Saturday, September 29, 2012

Petra

 Walking in to Petra was cool and breezy. At the outskirts is a village for the Bedouin to live in.


Petra has been a place for both the living and the dead, so there are many tombs carved into the soft stone and many dwellings.


The entrance fee is 50 JD which is about 75 Canadian Dollars and part of the money went towards some men dressed as soldiers in Roman times.


The entrance to Petra is a deep ravine cut through the soft stone by centuries of water erosion. Much of the valley floor has been paved for ease of walking.



For much of the way, there seem to be carvings in almost every rock. 


I just loved this part of Petra, it is so beautiful.


Finding my niche.


A first view of the Treasury.


The treasury.



Camels and tourists along with the Bedouin who try to earn a living selling camel, horse, and donkey rides to the tourists.


Someone spent a lot of time carving up a lot or rocks.




There were donkeys resting in various random places.


The countryside is just beautiful.


Another resting donkey.


There are over 800 steps up to the Monastery and we climbed them all. There are little kiosks like this one all the way to everywhere in Petra. Bedouin women are there to sell you trinkets and many try to make you promise to come and look on your way back.


The Monastery is huge. The part below the door is about five feet high.


More recent alterations in the landscape are piles of rocks balancing precariously.


The view from "the end of the world." Another indeterminate number of steps were needed to reach the pinnacle. There are no safety rails or anything to keep one from falling off the edge.


At the top of the middle peak is the tomb of Aaron - Moses's brother. It didn't really show up with my camera, but there is a white dome visible to the naked eye.



Looking back towards Petra one can see the Monastery and the town beyond.


I needed to sit down and rest at the top of the mountain.


Coming down the mountain.


This tomb has a typical design with the steps on top. 



Having lunch on the edge of the walkway.


The Treasury again, in the afternoon light.


Last view of the Treasury on the way back to Wadi Musa.


A parting shot, after a great day of hiking.

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