Petra, Jordan- Part 1

                                                

This is the iconic view of the Treasury in Petra, Jordan. This is the most famous structure in this archeological site. It is the 45M high    Al Khazneh, with its ornate Greek-facade facade. Petra dates to around 300 BC and was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom.  We visited this site for the second time in January 2020. 

The journey to the Treasury

 begins when you get past these two guards.

The trough on the left is part

 of the ancient water system.

Looking up from the "walkway "

 that is called Al Siq, which is a narrow canyon.

An ancient burial spot.

There are many tombs and temples carved into the 

rose-colored sandstone.

That is why it is called the "Rose City."

Finally, after the .75 mile walk 

there is a glimpse of the surprise ahead. 

The Siq literally means "the Shaft", 

and is the main entrance to the ancient Nabatean city

 of Petra in southern Jordan.

This dim, narrow gorge is 

10 feet wide at its widest points. 

The Nabateans were nomadic Arabs

 that made the most of trade routes to secure their wealth.

The amazing colors of the rock at Petra.

More of the many carved rock spaces. This community flourished in the 1st century AD and they were skillful in harvesting rainwater, agriculture and stone carving. At its peak they believe 20,000 people lived here.

At Petra you will see many donkeys 

and locals ALWAYS wanting to give you a ride.

Places along the way they sell their wares.

One of the things to do after some exploring

 is to sit a bit and have some Arabic coffee.

The view outside the window.

Such a stunning view with this blue sky.

One of the things we did not do

 the last time was a camel ride.

I vowed that if I EVER

 got back to Petra, I would ride a camel.

I laughed for pretty much the whole ride.

The caravan is heading out.

It was a lot of fun.

Even the part when I thought

 I would fall right off.

Dusk comes early to Petra in January

 and the walk back begins

 to cast late afternoon shadows.

It is a rather amazing place.

Even on a second visit.

And yes there are scenes from here

 on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.