Petra

The third day of our trip was mostly spent driving.  We had breakfast at our hotel, spent a bit more time wandering the grounds and then we checked out.  At least this time we had checked our map as well as Google Maps before we set off.  I believe we had to drive about 230 kilometers.  Much of the area was very remote and we ended up quite high in the mountains.  We ended up stopping a bit to look around and check things out.  This probably was not the best use of our time but it did make things more interesting.

Here we stopped to climb a rock.  It was easy getting up.  Getting down... a little tougher.

Oh but why worry about getting down! The views were amazing!

There was even a very remote little place out in the middle of nowhere, where you could stop and get a soda or a cup of instant coffee and use the WC.  (For a price of course.) Not much to the place, but what a view! Location, location, location!

 Almost kinda like a Starbucks....

I wonder if I can get free WIFI?

Eventually, we got back into the car and continued on our way to Petra.  We finally arrived at our hotel at around a quarter to 4.  Since things currently start getting dark in Jordan at around 4:30, it did not look like we would be able to see Petra until the following morning.   No worries.  We stopped for a late lunch/dinner at a little restaurant near the entrance to the Visitors Center. A bit of driving around and then back to our hotel. I would have liked to have gone for a bit of a run but it was very dark out and cold and there was no gym at the Marriot. (We wanted to stay at the Movenpick but it was booked.) Again, early to bed and early to rise for me.  Matt ended up going down to the spa and then to the bar before bed as Jordan is not dry.  A quick breakfast (which was nothing to blog home about) and then we checked out in order to be able to spend the maximum amount of time in Petra.

Even though we got there pretty early, the crowds were already starting to gather.  We parked and headed in!

It cost 50 dinar per person to enter Petra for 1 day.  This is about $70 US.  So, worth every penny! (Or whatever coins are in Jordan.)

Ready to start walking!

 Or standing around while Matt drinks a Red Bull.  Whatever...

We walked quite a ways until we turned a corner and saw....

The Treasury! Look how huge that thing is!

I would also like to point out that I have a new respect for my little iPod because the pictures aren't half bad when you have decent lighting.  It's better with the camera obviously but the iPod is just so handy and fits so nicely in my pocket!

Now up to this point everything had been roped off so that you can't go in or look around much.  But when you go past this, it is a whole other story.  I really couldn't believe it.

Honestly, 1 day is not enough time to see everything.  We started climbing up some stairs and they just kept going on and on and on.  Every time you got to the top they just kept going higher and higher.  So much to see!

 See, Matt was there!

Not even halfway up!

 View over the side. (iPod)

Still climbing. (iPod)

 The top or "close enough."

Clearly, Matt is a little better at working the camera than I am.  I tried.  Think I will stick to my iPod.

On the way back down.  Notice that I am now sporting a pretty new necklace! Yes, there are little shops set up all along the way up to the top.  I went up with 25 dinar in my pocket and came back with 0.  But I have 2 new necklaces on and three others in my back pockets!  Neekole Peekole.... Mommy has a pretty new camel bone necklace for you!!

Me and a camel that has not yet had its bones turned into necklaces....

A last look around the bottom before we had to get going.  We could have easily spent several more hours there but our next stop was the hot springs and we had at least a 3 hour drive to get there.  We had lunch and then we were off to our next destination.  So glad that we did the Dead Sea first because it would have seemed anti-climactic after Petra.  AMAZING!!