AQABA, JORDAN (FOR PETRA)

Friday, May 3rd
Lots of photos and best ones are at Petra about half way through them.  You must enlarge them by clicking on photo to get real beauty of them.

                                              Maps showing we are in Aqaba, Jordan

                                                              Sunrise at pier

                        Our tour for the day that turned out to be one of best we have had so far.

                                                                 Jordan flag

                                                         Leaving the city

Photos of our 2+ hour drive through countryside and up into mountains on way to ancient ruins at Petra.

    Sorry for all the photos of the sandstone rocks but I found the landscape to be stark but beautiful.

 You may notice different colored streaks in the sandstone.  The black is granite rock.  Green is bauxite.  Pink is iron.  Red is oxidized (rusted) iron.

 We passed several tribal villages.  On drive back I noticed several areas on road where truck tires had been burnt during day.  I ask our guide about it and he said two of the tribes are having "disagreements" so burn tires on road as kind of demonstration.

                                                   Goats walking near road

                This is "Wadi Rum" area where we have a tour when we return to Aqaba in two days.

                                                    My first camel sighting

                                                 Iron deposits in sandstone

                                        Here you can see the different colors in sandstone.

                                                Herd of camels along road

      There was bus for some crew members.  This is Goren and Gammy (restaurant manager).

                                                      Herd of sheep and goats

 Bedouin tents.  These are nomadic Jordanians who choose to move around whenever they want.  Our guide said about 10% of the Jordanians are nomadic.

                                                     More sheep and goats

This is a field of wheat.  They raise wheat and barley.  Nothing like our fields in US.  If this makes 10 bushels to the acre it will be a miracle.  All farming done by hand no equipment.

                                                                 Olive trees.

                                     The city where ancient Petra ruins are located near.

 You will see photos later showing "The Treasury".  This is where final scenes of film, "Indiana Jones The Last Crusade" was filmed.

 Beginning of one hour walk down into Petra.  Cobbles stones and loose rocks made it more difficult.  The walk back out was tough as it was up hill and was a hot day.

                                          You could pay to ride a horse down and back.

                                                       Goats along the way

                                 Carved sandstone by the Nebataeans during first century BC.

You could also pay $30 for one of these carriage rides down to Treasury.  Better not have back problems because the would race down the very bumpy trail.

                                                This is the "Obelisk Tomb"

 Here we are at the "Siq".  Narrow entrance to Petra.  16 feet wide and natural stone walls up to 600 feet high.  This narrow path was probably a mile long.

 On both sides were water channels to get water down to Petra.  Right side was for drinking and left side for other uses.

                                          Some carvings along sides every so often.

                                                 Trees appear to grow out of the rocks.

                                                Water canal on other side.

                                                      Beautiful colors in sandstone.

                                                       Our first view of "The Treasury"

 Carved out of the stone 100 BC with hammers and chisels.  They started at the top and worked down during construction.  This was famous scene in Indiana Jones movie.  Truly an amazing sight.

                                 This was entrance below ground level in front of the Treasury.

                                             Carved facades further into Petra.

                                                One of the hundreds of tombs

                                          To give you idea of size of these carvings

                                                   All the holes were tombs

                                            This is an 7,000 seat amphitheater.

                                                                   Tombs

                                                            Colorful stone

                                                               tombs

                               Urn Tomb--Part of the Royal Tombs.  This is largest one.

                                                    We had a buffet lunch here.

                                         He is writing our name inside the "sand bottle"

                                                          Trip back to ship

                                                        Bedouin tents

                       Train track paralled the road.  Train only used to haul phosphate to port.

Sorry I got up at 5am to get this done before the turn the internet off.  Our all day tour leaves soon so better go.

https://goo.gl/photos/2PHJz4saMsCkHE1m9