Aqaba and Magnificence Petra

Wednesday April 17th  

As you see I am several days behind with my posting.  Very busy time cruising, off the ship tours and late nights plus great company.

Remind readers who are getting posting through email.  To get a better view and lay-out click on the webpage indicated at the end of the email.

A Day in Petra

This has been the biggest day of the cruise so far.  Out on a tour for nine hours and walked about 8-9 kilometres.  We were all 'pretty stuffed' by the time we got back to the ship but it was truly worth it. 

 Petra is listed as one of the seven wonders of the world and once seen it is very easy to understand why.

Briefly Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Empire from the first century BC.

• it grew rich through the trade in frankincense, myrrh and spices
• the city was later annexed by the Roman Empire and continued to thrive until a large earthquake 363 AD destroyed much of the city
• the earthquake coupled with changes in the trade routes led to the downfall of the city.
• it was abandoned and lost by the 7th century except for the local Bedouin from the area.
• it was 'rediscovered' by the West through the work of a Swiss explorer Johannes Burckhardt.

Petra is is known as the rose-red city because of the amazing colours of the rock from which much of the city was made.

Examples of intricate tombs cut out of the mountain side.
The Royal Tombs being the best example

Geological features that are sometimes breath taking. The SIQ, the pathway into the city as the best example.

a man and his camel (what's left)

Along the Siq we see the various iconic carvings of the Nabataean.

First peek

As we walked through the Siq we come to perhaps the most remarkable facade, The Treasury, reported to be built in the first century BC

The amazing Treasury facade

Resting at the Treasury

Walked further into the ancient city to see the typical Roman theatre carved into the side of the
mountain.

The time spent here was not enough to get to see the totality of the ancient city.  But what we saw was amazing.  The pictures do no justice to this Ancient Wonders of the World