead me to my next destination, my next escapade!
Thankful for the ancient city of Petra!
Monique :-)
Comments
Ancient city of Petra is very nice.
Stunning!
Very cool!