I finally made it to Petra. We got on the bus at 8am, and arrived here in time for lunch at around noon. By 1:30 we were heading across the street to the site entrance.
I had no idea of the scale of this place, having done little reading before hand. I read what the tour had given us, but that was mostly about the archaeology, not a general description of what a visit involves.
The most famous spot, the “Treasury” facade, lies about a mile in from the entrance, down a grade and then through the narrow passage between very high rocks that was formed by running water millions of years ago. The Nabateans, the people who built the structures here, did so after re-directing the course of a stream to better serve the needs of the area. They built water pipes all along the rock corridor that brought water to temples and probably living areas.
As we descended the dirt and pebble path into the “siq” as the narrow gap is known, horse-drawn small carriages were hauling people up and down along their own designated area. They all look alike, with red,yellow and green striped canvas tops and the same fabric draped over the horses backs ( more on that later). My friend MIchelle and I agreed that it looked like a good idea for the return trip uphill. Little did we know how much we would look forward to that treat!
This trip is a real test of physical stamina. Many of the participants are at least 15 years older than I, and some older than that. There is one couple who, while in their early 70′s I’d guess, have more energy than I have ever had! They are indomitable travelers, on the go for many weeks at a time, lugging large, heavy cameras wherever they go. I get tired much more easily, and need moments of “alone time” now and then to recover my sense of self. Others just seem to forge on, I don’t know how they do it.
The path into the site starts to get interesting when carved niches in the striated sandstone walls of the george start to appear. The stone has so many colors – reflecting the length of time it was under the pressure of an ocean, according to one participant whose knowledge I am confident is accurate. Then, through a very narrow spot, one sees the first glimpse of the building known as “The Treasury”. The rocks close to you are darker, the building carved out of a kind of sandstone that seems to glow pink in the sun. I’ve seen the photos before, I was prepared for it, but still it was breathtaking. The guys who did the carving were really really good at what they did. Apparently starting from the top of a section of stone, they shaped pediments, circular statue niches, tall columns, windows, doors – all perfectly level across, to my eye. And the structure has recently been revealed to be at least another 50 feet tall. The lower levels were buried in rubble as the control of the water flow was abandoned along with the rest of the site in the 6th century AD ( I think, could be wrong about the date). The water tore up the carefully laid stone paving blocks and other rubble and deposited it right in front of the most gorgeous structure, it was at the point where the water has to turn and slow, and the rubble dropped out of the flow.
We learned about that and more, and then continued on, and on and on. I probably would have been pretty much satisfied if I’d not realized that there was more. The main, and most beautiful structure, is really wonderful and worth studying and enjoying. And there’s a gift shop selling cold drinks,boys on camels and horse carriages all offering rides to tourists – what more can the cultural pilgrim need?
But, as it turns out, there are more carved areas, though none as deep as the first nor of as beautiful stone. There are caves where people lived, churches from the Byzantine era with lovely mosaics and one with unusual blue granite columns that came from very far away. There is the remains of a roman paved road, with colonade, and a rather mysterious large flat raised area which has been called a “temple” but our archaeologist says is not that. And, next to the mystery platform ( which has unusual octagonal limestone block paving) was, perhaps, an irrigated pleasure garden. These folks did know how to control water, so it’s not impossible that they made a garden, with a shallow pool. It gets really hot here in the summer.
Michelle and I started to head back when the official program of the day was over, about 4 hours after we started ( 5:45 pm by then). We’d been walking, climbing up high steps and over rocks, standing and listening for a really long time. Guys were trying to get us to rent camels for the ride back to the Treasury, but we had decided to walk that far, and hire a carriage for the last, most uphill part. It took some grit, as we were both wiped out, but a few stops to sit helped and we made it back to the hotel around 7pm.
Showered and re-dressed, I made it to the dining room by 8pm. After dinner, I finally got on the internet after one bad card had to be replaced by another. My tummy was feeling not quite right, but not awful. I planned to head back to the Treasury this morning in time for the light to hit it and do some sketching. But, in the morning it was clear that something I ate did not agree with me. So, I stayed close to my room all day, venturing out once to a gift shop near the hotel for some mementos. Then a nap, some reading, some yogurt and a banana, a movie. A generally lazy day. Tomorrow we are going to Wadi Rum, where we will ride in pick-up trucks to see what there is to see. More later.
Karen
