Concord
Always wanted to visit Petra (Nabatean city in Jordan). /
I just visited it over the weekend and it was amazing.
Arrived in Amman on Thursday night and drove to Petra. Had no clue the ride from Amman would be almost as long as the flight from Dubai :oops:
Shortly after arrival we went to the site. On certain days they have "Petra by Night" starting at 8:30 pm.. They illuminate the canyon with thousands of candle lanterns and in front of the Treasury building they had hundreds of lanterns - amazing site. It takes about 45-1 hour to walk to the treasury (completely dark except for the lanterns). In front of the treasury again in the dark there were two Arabic folk music performances (one by violin and singing and the other flute). Apparently they only do this on “selected” nights but I suspect that the “selected” night is whenever you arrive – actually I don’t know but we heard that it was on Thursday and Monday and someone else said only on Friday and Sunday – well we went on Thrusday Night.
The following day we walked the entire site to the monastery, some 7 kilometers (at least that’s what I heard someone say at dinner at the next table – it felt a lot longer). We walked for about 8 hours (really). Had lunch at a restaurant in the middle of Petra.
Besides walking you can visit the site by horse back, carriage (horse drawn), camel, and donkey. There seems to be a division on the mode of transport in the order of the last sentence - each covering about ¼ of the route. The donkeys have the hardest job as they climb up to the Monastery. You should have seen the size of some of these people. Poor Donkeys!!!!!!!!!!! By the way, all rides are air-conditioned.
Lots of vendors selling visitors all kinds of stuff – including children “selling” rocks. These are scarce in Petra – only about a trillion of them (many rocks also).
On the second day we went back to see a couple of the sites we missed the day before. We began our journey around 9:00 in the morning and aside from the vendors, we were the only 2 people in the place (no exaggeration). Pretty pathetic for such an amazing site. It was nice to see that by the time we headed back there were more people making their way down – but still no more than at most 200 people.
The person who droves us from Amman airport to Petra mentioned that since 2000 there has been a big decline in tourism to Petra. Sad as it is such a nice place.
We stayed at the Movenpick right next to the site. Fantastic hotel, the hand carved and painted panels (ceilings and wall) were amazing so was the furniture, court yard, and staff. The food was good also (I’m not easily impressed or rave about food regardless of price!). Much better (by long shot) than the Movenpick in Cairo (crap)!
By the way, a friend of some of you on the forums (George Bush) was at Petra the day before we arrive. No sulfur small remaining by the time we got there!
The people were very friendly and from the youngest to the oldest spoke perfect English. There seem to be a number of other sites worth visiting in Jordan. Maybe next time.
Afrodita's Daughter
Thanks for this report. I only heard about Petra, now I know more about that interesting place and have a wish to visit it one day.
Concord
- Afrodita's Daughter wrote:
Thanks for this report. I only heard about Petra, now I know more about that interesting place and have a wish to visit it one day.
Definetedly worth a visit. By the way, Petra is in the Indiana Jones "Last Crusade" movie.
MaaaD
It was crowded with tourists during the summer, winter must be the low season. Concord did it smell like pee ?
Nick81
- Concord wrote:
- Afrodita's Daughter wrote:
Thanks for this report. I only heard about Petra, now I know more about that interesting place and have a wish to visit it one day.
Definetedly worth a visit. By the way, Petra is in the Indiana Jones "Last Crusade" movie.
Yup :wink:
Awesome place but visited it quite a while ago so wouldn't mind going there again sometime...
Concord
- MaaaD wrote:
It was crowded with tourists during the summer, winter must be the low season. Concord did it smell like pee ?
Some parts. I blamed it on it being "camel pee" :shock:
Cairo smelled worse :shock: :shock:
Concord
- Nick81 wrote:
- Concord wrote:
- Afrodita's Daughter wrote:
Thanks for this report. I only heard about Petra, now I know more about that interesting place and have a wish to visit it one day.
Definetedly worth a visit. By the way, Petra is in the Indiana Jones "Last Crusade" movie.
Yup :wink:
Awesome place but visited it quite a while ago so wouldn't mind going there again sometime...
Hasn't changed much. No new developments in the last thousand years or so :wink:
bushra21
- MaaaD wrote:
It was crowded with tourists during the summer, winter must be the low season. Concord d id it smell like pee ?
more like crap...but god was it amazing. i had the best guide too, he made the trip just, i dont know, i cant even put it into words. the colours, the texture, the stories....when we reached the first gate i couldnt even speak. i was just standing there in awe. and then when we went to the top and looked down -- i dont think ive seen anything like it.
Concord...did you go to the dead sea and mt.nebo as well? or did yall just stay at petra?
Concord
- bushra21 wrote:
Concord...did you go to the dead sea and mt.nebo as well? or did yall just stay at petra?
Not this time (2 days in Petra). Next time....
weary_heart
Didnt go for camping the last time I went there. I must agree with you Concord that Petra is really amazing. Even upon entrance to Al Siq - you will just admire the site of it.
Petra is truly a spectacular rose-red city.
Jerash in the North of Jordan is also worth a visit.
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kanelli
Sounds amazing! I hope to visit there one day :)