Originally from the Arabian Peninsula, the Nabataeans settled in southern Jordan over 2200 years ago, becoming masters of the regions trade routes.  Their profits provided means to build a powerful kingdom stretching to Damascus, including parts of the Sinai and Negev deserts.  They fought and they negotiated with Greeks and Hasmonaeans to maintain their independence, only later to fall to the Roman Empire in 106 AD.  Christianity replaced their religions, trade routes shifted, demand for frankincense lessened, until such factors resulted in decreased riches and the eventual fall to ruin of once glorious Nabataean Petra, the Rose-Red City, half as old as time.

On our first day I got as far as the Treasury after hiking through almost a mile long gorge called As-Siq.  The Siq is deep and narrow with formations of colorful rock, terraces, water channels, carved niches and cliffs that rise up almost 300 feet.  The Siq is where I met Abdule, a very enterprising young entrepreneur, who taught me to tell camel bone from plastic with a lighter.

The scenery was fantastic, every turn and geological formation a brilliant photo op, right up to the end of the Siq where a tall crevice teased golden light on a slight view of the Alexandrian Hellenistic architectural monument Al-Khazneh (Treasury).  Emerging from the gorge to this spectacular monument surrounded by camel riders, mules, carts and native goods for sale is truly an indescribable feeling.  I was completely taken back by it all and so immersed in the scene that I hardly felt myself sliding off the rock I’d climbed up for it’s vantage point before landing on my camera, telephoto lens buried in sand and rock beneath me.

Moon, a young Bedouin who’d introduced himself and stayed nearby during our trek down the gorge, gathered me, my camera and my pride off the ground and offered me a ride back to the Movenpick Resort on one of his “Farari’s”, gesturing to his mules.  More worried about the state of my gear than myself, I declined the ride, found a shady spot, dumped the sand out of my camera, lens and Stephen’s camera that fell out of my bag when I hit the ground.  Moon stayed with me until I gained my composure then helped me find my Stephen to help me back out the Siq and up to our room where I got some well needed sleep while he searched Petra for a can of propellent air to blow the sand out of the cameras and lens.  Best Steve came up with was a douch bottle and a pretty amusing story to go along with it…it was the best recommendation the young girl at the last store in Petra could come up with, and it did provide enough air upon squeezing it with determination to clear away enough sand to keep both cameras operational.  After a careful blow and light brushing of the lens I was relieved to see it had survived as well, though the lens protector took a pretty good beating.

I highly recommend the Movenpick Resort for it’s perfect location, lovely accommodations, professional staff and best Arabic buffet I’ve seen to date.  After a good rest and a great meal with local wine, we turned in and started day two at 6am with another fantastic meal before heading out to find a guide with a ride to the High Place of Sacrifice.  What we didn’t know is that even after negotiating what we clearly explained as a ride to the High Place then back down to the Treasury, the sacrifice would be finding ourselves hiking down the mountain and across desert lands after being left alone at the High Place!  Mohammad seemed to speak English well enough when we started out, providing a lot of information about the sites on the way up.  It was when we stopped to view the Theatre that the chat turned peculiar.  He asked about the price of our watches and invited us for a BBQ…neither of which question was I inclined to answer honestly…

Next thing we know, we are being told the horses go no further and being pointed out a deep gorge that we should take down the mountain.  “I don’t think so” came immediately to mind.  Stephen tried to remind Mohammad of our arrangement to be taken back down to the Treasury but by this time his memory was failing as quickly as his English.  With no sign of civilization in sight, we both reckoned this was no time or place to argue with a gypsy, but as soon as Mohammad was out of sight, I countered his gypsy trick with my best Caribbean curse and made my way down the initial gorge holding as firmly to the cliffs edges that I shimmied between as the words I was chanting.

One of the things we had viewed from the HIgh Place was the home of Moses’s brother and after a couple of hours climbing down I began to understand what took Moses so long with those stone tablets.  We passed caves where Bedouins lived, campsites of Bedouins making their meals and tea, small outposts of crafts and goods, but what we didn’t see was water.  We had a half a small bottle of water between the two of us for the day.  We saw the Lion Monument, the two Obelisks, the Garden Temple Complex, the Triclinium and the Roman Soldier’s Tomb.

We saw chickens, a shoe, a scrap of clothing…at this point I’m upping the curse.  We saw the Columbarium, the Qasr al-Bint, the Al-Habis Fortress and just as I was telling Stephen to go on and save himself, we came upon a little Bedouin stand with small bottles of water for sale in a cooler.  An oasis in the desert!  We bought several bottles, thanked them, walked another 100 yards around the bend, only to find a Crown Plaza Restaurant in the near distance!  No complaints, I was starving and the Arabic buffet of cold salads and warm meats was spectacular.

We took our dessert and coffee out to the covered patio and listened to a very loud disagreement between some mule guides while planning our exit.  We were on the complete opposite side of the map from where we wanted to be so if we were to make it out before dusk, it would require a ride, something fast, and that’s when we met Hussain.  He had a couple of long legged camels and having seen camels race they seemed just the ticket for a quick exit.  Now, I’m not saying they’re the smoothest ride, but with the sun nearing the horizon, we reckoned them the fastest way back to the Siq, and keeping a steady trot, they made very good time.

Back at the Movenpick, straight to the lounge, ice cold margarita and a meet up with our Ruth Ann who had spent the day lounging at the resort after her long previous day of exploring while I was recovering from my fall and sleep deprivation.  A second margarita into our tale of the days events our young waiter suggests we should see Little Petra and dine on local Bedouin BBQ and he knows just the guide to take us.  I’m thinking the 5 star Movenpick buffet and a few more margarita’s sounds more to my liking, but Ruth Ann had been in all day and feeling quite excited at the prospect of a night in the desert under the stars by a campfire and Stephen was intrigued as well, so 20 minutes and another guide later we were driving back out to the desert and watching the sun disappear.

By dim light we saw a bit of Little Petra’s sights; a Kings foyer, a tomb, another gorge, and then in the dark we found a place suitable to make camp.  Our guide, Mazen, rolled out a large carpet on a flat rock abutting a large boulder then laid a couple of long cushions on the carpet for us to lounge upon.  Ruth Ann pulled out proper wine glasses from the resort and poured Petra wine.

Mazen gathered sticks and wood, built a fire, prepared hot tea and proceeded to cook chicken on the fire.  He cooked our chicken between a wire mesh casing over the fire, but cooked his the proper Bedouin way, blackened directly in the fire and then throw on rock to knock off the ash residue.  We tried both with warm flat bread and yogart and it was good…still, I thought of the 5 star buffet and margaritas while enjoying my piece of chicken, good conversation and a memorable evening under the stars in the desert by a fire, feeling great relief when Mazen drove us to the resort after our desert BBQ instead of making us hike back!  I would certainly recommend Mazen Al Hammaden as a guide.  You will find him a kind, informative and generous host in every way.

(Click here for full slide show)