PETRA

Petra - the forgotten treasure

At the end of the Siq.
The first glimpse of the Treasury through a time tested rock slit.

Petra is hidden from view. One can’t make out from outside panoramic view that these stones in the shape of blobs could be hiding a treasure under them. Find the rock-cut structures only after having passed through the Siq.

The Siq is a natural gorge where water used to flow once upon a time. The 1.2 Km walk through this beautiful walkway is an experience in itself.

How many days you need to do Petra? Well, depends on what type of visitor you are. If you are the one-touch-&-go type then one day is enough, even a half if you walk at a fast pace and clear the crowds and the rock cuts at a blistering speed. If you are a tardy-like-me type; not only seeing but also feeling the place and pointing your glass to every protrusion and every dip in the rock then you will need TWO days to do Petra.

The Treasury. They believe it contains the treasure of the Pharaohs

I walked for ten hours on the first day. My second day’s walk was 5 hours.

Here’s the photographic account of my two days in Petra:

Tired at the end of the day. I saw many animals frail and sickly. These animals shouldn't be there in service.

The Monastery

The Royal Tomb believed to be that of the Nabatean King.

A horse carriage at the entrance of the Siq.

The Obelisks at the sacrificial High Mountain

At the Altar at the High Mountain. I am sitting where the Chief Priest used to sit while performing the sacrificial rites.
They say sacrificing humans, particularly in the wake of calamity and adversity, was not unheard of. 

A spirited young man of 82.

Whenever I go abroad visiting places of significance I invariably meet people who show the strength of spirit. They are senior people with a ripe golden age but they exuberate energy and an impression of youth and spirited determination to do the toughest of destinations. The man in the photo with me is Tomy Hakada from Japan, age 82. He was returning back (descending the steps) after visiting the Monastery (the toughest route and the farthest of monuments in Petra) when I met him. Tomy is on a travel spree with his daughter to see many wonders of this world – Petra check marked.

I envy the spirit of this man and feel more determined to live and do many destinations the world over in the times to come.