Petra - Day 2 - The High Place of Sacrifice

I walked down from the Monastery, and into Petra's 'City Centre', where camels and donkeys sit around awaiting further instructions. Then it was up into the hills again, to check out the 'High Place of Sacrifice'.






























You go up past several more fine old structures, eventually reaching the sacrificial place at the top. There's not that much to see there, except the extraordinary views all around.

Petra - Day 2 - The Monastery via a back door

Day two in Petra, and I was initially going to retrace my route through the main entrance, past the Treasury, and penetrate deeper into the ancient city. I was intercepted though by this chap, who had a better idea.







For a very reasonable sum, he explained, he would drive me around to the other side of the mountain range, to a rear entrance of the park, from where I could make my way in via the Monastery, along a much less used and more interesting route.


I bargained hard from my customary position of ignorance, and for what turned out to be an exceptionally unreasonable sum, was taken on an interesting ride. Through the old Bedouin township, and along some very wild looking dirt roads. He let me out and sent me on my lonely way.




















After a while a came across this lady, selling traditional fabrics and  touristy knickknacks in her roadside tent, so I knew I was on the right track.











At one spot near the Monastery, there were two signs beckoning me towards the mountain's edge. One (pointing to a hill with a hawker's shack on top) said 'The best view on earth'. The other, on the cliff edge a bit further on, said 'The best view'. I decided the latter was probably the better bet, as the former limited itself to one planet only.


It was indeed spectacular. The air wasn't particularly clear, but I could across the valley to Israel, 30km away.

The Monastery is another spectacular rock-cut tomb with a magnicent facade, like the Treasury, but even bigger. The area is much less crowded too, thanks to the significant climb involved in getting up to it.

Petra - Day 1

How do you do justice to Petra?

Visiting this ancient city is a totally unique experience. It's worthy of more than the two days I could spare during my short Jordan visit last month, but I've decided I'll get back there some time to see more.

It was even worth the $A120 entry fee. I've become accustomed to World Heritage sites around the world (I'm thinking Taj Mahal, Angkor, Uluru etc) having an approximately standardised entry fee (plus or minus exchange rate fluctuations and local sensitivities). I think in terms of $US25 as a typical sum charged to international visitors. This one was in a league of its own. But maybe deservedly.

It's a massive area, and you could wander around it for days.

It was estabished by the Nabateans, several centuries BC, and was a major trading hub between the Mediterranean and southern Arabia. Later the Romans took over, followed by the Byzantines. A major earthquake or two contributed to its becoming an abandoned 'lost city'.

It was found again, by westerners at least, in the early 19th century.


From the main entrance you walk in a couple of kilometres along a wide roadway and then a narrow, dramatic gorge, the Siq. Suddenly you get to see the Treasury in all its glory.

But the Treasury is just one of dozens of spectacular sights. There are similar, bigger facades. There are burial tombs, small, large, and enormous. There's a Roman Colloseum, there are sacrificial and other ceremonial spots. And there are many walking trails to follow along the valley floor or up and around various rocky mountainous outposts.










There are also lots of locals selling their tourist trinkets, and there are camels, donkeys, and horse carts offering their sometimes scary-looking transport services. 

Looking further in to the west I could see the Petra City Centre area, where more treats awaited. I'd come back to explore there the next day.