We took a taxi to the southern bus station and then the bus to Wadi Mussa. The village just outside Petra, I found the Jordanian bus stations confusing because in other countries I have travelled the long distance busses had the name of their final destination clearly written on them in Roman script as well as the local language. Though I can read a little Arabic script I still could make out either Wadi Mussa or Petra on our bus. There are two kinds of long distance bus in Jordan, the big JET buses with comfortable seats and air-conditioning and the cheaper little white buses most locals use. We eventually found our white bus, waited for it to fill up, and then set off. After leaving the suburbs of Amman behind we passed through a semi-desert of shale and stones, but still with the occasional green patches of irrigated farm land. The landscape seemed like a building site in preparation, the cement and gravel dumped in huge mounds waiting for the mixer to come along and work to get started. Leaving the King’s Highway, the main north south route, the country began to look pleasanter, though still a vast plain of stony desert.
On arriving at Wadi Mussa we headed straight for the entrance to Petra; a new complex of information centre, ticket office, souvenir stalls, cafes and coffee shops. Because of the continuing war in Syria and recent terrorist attacks I had been wondering if there would still be the same crowds of tourists that Petra had attracted in quieter times. There was a noticeable lack of big groups of British and Americans, though there did seem to be some from Spain and Italy and a very large and obvious group from Japan. There was a large number of people who seemed to come from the Middle East. Perhaps a lot of Jordanese enjoying a pre-Ramadan break, Lebanese and visitors from Gulf States. Lots of younger independent travellers too, those round the worlders and those who worked in the region, and the few British and Americans were among these. Adding to the crowd on foot was a constant stream of donkeys, camels and carriages carrying those tourists too old, too lazy or too infirm to make the walk down the valley and into the Siq, the narrow sandstone canyon leading to Petra’s iconic building, The Treasury. Most people even if they do not know the name will have seen this red ‘temple’ carved into the cliff side at some point; in a film, a travel brochure or book cover.Despite the the crowds and the bustle it does not disappoint; not so much the building itself, there are other buildings around Petra almost as impressive, but the teasing theatrical first glimpse through the rock curtain of the canyon.
Beyond The Treasury the valley opens out and one passes by shops tombs and temples and amphitheatre before reaching the head of the valley where a narrow path climbs up t the Monastery. Petra covers a huge area and various trails lead off on either side of valley. We were still carrying our heavy bags as we had not yet checked in to our hostel, so for this first day we walked as far as the Qasar al Bint at the end of the valley.
The following day we hiked a trail to some of the less visited places, starting with a long climb up endless steps to The Place of Sacrifice; a sacrificial site overlooking the main valley below. From there a steep winding trail led us past beautiful ruins of temples and tombs. We bough tea off a small Bedouin boy who chatted away in very good english and told us his donkey was called Michael Jackson. Later as we came towards the end of our walk we were to meet a donkey called William Shakespeare. They put a lot of thought into the naming of donkeys in Petra.
On arriving at Wadi Mussa we headed straight for the entrance to Petra; a new complex of information centre, ticket office, souvenir stalls, cafes and coffee shops. Because of the continuing war in Syria and recent terrorist attacks I had been wondering if there would still be the same crowds of tourists that Petra had attracted in quieter times. There was a noticeable lack of big groups of British and Americans, though there did seem to be some from Spain and Italy and a very large and obvious group from Japan. There was a large number of people who seemed to come from the Middle East. Perhaps a lot of Jordanese enjoying a pre-Ramadan break, Lebanese and visitors from Gulf States. Lots of younger independent travellers too, those round the worlders and those who worked in the region, and the few British and Americans were among these. Adding to the crowd on foot was a constant stream of donkeys, camels and carriages carrying those tourists too old, too lazy or too infirm to make the walk down the valley and into the Siq, the narrow sandstone canyon leading to Petra’s iconic building, The Treasury. Most people even if they do not know the name will have seen this red ‘temple’ carved into the cliff side at some point; in a film, a travel brochure or book cover.Despite the the crowds and the bustle it does not disappoint; not so much the building itself, there are other buildings around Petra almost as impressive, but the teasing theatrical first glimpse through the rock curtain of the canyon.
Beyond The Treasury the valley opens out and one passes by shops tombs and temples and amphitheatre before reaching the head of the valley where a narrow path climbs up t the Monastery. Petra covers a huge area and various trails lead off on either side of valley. We were still carrying our heavy bags as we had not yet checked in to our hostel, so for this first day we walked as far as the Qasar al Bint at the end of the valley.
The following day we hiked a trail to some of the less visited places, starting with a long climb up endless steps to The Place of Sacrifice; a sacrificial site overlooking the main valley below. From there a steep winding trail led us past beautiful ruins of temples and tombs. We bough tea off a small Bedouin boy who chatted away in very good english and told us his donkey was called Michael Jackson. Later as we came towards the end of our walk we were to meet a donkey called William Shakespeare. They put a lot of thought into the naming of donkeys in Petra.