Aqaba, (Gatway to Petra), Jordan

Aqaba, Jordan                                                             March 28 and 29, 2017

During the next five days the Amsterdam traveled from the Gulf of Oman to the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea. As the sun came over the horizon Tuesday morning, we enjoyed the Gulf of Aqaba with its high mountain peaks before arriving in the seaside town of Aqaba.

Being the only port for Jordan, it was a busy place. After a quick breakfast we rode the port bus into the town to meet our tour guide for Petra. We arrived at the hotel meeting place at 9:15 to meet our 9:30 tour.

Due to an unannounced time change difference in Israel and Jordan, we had the pleasure of a HAIR RAISING taxi ride to the boarder of Israel before heading out on the highway toward our destination, Petra….two hours away.

Along the way we passed the majestic desert landscape of Wadi Rum, a national park.  

 A great crack in the earth caused an enormous upheaval leaving thousand foot ridges topped with domes worn smooth by the desert winds. It was a stunning backdrop for the movie, Lawrence of Arabia.

                      

Mose's brother is buried on the peak of the mountain behind us.

During the journey we enjoyed spotting nomad camels wandering through the plains as well as goat herders tending their flocks.

A LOT of manual labor went into building these walls.

We were amazed at the speed bumps along the major highway that were frequent.
.  Check points were placed along the highways…. We were told that local citizens were upset by the Syrians coming into Jordan and taking the local citizens jobs for less money.

At noon we stopped for a Jordan style lunch….experiencing some tasty spiced dishes.

Petra, more than 2000 years old, is known as the rose-red city, a name it gets from the color of the rock from which many of the city’s stuictures were carved.

Arriving at Petra our guide led us through the Visitor Center and then down the rocky path of galloping horses and horse pulled carts….A unique away for the less able visitors  to get to the amazing Red Rose City of the Nabataeans….about a three mile walk….one way.

Petra was one of the great cities of trade  for frankincense, myrrh, and spices. From this natural fortress, the Nabataeans community became the center for trade from Arabia and the East, growing rich and powerful until they were conquered by the Romans in 106 AD.

After an earthquake in 363 AD, the city became ‘lost’ for more than a thousand years.  In 1812 a Swiss explorer, dressed as an Arab, convinced his guide to take him to the lost city. After this, Petra became increasingly known in the West, attracting thousands of visitors daily.

We walked past the burial grounds, intricate tombs that were cut out of the mountain sides. As we continued to the city we passed through a narrow gorge called the Siq, a stunning natural canyon with towering rocks. 

This passage was an adventure itself …especially with the thousands of tourist, numerous horses, and carts whizzing by us.

We discovered the remains of water channels, carvings, and their gods. 

We walked in awe of the incredibly narrow rock passage way with the unusually tall ridges and came to the final narrow twist to see our first glimpse of the Rose Red City….The Treasury, believed to be a mausoleum of the Nabataean King.  What a sight!

The Treasury is the most famous and outstanding of all the Petra monuments. The city has temples, a theatre,  a colonnaded street and churches.

Today was just an incredible walk!!!

Camel , mule, horse, and donkey  vendors were seeking tourist  to ride their animals. These animals have been an intricate part of Petra since the beginning of the city.   

 

       We enjoyed visiting the inside of one of the many caves where these ancient people lived.

                              The sights were so culturally intriguing......

We continued on down the outer Siq to find a carved Roman style theater that seated 3000 spectators dating in the 2^nd century BC.

Larry and I walked most of the way back before deciding to take a horse ride for the remainder of the adventure.

What a day! It was a fantastic experience.  Our happy grins speak for the  time spent in Petra....No wonder Petra was named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World and is a World Heritage Site.

Wednesday morning, we took the bus into the town and decided to walk the beach front and the local market area. It was one gorgeous day and lots of people were out and about enjoying it.

                           This friendly father of seven wanted to share his water pipe with Larry. Where's mama..... Probably working

 It is always fun to just talk with the locals. Larry really enjoyed stopping people and chatting with them. We were taken aback by the friendliness of the Jordanians. We have never been to a country where the citizens have greeted us with  a warm welcome. Many, many times we were asked where we were from and  told, “Welcome to Jordan!” It was very noticeable.

We walked past the stately Islamic Mosque.

It was interesting to see the women in their long black attire relaxing on the beach while their children swam and played in the sand.

Boat vendors were busy taking tourist for rides in their glass bottom boats. Clear, calm waters makes scuba diving a popular sport in the Red Sea Coral Reefs.

We wandered past the old castle ruins that were being updated.

We visited the Hilton Double Tree finding that entrance was gained only through a metal detecting machine….another sign of the times. It was interesting to see the Hussane family photos proudly displayed.  Jordan is an Absolute Monarchy.

                                                               Past and Present Kings

Present and Future Kings

One of the fascinating arts of the area....sand scenes in a bottle.

The spice shop had unbelievable aromas.

The music shop had some interesting instruments.

We had a fantastic day in Aqaba, returning to the ship after 7:00pm. Who would have thought that there was so much to see and do in this quaint little town.  

                                          Our sail away from Jordan was an incredible memory!