2010 Hong Kong to Athens -Petra

2010 Hong Kong to Athens

Petra

Yesterday, May 7, 2010, was our trip from the port of Aquaba, Jordan to Petra. Aquaba is at the northern end of the Red Sea. What is interesting about Aquaba is that 1 KM to the west is Eliat, Israel which is Israel’s resort destination on the Red Sea. You can see both towns but there is about a 100 yd space between the two towns where there is nothing. It looks funny but you can tell it is definitely the dividing line between two not particularly friendly countries.

We left at 9 am on our busses to drive the 60 KM to Petra. Jack kept saying it wasn’t going to take two hours to drive the 60 km. Wrong. We had a “happy room” stop but it was mostly uphill. We were on the east side of the Dead Sea though we couldn’t see it and it was mountainous and desert all the way. We passed Aaron’s tomb which was on a high mountain to the west of the road. It made me realize why the Israelite’s grumbled a lot. I can’t imagine spending 40 years wandering around in this territory. It was supposed to reach 104 degrees yesterday. Since we were up in the mountains I think it was more like the high 90’s. Three people suffered a heat stroke, one a twisted ankle walking on the Roman road (as it were) but I was amazed that all the rest of us old folks made it. It was a 6 mile walk through sandstone (ok), but tough going through the sand and uneven limestone pavers. It was downhill going in and thus uphill coming out. We spent 4 ½ hours of straight walking and we were pooped (especially me) at the end. However it was worth every minute.

Petra is a city of tombs and altars carved into the sides of sandstone mountains. When the Romans finally conquered it in ?. The extent of the city is amazing as well as the number of tombs. But just as impressive is the ¾ of a mile walk into Petra. The entrance is called “the siq” or cleft between the rocks. It is like walking through a narrower Grand Canyon. It’s wow,wow, wow. Then at the end you see the Treasury and come into the clearing of the tombs and temples and down and around the curve in the road the amphitheatre and residential area. It is hard to believe it was forgotten for all the centuries until the 19^th Century.

We were very happy to have a rest day because tomorrow we go to Luxor on a thirteen hour tour. Six hours of driving to get there and back and seven hours in Luxor to see the Valley of the Kings and the Temple at Karnak. I figure that is another five hours of walking tomorrow. It will probably be in the 100 degree range again. We should be ready for some “cool” weather in the 80’s when we get home.

You’ll have to excuse the picture placement on next page. I just cannot get these where I want them in Word. I can’t believe we’ll be home in a week. Boo hoo!