Update #4 Middle East

Hello! Audrey reporting for duty. This trip has been such an enriching experience already so I can’t imagine what else is in store. As the person arguably the most stoked about the experience, I have been given the privilege of updating you all on our trip to Petra yesterday. 

My morning started at 4:00am with my roommate (@Emmalee) and fearless leader (@Cason), flashlights in hand, hunting the largest cockroach we have ever seen. Chaos ensued and it’s safe to say we were all fully awake after the monster was finally eliminated.  

At 6am (8pm CA Time) our van drivers rolled up and we all began our three hour trip to Petra. Petra is located in a valley so after a windy drive that looked like it was straight out of Dune, we arrived at our destination, applied sunscreen, and bought our tickets. Petra is the home to many Bedouin families, one local we spoke to said his family had lived in the hills of Petra for over 700 years. We were assigned a tour guide who we will call A. At the end of the tour, A said he also lived in the caves surrounding Petra and we were welcome to stay with his family any time, just one example of the presence of hospitality in this country. 

The tour of Petra begins at the visitor center and works its way down farther into the valley through a series of canyons. This single point of entry was a benefit of this location for the safety of those who resided there through the centuries. As you walk through the canyons you can begin to see the carvings and infrastructure put in place by the Nabateans, the earliest known residents of the region. The canyon walls have a series of aqueducts carved into the limestone to collect water from the flash floods of this region. Half an hour into the walk, seeing (truly) amazing carvings, structures, original pavestones, and naturally occurring rock formations, we hit the most well known location of this entire site: The Treasury. The Treasury is the location that is shown in Raiders of the Lost Ark and is what many come to see when they visit Petra. I’m going to be honest with you all, I cried a little, but that’s probably not too surprising if you know me. We turned the corner and light was shining on the imposing, famous, and incredibly intricate facade of The Treasury. This location is called The Treasury because for years tradition said that the treasures of a pharaoh were kept behind its high walls.

After this moment of shock and awe we continued our tour, seeing the ancient court of law, countless tombs, some much more intricate than others, and eventually stopping for lunch at a shop owned by a friend of our guide. This shop was located near the colonnade and main cross street of the city. In a full sun area, surrounded by hills dotted by tombs and residential caves, we were able to get to know M, the shop owner, and enjoy some shade while letting what we had all seen sink in. 

At first the Bedouin groups selling transportation, food, or trinkets seemed pushy, but then after talking to A, we realized the tourism into Petra is the lone source of income for many of the local residents. Whereas to us we could see a souvenir or “overpriced” drink as non essential and a waste of money, it is the livelihood of those living here and holds much more significance than many are willing to give it. 

A finished our tour and recommended that whoever wanted to should visit the “monastery” at the top of the hill, his favorite location at this whole site. Those in our group who were interested, began the trek up the mountain. This was hard. It was so hot, and so steep. All the way up and down the mountain we were stopped by shopkeepers in hopes we would buy a souvenir, and sidestepping donkeys carrying folks up the mountain, and all that the donkeys left behind (you know what I mean). 

After what A said would take 30 minutes (around 1.5 hours and 900 steps) we arrived at the top of the hill. Shock and awe again, I’m telling you. A building larger than even the treasury and almost as intricate sat at the top of the hill, facing the country’s border. Totally uncrowded we were able to take in this building and see all the remains surrounding it yet to be studied. The face of this structure also showed signs of the interaction of other cultures at this site. Roman influence echoed from this and many other carvings at Petra begging to tell the stories of anyone who has made it their home. After a while, back down the mountain we went. much faster this time. 

We rejoined the rest of our group and began the hour long trek out of the city of Petra. Pizza was consumed, and after another 3 hour drive back home, we all got to reflect what we had seen that day. A great night’s sleep was had, and no more cockroach intruders have been seen since.