The Hidden City of Petra

Not too long ago I wrote about my trip to Jordan and said I would post a piece just about Petra. Well, here it is.

Going to Petra had been something I dreamed of for a very long time. You may be familiar with Petra without even knowing it. There is an scene from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade filmed there. It is filmed at the entry way, which is this kilometer long passage between two very high cliffs.

After traversing this passage one encounters what is known as The Treasury. No one really knows what it was, but it is called that. Carved right into the stone is this amazing edifice!

My first view of it all was to arrive just outside of Petra in the afternoon. I had spent hours in the desert at Wadi Rum and was hot, tired, sandy and exhausted. Upon check-in I was informed that there were appointments at the hamman.

The hamman is a steambath/massage that is common in the middle east. And the price was so inviting... what better way to wash the dust out?

Upon entering said hamman I was greeted by a man who was wrapped in a towel and wearing funny shoes with the toes pointed up, kind of like something out of 1001 Nights. He greeted me with what I was called all over Jordan "Mrs. Far-ran! You are welcome!" I must have looked a bit alarmed (was that towel going to slip off his waist???) and he saw this. To that he replied "Oh do not worry Mrs. Far-ran! Today no lady hamman, just man in hamman. Man in hammam is good! Yes?"

Did I really want to get a massage from a man wrapped in a towel with funny shoes? No. Did I really want a massage? I just said "wtf" to myself and carried on.

I must admit it was a great massage. And to my knowledge the towel stayed on the man the whole time. It was great, lasted about 90 minutes and all for about $30! He never did take off the pointy toe shoes either.

Then I went and had a cocktail and watched the sunset over the dramatic landscape outside of Petra.

We then proceeded to Petra itself and my first glimpses of it were at night. We were in total darkness, the Siq lit only by luminaria bags. Our guide, Mohammed asked that we walk reverently in a single file, not speaking. It was very moving and my lame photos do not do it justice.

Upon arriving at the Treasury, the plaza dramatically opened before us and was lit with hundreds of luminarias only. There were traditional Bedouin musicians playing and we sat on the ground and listened, drinking mint tea. It was extraordinary.

This was Islam and I must say this was not the culture of death at all. Just saying.

Mohammed then gave us a brief talk and we left the way we came in. It was marvelous, contempletive, intimate and remarkable.

The next day we came back and did the whole thing over in the light of day. Of course we pressed on much farther than the Treasury alone.

There are so many buildings built into the rock walls. No one really knows why they are there. It was on the old Spice route and the Nabateans (original inhabitants) built this place at the crossroads.

The whole place is so unbelievable. After the Nabateans, came the Romans and you see their influence completely.

And look at this cool tree- it is hundreds of years old and very bushy! Good bushy, not George Bushy!

Speaking of George Bushy... One downside. I was generally able to block them out, but it was a scourge on the day.

Apparently a lot of evangelical types believe that when Jesus returns (Rapture!) he will show up at Petra, for reasons I frankly don't understand and don't care to either. Needless to say, the place was awash with them. Yes, born again American Evangelicals.

My tour guide Nadine, working with words that of course she couldn't work a translation out for kept calling them "new born Christians". I thought that was pretty funny and kept imagining a bunch of screaming babies, not so far from the truth!

At one point I was in the very run down rest room with a bunch of screechy college age newborns who were basically refusing to pay the attendant the 1 dinar or whatever it cost to get some toilet paper.

It should be pointed out here that a restroom attendant in Jordan isn't paid a salary, they get what they earn from selling the tp. And you'd have to sell a LOT of tp to get any decent amount of money.

So how Christian of them- let's deprive the poor old lady who has to sit in this hot stinky place 12 hours a day of her penny. Ugh, so un Christian. So loathesome.

Another thing that was very cool was how the rock had all these color stratifications in it. Kind of like my hair which was way overdue for a root job on that trip!

All in all it was an amazing experience that transcended time. Oh yes- it had its touristy parts (the Why Not shop!) and the "newborns" - but the feel of it remained very ancient and mysterious overall.

I feel very lucky to have been able to realize a dream and to have it be more extraordinary than I would have ever imagined.

Petra- highly recommended should you find yourself in that part of the world! Plus, right across the street from the Marriott you can find this fine establishment...