Petra

  • DSC01528 Humorous caption above the toilet in the ferry from Nuweiba Port, Egypt to Aqaba, Jordan.
  • DSC01532 On our first night in Petra, we took a night hike to the Treasury. The path was lined with candles.
  • DSC01534 A array of candle lights were placed in front of the Treasury to provide ambiance. Two musicians played music while a large group absorbed the atmosphere.
  • DSC01542 Looking back up the Siq (the narrow gorge leading to Petra), candles illuminate path.
  • DSC01543 One of the many (many) tombs in Petra. This particular one is quite large and is very close to the modern city of Petra.
  • DSC01547 A small shrine carved in the stone.
  • DSC01550 At the beginning of the Siq, the gorge is generally pretty narrow, as little as 3 m in some places.
  • DSC01554 A caper plant growing from a rock wall.
  • DSC01556 Walking the mile long Siq from our hotel to the Treasury.
  • DSC01557 The Siq is pretty impressive, carved by running water over eons.
  • DSC01558 Looking up through a narrow region. It wasn't as quite as narrow as it appears.
  • DSC01560 The Nabataeans, who built here, dammed some of the canyons and carved channel systems to control and store the water during the rainy season.
  • DSC01561 Eroded carvings of men, a water channel runs behind the statues. A segment of a stairway can be seen on the right side of the photo. These stairs led to tombs, caves, and water channels.
  • DSC01563 Another shrine carved into the rock.
  • DSC01564 Not sure what these notches in the rock were for, but they are about the right size for an adult. Maybe they facilitated standing naps?
  • DSC01567 At the end of the Siq, the Treasury can be seen through the narrow gap.
  • DSC01570 The most famous tomb in Petra, the Treasury. More properly called Al Khazneh, the treasury got its name from the legend that bandits hid their treasures in the urn at the top of the structure.
  • DSC01572 Many of the details have been worn away in the 2000 years since it was carved from the sandstone. The statues are thought to be mythical figures from the afterlife.
  • DSC01574 Chris and Mona posing for a picture in front of the Tresury.
  • DSC01576 Looking back from the courtyard area in front of the Treasury to the entry of the Siq. This area of the Siq is one of the narrowest areas.
  • DSC01580 A puppy lying in front of the Treasury.
  • DSC01585 The area to the south of the Treasury had many stairways leading to unseen locations, presumably, other tombs and caves.
  • DSC01587 Camels available for hire to carry you deeper into Petra. These guys looked much happier and better cared for than the camels at Giza.
  • DSC01588 A closer view of the lead camel.
  • DSC01592 Another carved tomb, notice the peculiar stairway near the top.
  • DSC01593 The sandstone in the Petra area shows spectacular color. This coloring fades as time takes its toll.
  • DSC01594 Panoramic shot of the area north of the Treasury. The cliffs in this area have many tombs and carvings. (pan)
  • DSC01597 Inside one of the tombs, the niches were for individual burial. Notice the coloring of the stone.
  • DSC01606 A donkey taking a break from ferrying passengers around Petra.
  • DSC01607 One of the camels posing for our camera.
  • DSC01608 Another hillside carved into many tombs.
  • DSC01609 Looking down the valley (north from the Treasury) to an amphitheatre originally built by the Nabataeans and refurbished by the Romans.
  • DSC01610 Another hillside, more facade's and tombs.
  • DSC01614 More camels! Mona liked the camels.
  • DSC01618 Inside of another tomb. The picture doesn't really capture the colors.
  • DSC01619 Another view in the same tomb.
  • DSC01624 The hillside by the Roman amphitheatre. (pan)
  • DSC01625 A better view of the Roman amphitheatre.
  • DSC01629 A large intricate tomb high on the hill, overlooking the valley.
  • DSC01631 A view across the valley. (pan)
  • DSC01633 Another view across the valley. In the pass formed by small "v" shaped notch, just left of center, is the Monastary (more later).
  • DSC01636 Mona and the valley.
  • DSC01645 Looking out from the doorway.
  • DSC01646 Inside the large tomb high on the hillside.
  • DSC01649 Mona posing in the doorway. Notice the erosion and wear on the rock.
  • DSC01652 This valley was the original location of the Nabataean city of Petra. Very few of the ruins of the city are still visible.
  • DSC01654 More tombs.
  • DSC01656 ...and more tombs. (pan)
  • DSC01662 If you look closely, you can see goats grazing on the hillside (although I have no idea what they're eating). Even today, people live in caves in the area, primarily making their living herding.
  • DSC01666 Mona posing high above the valley floor.
  • DSC01669 ...same view different person.
  • DSC01671 Looking back across the valley from the other side. (pan)
  • DSC01677 A close-up view of the rock.
  • DSC01680 After 800 steps and hour of climbing, we reached the Monastary; the largest monument in Petra.
  • DSC01682 Climbing a little higher, provided spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and valleys.
  • DSC01684 Not a tree in site; as far as can be seen, the terrain is barren.
  • DSC01688 Looking over the Monastary and courtyard.
  • DSC01692 Mona and Chris with the Monastary as backdrop.
  • DSC01695 Looking across the landscape.
  • DSC01703 Another view of the Monastary area from a different position.
  • DSC01704 Wow, trees (look closely)! Maybe this is what the goats were eating.
  • DSC01706 The following day, we walked off the beaten track; above the Siq.
  • DSC01713 She'll be coming 'round the mountain...
  • DSC01714 Overlooking the Siq, it's clear why the Nabataeans found this area easy to defend.
  • DSC01717 The Petra valley, the Nabataean city built here served as a center of their caravan trade, controlling routes from Gaza, Aqaba, Basra, and Damascus.
  • DSC01719 High above the valley floor, the Nabataeans built the High Place of Sacrifice; an open air altar used to ritually kill animals.
  • DSC01721 After hours of walking, even lying on the sacrifice altar felt pretty nice.
  • DSC01722 Looking down from the High Place of Sacrifice. The Monastary is in the pass in the center of the picture.
  • DSC01724 The canyon leading from the city (left) to the Siq (right).
  • DSC01725 Panoramic shot from the High Place of Sacrifice.
  • DSC01727 Ruins of a large tower that once stood as part of the High Place of Sacrifice.