Petra, Jordan

The city of Petra was enthralling, a community carved into the mountains of Jordan by the Nabateans over 2,100 years ago.  The name Nabatean actually means “people who carve cities from rock” in the ancient language.

Aqaba was our point of entry into the country, Jordan’s only ocean port.

The setting and architecture of Petra are incredible…

But far more compelling to us was the fact that it is not a sterile relic, but an environment that is full of life…..  People and animals actually live here, and their welfare and identity are inextricably tied to this intriguing place…..

Horses….

Dogs….

Donkeys (and donkey boys)…..

Camels…..

And, of course, sellers of goods.  Up until a dozen years ago, many people made their homes in the caves of Petra.  As it gained popularity as a tourist site, the government arranged to move the residents to a nearby village, and in exchange, they are entitled to engage in commerce in the old city.

A sand artist demonstrates his skill…..

The “I have Frankincense” vendor sells aromatic natural substances….

And yes, there are multi-lingual urchins approaching tourists to hawk old coins, postcards and pieces of currency that are not commonly exchanged in this country.

This guy (the father of the little seller of postcards in the last photo) was quite a glib and ambitious purveyor of local crafts.

To give him credit, after selling us some items for outrageously high prices, he invited us to his home for dinner.  On a tight schedule, we politely declined.  So he gave us some “free” refrigerator magnets instead, which we were happy to share with members of the National Geographic jet flight crew from Iceland that just happened to wander by at the time.

Some of our fellow travelers took the opportunity for camel rides back to the city.

 

We took extra time to enjoy the views, including an overhead shot that looked a lot like our home state…..

And a final homage to this hauntingly beautiful and lively place.

Now we are on our way to our last stop before returning home – Marrakesh, Morocco.