The Lost City of Petra

The Lost City of Petra, one of the modern seven wonders of the world, magically healing Dead Sea, incredible natural scenery that attracts Hollywood filmmakers for shooting… but still it’s not very usual dream holiday destination… I hope I will change it soon!

For the borders with Israel, respectively Palestine (because the Arabs never recognized the existence of Jewish state in their territory) and the riots around Jordan, the country has lost many tourists. Only few know that thanks to the conciliatory politics of the King of Jordan, this state is still one of the relatively safe places on Earth. Jordan keeps communication with both opposing countries (Palestine and Israel) and takes the side of peace. In my opinion, Jordanians are my favorite Arabs. I consider them to be tolerant, proud and used to tourists. The blondie in shorts usually leaves them cool, just like fat western wallets. Unlike the Egyptians, the Jordanians are not such scammers who try to earn some money on naivety of tourists. The only thing that can discourage you from visiting is that the country is not one of the cheapest destinations. But tits heritage is worth every penny… And honestly, this side of the Dead Sea is much more better than the one on Jewish side… 😉

 

Day 1

Wadi Rum

We go for a 3-day trip to Petra in a girl trio – me together with with my friend Ivica and our colleague Maria from Kazakhstan. In order to save time that us – flight attendants never have enough, we have booked Mohammed’s guide services. Mohammed and his brother once opened a small travel agency to guide visitors, mostly flight attendants from Emirates and Etihad. After all, a good strategy. Both airlines employ together more than 20,000 stewards, Dubai and Abu Dhabi are just about 2 hours away from Amman, and the good experience spread a good word from colleague to colleague better than any paid advertising. So we did, got recommendation for Mohammed from our satisfied colleagues. However, I believe that exploring Jordan doesn’t necessarily require any guide, just rent a car and go. We decided to book a guide so neither of us have to drive or study in advance where to go. But you guys will have all this necessary information from me now… 🙂

We arrive to the capital Amman shortly after noon. You can get visa to Jordan upon arrival for the fee of $ 40. Just don’t forget your passport and credit card. 🙂 Huge airport hall at the airport in Amman is very modern and clean. Mohammed is waiting us at the meeting point in Starbucks in the arrival hall. Smiling from ear to ear, dressed in a casual T-shirt and shorts, he automatically takes our bags and leads us to the parking lot. Water, coffee, fresh fruit and even a portable wifi await us in the car! After a pleasant welcome we are ready to go. In front of us is about a three-hour drive south to the Wadi Rum deserts, where we going to spend our first night.

Wadi Rum is actually a dead valley in the south of Jordan all carved in sandstone and granite rocks. Wadi Rum means “sand valley” in Arabic, but many know it also under the name Moon Valley. It really looks like another planet, but for its reddish color it reminds me more the surface of Mars than Moon. Apparently I’m not only one to have this opinion, also Hollywood filmmakers do, as they have chosen this location for shooting the movie Martian with starring Matt Damon.

In the early evening, we arrive at the Sun City Desert Camp, where we settle down in one of the most original tents I’ve ever seen. It was the movie Martian that inspired German investors to built here luxury bubble tents, which once housed the film crew. Inside the tent everything is like in any good hotel – comfortable beds, air conditioning and even a spacious bathroom with hot water. These “bubble” tents are more expensive than classic tents, but once you are in the middle of the desert during a hot day, you will be willing to pay even more for a comfort of an air conditioning and a proper shower…

Just before the sunsets, Mohammed and one of the camp’s guides take us to a small sightseeing safari tour down the Wadi Rum desert. We have incredible natural scenery in front of our eyes in incredible palette of sunset colors. We even spot exactly the same places where “Martian” Matt Damon was sitting in his spacesuit!

In the evening, after sun sets down completely we return back to the camp, where a nomadic dinner is waiting for us, cooked in the traditional way – buried underground! Juicy chicken & lamb, spicy fried rice, hummus, Arabic bread, sweet but strong tea… And of course, after a good dinner, sisha can’t be missing together with the view of sky full of stars…

Day 2

The Lost City of Petra

Immediately after breakfast early in the morning we get into the car and leave the Martian camp. We are heading towards the city of Petra, where we set out on a journey in the footsteps of Indiana Jones. Mohammed says goodbye to us at the gates of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, giving us detailed instructions. In front of us there is 7-hour self hike to the ruins of the Lost City of Petra. I understand him, it’s too much of walking for a person who has seen the lost city at least a hundred times. 🙂 Admission fee costs 50 jd (over 50 Euros) and at the gate you will be probably pushed to hire a guide, that is unnecessary. You will get a map together with the tickets and there is really no space to get lost. As Mohammed advises us, any proposals from the Bedouins living in the rocks should be ignored. They will try to sell you souvenirs or offer a ride on their skinny donkeys or camels. “I beg you girls, you are young and fit, you can walk on your own, don’t abuse the poor animals,” says Mohammed. And for saying that I like him even more! A fairly boring road leads from the entrance gates to the real gates of the Lost City. The price of the ticket includes a horse-drawn carriage, but bear in mind that an additional tips for a coachman is mandatory. We prefer to go on on our own… It’s pleasantly warm outside, fortunately not too hot…

After a while we reach Siq, the majestic gates to the Lost City, created by nature itself. It is a pink-colored gorge between the rocks, similar to Antelope Canyon in the United States. The walls of the gorge reach a height of 90 to180 meters, while the path between them in the widest section is barely 3 meters wide and stretches about 2 kilometers until reaching Treasury, the most famous facade of the Lost City, which slowly emerges behind the walls…

The city carved deep in the desert and high in the rocks has thanks to the sandstone all shades of pink, red and orange, so it is often called the Pink City, but the attribute “Lost” is much more common. It has been uninhabited for centuries, and has been lost for hundreds of years to the Western world. But here the mysteries of Petra do not end. Who and why built a city far from civilization and deep into the desert where there is not enough water? According to available historical sources, it was the nomadic tribe of the Nabateans who carved the buildings directly into the sandstone in a place safely hidden from the sight of other people, probably somewhere in between the 3rd century BC and 1st century AC. The Nabateans were not just nomadic tribe, apparently they were very clever architects and engineers, too, who invented a sophisticated system to bring water to dry areas. Even the name of their tribe is supposed to mean, in the old language, “those skillful” or “different ones”. Their city reached its greatest bloom around 62 AD, when it was standing right at the crossroads of important spice roads. And then all of sudden they disappeared… Some historians claim that the reason was a devastating earthquake, others go for the expansive Roman Empire. The valley gradually fell into oblivion. Later it was discovered by the Beduins who made the Nabateans’ tombs their new home and kept their secrets well from the rest of the world. It was only thanks to the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, who came across Petra in 1812 when he was successfully pretending an Arab buyer, that the world rediscover a long-lost city…

Treasury, the facade carved into the rocks in Indiana Jones’s movies hides a labyrinth of mysterious corridors and perhaps the secret of Holy Grail, but the reality is quite different from the movie world. Behind the beautifully decorated facade is only a simple hall. However, closer access is prohibited for tourists. The magnificent buildings of the Nabateans can only be admired from outside. To the left of Treasury is a steep path up the hill that leads to one of the most beautiful views of Treasury. However, as Mohammed warned us, if we choose this path, it is unlikely that we will be able to save some time and energy to explore the other treasures of the Lost City. The Lost City is not only Siq and Treasury, as many people think, but also several other tombs, and especially Monastry, another facade carved into the rocks, which stands incredibly high in the rocks and its height is even bigger wonder than more popular and accessible Treasury. Therefore, we decide to leave the path for later (if we still have time and energy) and first we go right towards Monastry…

This is not the easiest walk. The sun starts burning more and more and the stone stair are so steep. We progress slowly, enjoy the views, and resist all the Bedouin offers to go up on donkeys back. As a reward for the effort we have an incredible look at another carved facade in detail. From there, two more paths go up, each one on wooden signs indicating the most promising view. One will lead you to a gorge where you might see a small stream down there. Personally, however, I recommend to take the second one, less marked path up to the hill, where it really is the most beautiful view of the Monastry and the valley at the same time. Just opposite Monastry is a smaller buffet where you can sit down with a glass of fresh orange and pomegranate juice and recharge while enjoying the view of Monastry .. The way back down will be much easier and faster …

When we sit back in Mohammed’s car after a 7-hour hike, we are almost like zombies. Meanwhile, Mohammed takes us back to the capital of Amman, where we spend the night and where we have dinner – a fresh catch of the day. Yummy!

Day 3

Amman and Dead Sea

We wake up early in the morning and as soon as the museum opens its doors, we are standing in front of the Citadel and the Temple of Hercules, the remains of the Roman Empire. It is unbelievable how huge this ancient empire used to be. From Europe to Middle East and the Red Sea! There is a beautiful view of the old town and the ancient theater, but we can’t be here for too long, because batching in the Dead Sea is our goal of the day…

About an hour later, Mohammed is already parking at the Ramada’s hotel parking lot, where we are going to spend a few hours before we have to go back to Abu Dhabi. The hotel has direct access to the Dead Sea. It is not the most beautiful resort and I have seen much nicer beaches, but swimming in the Dead Sea is an experience that cannot be missied. I have seen a lot of classy photos of floating people with their hands, feet over the water, or reading a newspaper, but when I first dive into the water, I find that it feels much more fun and weird than it seems in the photos. Water has an incredibly thick oily consistency and ridiculously lifts your legs and ass. So do I picture a weightless state in the universe. It’s so much fun that we don’t even want to get out of the water.

The Dead Sea has such a high salt concentration that no animal survives there, not even fungi or bacterias, so bathing in it is extremely healing and suitable for all kinds of skin diseases. Two weeks at the Dead Sea and you will get rid of all eczema, Mohammed says. For an altitude of -390 m below sea level, there is a pleasant warm climate almost all year round. The basic healing cure also includes a natural mud mask from the Dead Sea, which is applied to the entire body, including hair. And so in a few minutes we will turn into three black ladies. The mud must first get dry in the sun before you can jump into the water and wash it off. I can confirm that this mud mask really leaves your skin incredibly soft and smooth.

When we still have some spare time for duty free at the airport, we use it to buy some products from the Dead Sea. Due to the many cosmetic companies benefiting from the sea, the Dead Sea disappears every year. It is quite possible that in a few years it will not be here at all, all the water will gradually evaporate. There is no natural canal to supply the sea with new water. Nevertheless, we cannot resist to buy Dead Sea cosmetics. And I must admit that Rivage cellulite cream is the only one I have tried and really works!