stone

 Last weekend, we drove three hours south on Desert Highway to Ma'an, the city which is home to Petra. I find it difficult to write this blog entry, as my words are so easily dwarfed by the images that I've posted. It is amazing. Absolutely and completely breathtaking, both for its natural beauty and the mind-boggling feat of engineering and architectural beauty that rises before you and around you. No wonder it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

Yet with many of these tourist sites, we first had to walk the alley lined with kiosks selling kitsch composite sculptures of the Treasury made famous in the Indiana Jones film, The Last Crusade. There was even a store named Indiana Jones store where we would purchase a hat just like Indy (not sure if they sold the whips, too!). Then the men hawking various animals for hire, namely horses and donkeys pulling a cart. We opted for the horses. The older two claimed their own horses, while our little biddy clung to me and Abby sat with Steve. The guides led us to the entrance to the Siq, or sandstone gorge cut through sandstone rock. Breathtaking. Though the Siq was relatively crowded with groups of Arabs, Indians dressed in traditional Sari, and a mix of Europeans and Americans, the atmosphere felt oddly quiet. Perhaps it was the hush of those admiring true beauty and silenced by it. After about twenty minutes of walking, we approached the bend in the way where, when the morning sun glints on its facade just the right way, the Treasury came into view in all its glory.  

 A few steps later we were in full view of the Treasury. The picture just doesn't do it justice. And once there, we came upon several camels lounging in the dust, adorned with colorfully embroidered saddle blankets and tassels. Men with donkeys approached us, offering a ride to the Monastary a few kilometers away. We declined politely as walked on, past the throngs of people gazing at the Treasury and towards the next site: the amphitheatre.

 

 

On the way, we passed Bedouin men and women sitting behind their wares: necklaces made with "Bedouin silver," camelbone beads, agate and other stones, bracelets, "authentic" Nabatean and Roman coins, ceramic beads and other trinkets. It was fascinating to see.

"Just looking," we'd say. Their response was always the same, "It's free to look, but hurry up!"

 

 

We began our ascent up a rocky path that wound its way up to the high place of sacrifice, where the Nabataens offered their sacrifices to their many gods. Later, it would be used as a place of worship akin to what is pictured in the Old Testament. When we walked along the vista area, the rock structures rose up around us like giant beehives.

On our way down, we tried to take an alternative route. We followed the worn path until it suddenly ended, or rather we veered off unknowingly. We found ourselves staring down into the main thoroughfare, bustling with tourists and souvenir traffic. However, the only way down we could see was a sheer rockface. After attempting a few passes, we ended up scaling rocks, Steve with biddy in the hiking backpack, me holding my girls hands' as we shuffled along small footholds to reach a possible descent. We walked down into the amphitheatre which was blocked off from tourists on the opposite side with fences and other boundaries. Thankfully, no one noticed the family of trespassers and we chuckled to have gotten a view from inside the amphitheatre that we otherwise would not have experienced!

 

 



 The whole experience was incredible. I am in awe at the design and beauty of God's creation. And I am in awe at the creativity and wisdom He gives, even to those who don't acknowledge Him.

 

soli deo gloria.