Jordan - Day 2 (Dec 30, 2008)

Although we got a glimpse of Petra from the night before, my wife and I were very excited to finally see the Petra, and so we started our track at the crack of dawn.

The one day entrance fee was JD42 for the two of us and another JD30 for the tour guide. The tour guide wasn't mandatory but was highly recommended.

One road for people walking and another for people riding horses. The horse ride is only up to the beginning of a narrow passage. I personally think it's a waste of money. But to each his own.

We were able to see the carvings on the wall right from the get-go.

Aqueduct built by the Romans to bring water into the remote city of Petra. Just amazing what those folks did 2,000 years ago.

Tree growing out of rocks. The tour guide told us these tree blossom in the spring with beautiful flowers. I guess I'll just have to take his word for it.

As narrow as it gets.

Listening intently to what the tour guide had to say.

On our way into the ancient city of Petra, we could see some remains of brick road that was built by the Romans. There still were skid marks from the chariots. Simply amazing.

A carving of a man with his camel. We wouldn't have known unless the tour guide told us. Good thing we had one.

Ahhhh, and finally we see the Treasury (as shown in the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) showing itself through the narrow passage.

The 12 pillars represent 12 months of a year, the tour guide told us. There are also 30 flowers to represent days of a month right below the statues, and 360 (or 365 not exactly sure) markings on the edges of the roof-like carvings to represent days of a year.

There's me waiving in front of the entrance. Unlike the Indiana Jones movie, there was nothing inside.

On top of many of the carvings, you could see staircases that go up to the sky. This was the way for the Nabataeans to reach the heaven.

These aren't one of those staircases going up to heaven.

Inside some of the halls of carvings on the wall were family tombs.

We decided to hire a mule for my wife and a donkey for me. The price was JD100. It was pretty expensive, and my wife was scared to death about riding a mule. But in the end, we realized it was a good choice. Without the help from the donkey and the mule, we would not have been able to see all that we saw in one day.

The mule and the Mrs. The mule looks quite cute in this picture. But we learned where the expression 'stubborn as a mule' came from.

An altar on top of the hill.

We got off the donkey and the mule at certain points.

A carving of a lion.

The guide said it would be better for us to get off the animals when going down the steep stairs.

A narrow, steep passage through the mountains. That looks like a big cats head with a fang.

Bedouin family with a donkey.

On our way to "The Monastery".

A herd of goats.

And we finally reach "The Monastery" all the way at the end. Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen has couple of scenes from here.

After the Monastery is "the end of the world".

A view of the end of the world.

Simply beautiful.

I'm sorry. I just had to post this picture.

The guy looks a little too big for the donkey wouldn't you say?

The Roman colonnaded street.

Urn Tomb, the largest of the Royal Tombs.

Amphitheater

Finally at the home stretch.

One last look at the Treasury before we leave.