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.
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