Full Day at Petra

Last night’s “Petra by Night” excursion kept us up late.  We had dinner at the hotel buffet (which was actually very good; even highly recommended by the Lonely Planet Guidebook).  We dressed warmly and met at the gate at 8:30 p.m.  The walkway down was lined with candles in paper bags and the Treasury was likewise lit.

This morning, we got up about 7:00 a.m. and had the buffet breakfast at the hotel.  Again, it was very good and we were able to make sandwiches with sliced turkey, cheese, cucumber slices, get a couple of apples and an orange to take with us for lunch.  We headed down the trail about 10:oo a.m. and took our first break at the Treasury.  The canyons, rock and monuments all change as the light changes, and you notice something different every time.  The temperature was in the 60’s, perfect for walking in the desert

Past the Treasury, and around a corner, the canyon opens up to an amphitheater, lots more structures carved into the rock and we were able to climb up to one tomb and go through the caves.  The main part of the city is even further down the canyon, with a colonnaded street, and various Roman additions to the city.

We had lunch on some unused tables at the restaurant and went through the little museum near it.  This part of the Petra Archeological Park is accessible by dirt road from the south, so there is more in the way of modern conveniences.  After lunch, we slowly made our way back up the canyon, heading back to the hotel, probably an hour walk from this point.

The white building just outside the gate, and across the street, is our hotel, the “Movenpick.”  It is nice to have it so close at the end of a long day.

Tomorrow, we head north to the Dead Sea Highway, which runs along the Jordanian side of the Dead Sea (the border with Israel).  Near the North end of the Dead Sea, we check in to the Dead Sea Movenpick Resort and Spa for our last night in Jordan.  They say you can see the lights of Jerusalem across the Dead Sea.  Also, the book says to keep your passport handy because there are many police checkpoints along this route.