Our family decided to go on a day trip to Petra from Israel, so we drove down to Eilat and stayed overnight at a bed and breakfast. We had arranged our holiday through a travel agent who sent a driver to pick us up in his 4x4. At the border they stamped our passports and we entered Jordan, anxious to see how the day would unfold. We boarded an air-conditioned bus which had a guide and a Tourist Police official who both spoke English. The bus took us to Aqaba which lies near the Red Sea where we visited the Royal Palace and took in the sights and sounds of the busy Jordanian city.
On our 2-hour drive to Petra; our guide gave us a quick glimpse into Jordan’s history which is as old as the beautiful mountains you’ll see in the desert. Half way through the journey we had a short coffee break before we continued our trip towards Moses Valley or Wadi Musa. They say Wadi Musa is actually the spot where Moses performed the miracle of getting water out of a rock. Our guide also pointed out the location where Muses’ brother Aaron is buried.
Once we reached Petra, we headed for the visitor’s center where we saw large photos of the late King Hussein and his son King Abdullah II.
You can explore Petra either by foot or by taking a taxi one way. Since Petra lies on a slope we decided to take the taxi. Here’s a quick look at some of the highlights we saw.
Bab as-Siq Triclinium and the Obelisk Tomb - The Petra tomb is a perfect mix of Greek, Nabataea and Egyptian architecture. You’ll find an inscription which says that it is owned by Abdmank and his children. The Bab as-Siq Triclinium was used to celebrate the sacred feasts that were held every year to honor the dead; it has three rock-carved benches.
The Siq - We were amazed to see that the Siq looked even more remarkable than it had looked in videos and photographs. It is a 1200 meter gorge in the canyon wall with gigantic cliffs standing 80 meters high. This scenic natural beauty has Petraean features, water channels, brilliantly colored rocks and geological formations which will leave you spellbound.
Al-Khazneh - Once we exited the Siq we came to the Al-KHAZNEH, which is a royal tomb built sometime between 100 BCE and 200 BCE. This elaborate building is cut out of the sandstone mountain and reflects Roman-influenced architecture. When you stand in front of its breathtaking façade, you’ll feel dwarfed by its immense size.
Amphitheater and Street of Facades - Next we saw rows of Nabataea tombs and the large amphitheater which could seat about 8000 people. Again, this was cut from solid rock and shows signs of Roman influence.
Tombs - We came across the Urn tomb which is the biggest royal tomb in Petra, the Palace tomb which is badly eroded and the Sextius Florentius tomb which was made for the Roman governor Sextius.
Other attractions we saw briefly were the Colonnaded Street, Qasr al-Bint and the Ad-Deir Monastery. We reached the ”High Place of Sacrifice” after a tiring mountain climb and were rewarded with a spectacular view of Petra down below.
After a long but thoroughly enjoyable day at Petra, we headed back to the border to leave this Jordanian paradise. It was definitely a day we’ll cherish for a long time to come.
