Petra
Today was pretty incredible.
Petra is a city that has been carved out of the sandstone cliffs in the area. It was the capital of an ancient civilization I never heard of before yesterday's lecture. The Nabataeans (NA-buh-TAY-uns) were here before the Romans, and they ruled for 418 years, until Rome consumed them in 106 CE. Originally a nomadic people, they eventually settled in an area from what is today Israel, Jordan, much of the Arab Peninsula, and part of Egypt.
"The fuel of the first global economy," according to our guest lecturer yesterday, "was Frankincense." Nabataeans were master traders of Frankincense, taking it from the southern edge of the Arab Peninsula, where Yemen and Oman are today, and using camel caravans to get it to Petra. From there it would go to Rome, India, China, and all places in between. One camel could carry up to 450 Kg of frankincense. During the hundreds of years it was being traded, frankincense commanded a price between $15-$28 USD today. The net profit from one camel was up to $135,716. They had 2,000 camels in a caravan. Petra was becoming the center of an incredibly lucrative global trade route.
We started our day at 6:00am, to avoid the crowds and heat that would consume the area by noon. Getting to Petra requried a walk across the street, through the turnstiles at the visitor's center, past the shops with Indiana Jones images, then onto a path that stretched for miles and miles. The first few miles were a steady descent on a narrow, paved or stone path between 80 meter tall sandstone cliff walls.
Indiana Jones III was partly filmed here. He has a gift shop...
...and a snack shop. Do they have dates?
(Was that reference too obscure?)
The Nabataeans were experts at water collection. This is a desert. This canyon hike reminded me of my hikes into Havasupai Canyon in Arizona. Dry climate, sandstone cliffs, and a rocky, sandy path that just keeps going. But thousands of years ago the Nabataeans carved troughs, about 6-8" deep, into their sandstone cliffs. Water runs down the cliff walls, collects in these troughs, and flows along the canyon walls to the city below. Every 150 meters there is a deep hole carved into the trough, which allows any rocks, sand, or twigs to drop to the bottom of the hole, thus filtering the water. People were stationed at these holes to occasionally empty the filters.
The colors in the sandstone were phenomenal.
Artisans use the sand, which is everywhere, to make these sand art bottles.
The first part of the trail treated us to several ornately-carved tombs.
We also encountered some dogs who hiked with us for awhile. I named this one Petra.
I named this one Jordan. Later on the trail I met Sandy, Rocky, Dusty, and Cliff.
The cliffs eventually opened to The Treasury. It isn't a treasury, though. It's a tomb.
Once past the treasury we were past the tomb portion, known as the Necropolis. Then it was to where the living people were. Back when the city was built, superstitious people feared that the spirits of the dead would travel on the wind and consume the souls of the living. So the tombs and graveyards were always located downwind of the cities.
We kept hiking until we reached the Great Temple, in the main town square area. Now it was time to either ascend 900 stairs to the Monastery, or turn back. Mom and I decided to continue to the monastery, along with most of our group. At the urging of our guide, three women decided it would be a good idea to ride donkeys up to the monastery, but mom was determined to hike to the top.
After about 200 meters we were very hot and breathing very hard, and we were moving very slowly up the path. Another donkey Uber showed up and offered a ride, and mom finally relented. Did I mention she has spondylolisthesis, which has one low back vertebrae slipped forward on another, compressing nerves that give her a very achy hip? She's a tough mother, though, so she plodded onward until I pleaded with her to ride a donkey.
The donkey dropped her off at the monastery. I arrived some time later, bright red, sweating like mad, with a heart rate that indicates I haven't been nearly active enough these past several months.
The monastery.
We met up with the rest of our group. Most had hiked the entire thing, and four had ridden donkeys. We were all enjoying conversation, lunch, and water, and a much-needed rest from the exertion and heat. While we were enjoying our respite the wind picked up. Have you ever had a sand blaster shoot sand at you? Well, this is a lot like that. Everyone was commenting on sand in their mouths and eyes. After a bit of this enjoyable portion of the afternoon we headed back down the mountain. Everyone walked.
Once we got back to the Grand Temple it was time to ascend to the trailhead where we started. Mom, do you want to ride a donkey? No. Do you want to ride a camel? No. A 15 year-old boy asked if we'd like a horse buggy ride to the Traasury. "How much for both of us?" I asked. "25 Dinars" (about $35). "Okay, nevermind," I said. "Okay, 20 Dinar!" "No, thank you anyway." "Okay, 15 dinar!" "For both of us?" "Yes, for both of you." We rode from the Grand Temple to the treasury in this horse-drawn carriage, driven by a 15 year-old boy who likes to work, likes school, speaks three languages well enough to say, "Want a carriage ride?" and other useful phrases, and wants to keep going to school to maybe be a doctor. His English was pretty impressive, considering he has only used it since driving the carriage for tourists.
Once we got to the treasury I talked mom into riding the rest of the way in a golf cart. She was reluctant again. We convinced two others in our group to join us for 15 dinar each, and we were all really grateful we did. The golf carts are run by the Jordanian government, so you buy tickets and there is no negotiating. My knee, and mom's hip, were much better for having ridden up.
So instead of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles, today was Donkey, Carriage, and Golf Cart. A bit more primitive, and very unique experiences.
We got back to the hotel and took turns showering off the layers and layers of sand and dirt. I laid down to elevate my leg and fell promptly asleep for over an hour. When I woke up it was time to enjoy another epic meal at a local restaurant. And that's the end of our experience in Petra. Tomorrow we head to Wadi Rum. Good night!
...Next Day Addendum...
Even without the walk from the Great Temple to the top, I ended the day at 21,360 steps.
Mom called dad, they talked, and she handed me the phone, He said, "Mom tells me you waked over 900 stairs while she just sat on her ass!"
