Months ago when planning our trip to the middle east, I (Andrea), ran across amazing photos depicting ancient ruins carved from desert cliffs that were visually spectacular. What I had stumbled across was Petra. Unlike many of the ancient ruins and archaeological finds that we were planning to visit on our trip ( i.e. the pyramids, Ephesus, Machu Picchu) I had never heard of Petra. So for this reason only, Jordan was placed on our world itinerary.

What we discovered is an absolute gem of historical relics. Well preserved, aesthetically superb with its Greco-Roman design, and endowed with the natural beauty of red/rose colored sandstone from which it has been carved, Petra has left us in awe. Amazingly this sight sees comparatively little visitors as of late due to the perceived dangers with Middle Eastern instability.

The traditionally famous sites are the tombs known as "The Treasury" and "The Monastery" which reminded us of "The Library" at Ephesus, in Turkey. But just as amazing was the string of tombs carved from the same cliff wall, collectively called the Royal tombs, that are set in street like fashion. Individually they are called Silk tomb, Corinthian tomb, Palace tomb, and Urn tomb each boasting characteristics that make them unique and fascinating on their own. Identifying characteristics are as follows; Silk Tomb - swirled and multicolored rocks create this tomb, Corinthian Tomb - top level similar to the Treasury, combo of the Hellinistic and Nabataean styles, Palace Tomb - easily noted for its 3 stories of Royal elegance similar to Roman design, and Urn tomb - physical access is via a staircase. The exterior is noteworthy for the beautiful natural rock designs & large open terrace while behind the scenes it stands out for the sheer size of its interior cavity This is just a brief summary of those tombs that will forever stand out in our memories as there are hundreds of others that are also fascinating. Aside from tombs, Petra also displays an amphitheater, an excavated colonnaded street, and a Great temple, all in various stages of restoration. Spoiled by the fact that many of the sights are a short hike off the main path, it created enough of an inconvenience for the elderly, package tour tourists, and those short on time, that only limited people were there with us.

November 17th
Petra

November 18th
Wadi Rum and a glimpse into the negatives of traveling