Have a Baby!

Unfortunately, all good things DO come to an end. Petra by night was not an exception. But fortunately I had an ace up my sleeve - one more day to explore that ancient site.

Exciting, no?

I was so excited that I didn't sleep the night before. Well, actually I hadn't really slept since arriving in the Middle East. Those darned easily-excited nerves of mine.

For some reason, walking down a long, narrow, winding path through canyons is an entirely different experience in the daytime than it is at night. I mean, can you imagine that? Being able to see all of the surrounding detail is just something else. In a great way. I was in love with the candle-lit ambiance of the place, but really, the daytime experience is astonishing.

It takes a half hour to walk down to the Treasury facade. The way down is packed with carved monoliths, statuary and ancient tomb facades. Our guide explained many of the significant sites: An ingenious water canal system carved into the narrow walls; huge rocks carved to keep the D'Jin (evil spirits) away from tombs; a cool, but otherwise insignificant rock shaped like an elephant; altars for diety worship. If I were an archaeologist I would have been giddy. Well, nevermind, I WAS giddy.

@ The Treasury at Petra

Did you know that Petra is not just one gorgeous, Indiana Jones-famous building? It's an entire city. And it's massive. And it's built into pink stone walls and winds over pink sands. It's called by the locals "The Rose City." The city was built by a people called the Nabateans. Eventually, the Romans took over, as they were known to do, so you see things in the city like a Roman Amphitheatre and Temples and Corinthian Columns on buildings.

The scope of the Rose City is such that you truly need at least one full day there to see it all. And you need to be in reasonable shape. There is a ton of hiking and walking and climbing to be done. I could have stayed a week and explored.

"The Treasury," which serves as the real first taste to what the city has to offer is stunning. And really, it's the best site. But at the opposite end of the city, an hour's hike up a mountain in the brutal, hot sun is another fascade called "The Monastery." It's hugely impressive. So after wandering around they city complex for a couple of hours, my group took on the enterprising feat of making it to the Monastery.

I'm not gonna lie. It was tough. I hadn't slept for several days. It was brutally hot. And I would find out later that in my excitement I wasn't drinking nearly enough water. But, it was truly worth the effort.

We were warned early on by our very conservative (have I mentioned that he's conservative?) guide, Omar, that we should under no circumstances ride donkeys up to the Monastery because they were just not safe "My friends, trust me. I have seen broken arms. Broken necks. You should not ride these donkeys."

Well then Omar, mate, sounds good.

So we didn't. But as the hike wore on and I ran out of steam, those donkeys started to look better and better and better. One donkey drover passed me, trying to sell me a lift up the hill: "Donkey Ride! Donkey ride! This like race cars! (Points to donkeys) This one Ferrarri! This one Lamborghini! Vroom!"

Who would have thought that Bedouins were comedians? I was highly entertained, and this was only the beginning of the stand-up routines. Trust me. Much more to come.

Astonishingly enough, once you reach the top of the mountain, you find a couple of refreshment stands. With refridgeration and cold drinks! On the top of a mountain in the desert! (They're powered by generator, which is powered by gasoline, which is toted up the mountain by those race-car donkeys).

One of the store owners, trying to sell his wares to us shouted out constantly "Have a drink! Have a Kit Kat!" He smiled at me and asked me the series of questions that was becoming engrained into my brain: "Whereareoofrom?"
California. USA.
"Ahh, YooEsssEy. Vereegud coun-tree. Youarewelcome! You come back and we will have drinks." Then he winked at me. And I smiled, nodded my head and kept grunting my way up the hill. It was blasted hot!

Well I made it to the top. And I found myself a spot in a gorgeous little cave, all decked out, bedouin-style with carpets and saddles. And I sat there, back against the cold wall of the cave, for a good half hour before I moved again.

The Monastery @ Petra

Then I got moving again to see "The end of the world." It's very impressive. And who knew it was in Jordan?

When I headed back down the mountain, that same cheeky rascal of a salesman saw me and changed his call: "Have a drink! Have a kit kat! ...(to me) Have a baby!"
(His eyebrows did a double raise at me as he grinned wolfishly.)

I kept moving.