Petra - wow!

We have had wonderful experiences on this trip. Great experiences come in different forms and are frequently unexpected. One such example was looking out from our hotel on the backstreets of Luxor, listening to the sounds of evening life, taking in the myriad of smells which are so evocative, and seeing life go on as it does without tourists and has done for years.

The pyramids too were an amazing experience, but by contrast to Luxor they were a heartstopping "wow". They are classic examples of imperial architecture, reminding anyone who was in any doubt, just who was the boss, and how insignificant individuals are in comparison.

Petra has been another "wow". Petra is a 2 hour drive north from Wadi Rum along the so called Kings Highway, an ancient route which follows a long mountain ridge and linked the kingdoms of Edom, Moab and Ammon (at this point you may need to reach for a copy of the Old Testament). The highway linked the silk route in the north to the spice route in the south and hence was a very important trade artery. Petra was ideally situated to exploit this trade route as it has abundant water and was also located in a gap in the mountains which afforded easy east-west access. The city was literally carved out of rock.

Access today is only through a narrow fissure in the mountains. You walk three km through this fissure, at some points less than 3 metres wide, and then suddenly, KAPOW! In front of you, 30 metres high and carved out of the sandstone rock is the Treasury. It truly stops you in your tracks and you have to go back to check what you have just seen. From there, the city opens out and more and more rock houses and buildings are revealed. Not even the presence of hundreds of other tourists can detract from the impact. It is truly stunning.