After a mesmerizing few days at Wadi Rum ,our next destination was Petra. Visiting Petra was a dream come true. Whenever I used to think about Petra the only picture that would come to my mind is the famous scene from ‘Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade’ where Harrison Ford comes charging through the narrow Siq on a horse only to enter into the huge façade of the Treasury in order to retrieve the Holy Grail. Though it was actually just a figment of Steven Spielberg’s imagination, it had a profound impact on me because in those days I really believed that the story was true. Though now I know the actual facts behind the Holy Grail-that historians are divided in their opinion as to whether it at all exists or not – that particular scene planted the seed of desire to see this majestic place with my own eyes.
Introduction to Petra
Nestled in the rugged desert canyons of southern Jordan, the famous Petra is a breathtaking, ancient city carved into rose-red sandstone cliffs. Known as the “Lost City” , one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and a UNESCO World Heritage site Petra was once the thriving capital of the Nabataean Kingdom around the 4th century BCE.
We had reached Wadi Musa , the valley in which Petra lies, the previous evening. It was the coldest weather we had faced during our Jordan trip ,with the temperature dropping to 1-2 degrees Celsius. On top of that the skies were dark with ominous looking rain clouds. The next morning the weather was worse, with incessant rain . We decided we didn’t want to waste our Jordan Pass that day since there was a high probability of getting stuck in flash floods below or simply getting drenched in the rain with no shades inside Petra. Moreover rainy days wouldn’t do justice to the red rose colours of the Petra monuments. For that you needed a bright ,sunny day. But the rain didn’t dull our spirits and force us to stay indoors. In spite of the rain we went out to explore the surroundings.
Mousa Spring
After a quick Google browse , we decided to visit a few places apart from Petra. First we went to see Mousa Springs.
Mousa Spring or Ain Musa is a legendary water source near Petra believed to be the very spring where Moses -according to the New Testament – or Prophet Musa – according to the Quran, struck a rock with his staff, bringing forth water for the Israelites during their journey through the desert.
Located just outside Wadi Musa, the spring still flows today, providing fresh water to the local community. A small shrine-like structure has been built around it, and visitors can stop to see the water trickling through the rocky terrain. In spite of having such religious significance ,it was really a bit of a letdown. The shrine built around it being so visually striking , we thought it would be somewhat similar in grandeur inside.
What we felt inside was disappointment .Firstly the place was littered with cigarette butts ,candy wrappers ,plastic carry bags and even human spit. The room itself was bare and extremely tiny leaving no place for the imagination. There was a huge rock in one corner and a tiny reservoir in another but both looked very mundane like something from our backyard. For all this the place sort of lost its appeal for us. Well at least we didn’t have to pay for our entry.
Located just outside Wadi Musa, the spring still flows today, providing fresh water to the local community. A small shrine-like structure has been built around it, and visitors can stop to see the water trickling through the rocky terrain. In spite of having such religious significance ,it was really a bit of a letdown. The shrine built around it being so visually striking , we thought it would be somewhat similar in grandeur inside.
What we felt inside was disappointment .Firstly the place was littered with cigarette butts ,candy wrappers ,plastic carry bags and even human spit. The room itself was bare and extremely tiny leaving no place for the imagination. There was a huge rock in one corner and a tiny reservoir in another but both looked very mundane like something from our backyard. For all this the place sort of lost its appeal for us. Well at least we didn’t have to pay for our entry.
After about a few minutes we left the place and headed out to explore the backside of Petra towards Little Petra ,and we think that was the best decision we had taken. The scenery on both sides of the road from Petra to Little Petra was nothing short of stunning. The continuous rain and the eerie black clouds created a surreal atmosphere over the landscape, transforming Petra from being simply majestic to something truly otherworldly!!
Heading towards Little Petra
Surrounded by undulating sandstone cliffs on both sides, popping up from nowhere, we went on chasing the ominous looking clouds until we reached a gate which we thought was the entrance to Little Petra. There was a military station next to this gate . It turned out that this wasn’t the entrance to Little Petra in the north but the Sabra entrance to the south .
The view of Petra from this lesser known place was mind-blowing! We asked the guard at the ticket counter if we could go beyond the gates to just take a few photos and the guard happily agreed. Just a few steps forward and what an unbelievable view we got ! In one sweep we could see a panoramic expanse of the Petra ruins and its surrounding mountains in glorious colours of yellow ,rust and pink jutting out from below .
Though the dull skies did dim its colours a little bit ,this very dimness added a haunting, Kafkaesque beauty to the place !! At a distance we could see the Royal Tombs lined up in front of the Main trail .They seemed tiny like ant houses and blurred out from so far a distance. On a clear day even the Siq and Treasury are also visible from this viewpoint.
Little Petra
After staying for a while here and chatting with the guard and the tour guides pulling their donkeys down the path towards the Main trail, we decided to venture out further towards Little Petra. Mesmerized by our surroundings we got down in the middle of nowhere to take photos along the deserted road. But by then the rain became stronger and more incessant so we got back in the car and headed towards Little Petra.
By the time we reached the gate of Little Petra it was raining cats and dogs. Nothing was visible from the inside of the car and it was impossible to get out. This route is one of the less crowded but more popular routes for backpackers and hardcore trekkers. Though the trek itself is a pretty difficult one and one that can’t be done without a guide, a few visitors usually take this route to reach the Monastery since it is easier than climbing the 900 or more steps via the Main Trail.
Many smart travelers park their car at the main gate, do the Main Trail then return to the main gate and instead of taking their car , take the shuttle bus to Little Petra , take a jeep ride inside Little Petra to a designated point to avoid too much walking , then actually walk to the Monastery and come back by the same route ,i.e. ,again the jeep ride and the shuttle bus to the main gate . This is what we had planned too but the rains had totally ruined our plans for the day.
On the way there were so many uniquely shaped rock formations we witnessed and drenched in the rain they had a surreal quality to them. Then there were doors and windows built in some rocks -proof of people actually living inside these caves. These little things gave us pleasure in an otherwise wasted day.
We had a little chat with the guard cum guide inside the tiny ticket booth .He asked us to wait inside the booth to avoid getting drenched in the heavy rain and after a while seeing that there was no chance of the rain stopping he asked us to drop him at the Main gate.
Finding it impossible to enter and scary to continue ,we decided to return to the safety of the city(though driving through the city was equally hair-raising with its extremely steep inclinations ,that too on a slippery, watery road). With zero visibility, the drive back from Little Petra was like a blind man driving a car. Even the seasoned guide/guard was scared to ride in the car.
Petra Museum
Seeing that there was nothing else we could do in that rain, we headed to the Petra Museum. The inside of the museum was a welcome respite from the shivering cold outside .We spent a good two hours inside it going through a large number of artefacts related to the Petra civilization. The museum is located just outside the Main gate and is a modern structure – a direct juxtaposition to the ruins inside – showcasing the rich history and culture of the ancient Nabateans who lived in Petra .
The museum has five halls and displays over 280 artefacts .There is a wide range of pottery, tools, coins, inscriptions, and jewelry which help illustrate the daily life, trade, and cultural practices of the Nabateans. Then there are stone carvings of gods, goddesses, and animals, some of which were once used in temples or tombs, all testament to the artistic and architectural prowess of the Nabateans.
There are numerous ancient inscriptions written in Nabatean, Aramaic, and Greek. These inscriptions provide insights into the language, religious practices, and historical events of the Nabateans. Petra was a key trade hub in the ancient world.
The museum displays items that illustrate Petra’s role in trade, such as incense burners, perfumes, and other goods that were traded across the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, and beyond.
For an engaging and educational experience , there are many Interactive displays including multimedia presentations and exhibits as well as miniature models of Petra showing the city as it would have appeared in its prime in the 4th century BC with its iconic rock-cut structures and sophisticated water systems. It is advised to visit the museum before entering into the World Heritage site for a better insight.
Mansef and Kunafeh – local delicacies
After visiting the museum we went for some local shopping and local food tasting at the city center. The national dish of Jordan is Mansaf and we had to try it before calling it a day. Though the dish consisted only of boiled lamb shank and rice mixed in a watery yogurt sauce garnished with slivered, fried almonds and a bucket of extra yogurt sauce on the side which you go on mixing while eating, it was actually very delicious.
Along with Mansef we witnessed a live demonstration of Kunafeh making -a sweet dish made of cheese , honey , and powered almond. That too was delicious.
With a full stomach and being tired of and from the rain we called it an early night and returned to our hotel hoping the next day doesn’t betray us as it had today. Fingers crossed for a better tomorrow !!
