Robert & Joy's Holy Land Adventure Day 14 #Petra @Tauck

Well, this is our last "event" day of the trip! It doesn't officially end until tomorrow night, but tomorrow is basically a travel day back to Amman.

Today's activities:

  • Meet at 8 a.m. to tour Petra! Although we met early, we were still walking in with a multitude of people from cruise ships that port at Aqaba.

  • There were zillions of people! I had to fight myself to maintain a positive attitude and not get snarky. I really don't like crowds.


The local guide we have had since our arrival in Jordan had a family emergency and was unable to guide us through Petra, but his replacement, Hussein, was good. Honestly, I only absorbed about 50% of what he said, as his accent was thick, he talked fast, and I was trying to stay out of the crowds. 

What I got was this: Petra is super old (4000 B.C. ish) and was the capital of the Nabataeans. Later the Greeks moved in and even later the Romans came. Much was destroyed by an earthquake in the 300's A.D. and....here we are. I'm pretty sure he said a lot more than that. No matter what he said, the site is super impressive.

A tomb. The first 1/2 of our walk was lined with lots of tombs. I guess we were in the cemetery?


Our guide "introducing" us to some Bedouin police officers-a rarity.



Then through a slot canyon. 
  

You can see what's coming!! 

The Treasury!!



Me, Daddy and Harrison Ford have been here now!

We continued back to the end of the main 4km route to Qasr Al Bint, another beautiful structure on the 60 square km site. We ate a restaurant there run by the Crowne Plaza and then had the most fun of the day!

A camel ride back to the Treasury, and then a cart ride back to the main gate.



The guy with the camera is Steve, our tour director.
Congestion on the highway!
This is the cart! Kinda a rough ride.

Totally happy!!
Finally, upon our return to the front gate, we were instructed to pick out a scarf for tonight's farewell dinner. The shopkeeper fixed us right up!

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