I had not quite expected the vast expanse of dust and nothingness that is the majority of Jordanian land. As we rattled along on the Jett bus, the complete dependence of humans on water was acutely highlighted, and the rare sighting of a settlement in this barren stretch begged the questions how and why. Our tickets indicated a 6:30 a.m. departure from Amman, but in typical Jordanian style, we had been shuffled along to another vehicle and waited expectantly until 7 when the men finished their cigarettes and conversations.
The swarm of tourists pouring from coaches in Petra threatened to taint our sight-seeing experience, but that was to be expected when visiting during high season. We decided to do ‘Petra by Night’, a must-do according to my guide book for authentic Bedouin storytelling and musical ambience. I was most taken with the paper bag lanterns which self-consumed as the candles burned out one by one, creating little fires amidst the sitting crowd. The incessant camera flashes were a slight annoyance, but the moonlit introduction to the site was well worth it.
The valuable advice from my Grandma to set off at dawn for a first glimpse of the Treasury in the early morning glow had the added advantage that we were amongst the first visitors. The ancient hidden city is reached through the snaking Siq, a narrow rift resulting from tectonic forces which split the sandstone cliffs. The walk itself is spectacular, the pink stone towering above to form a cutout of sky as visitors are funneled through, and the opening onto the Hellenistic facade of the Treasury is breathtaking. The royal tomb, carved into the vertical cliff façade, dates back to 400 B.C. when Petra became the capital of the Nabataean empire. At its heyday, this empire stretched from modern-day Israel to the northern Arabian Peninsula, but the Romans took over in 106 A.D., and with the defeat came neglect and decay. Centuries later in 1812, the ‘Lost City’ was rediscovered by the Swiss scholar and explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who carried out multiple expeditions in the region under the pseudonym Sheikh Ibrahim Ibn ‘Abd Allah to avoid suspicion. There are dozens of other such tombs, albeit less majestic, but archeologists estimate that 85% of the city is still underground and untouched.
Just as we thought we had captured the best angles of the facade, three camels came strolling through, adorned with large tassels and brightly coloured rugs. Lead by a Bedouin in traditional dress, they knelt in the dust before us and posed for the cameras.
We then scrambled up to the top of the opposite cliff to watch the sunlight slip down the Treasury to unveil the orange glow of the sandstone, not so apparent at dawn. We were served tea while we waited and became the subject of a debate on how many wives one man should be allowed to have. Wild arguments and proposals were made, so we thought it best to take ourselves to the tent to play cards. Once full sunlight finally hit and we were satisfied with the view, we made our way back down into the tourist-flooded entrance to explore the rest of the city.
The site culminates in the Monastery at the end of a 800 step rock-cut path following the old processional route. At the start of the ascent we encountered a ginger cat who seemed determined to escort us, bounding from one boulder to the next and pausing for us to catch up. Our timing was not ideal, and we decided to take a break from the midday heat for lunch. Three goats came along, we suspected to share our sandwiches, but they seemed more interested in bleating at each other from opposite sides of the path, their cries echoing surprisingly loudly against the stone. The Monastery looks similar to the Treasury, another architectural wonder with a larger cave engraved with crosses suggesting its function as a Byzantine church. A trail from here leads to 'The best view in the world', a teaser we couldn't resist. A panorama of mountains including viewpoints over Israel and the Palestinian Territories were no disappointment.
Our initial plan had been to stay until sunset reddened the stone, however the day had taken its toll and we both felt it was time to find a place for dinner. We had spotted 'My Mum's Recipe' restaurant on the drive into Petra and joked about it so we decided to end our day on a joyful note by trying it out. A delicious meal and a strenuous walk up the hill later, we finally crashed into bed for a much deserved rest.
Sascha xx
