My Second 'New' Wonder of The World - Petra, Ancient City
Petra is quite astounding to visit so it's no wonder that it is considered a wonder of the world.
Before you even arrive at The Treasury you get to experience the Siq (the beautiful main entrance to Petra). It was originally split by tectonic movement and then was made smooth by water many years later. The winding gorge has many carvings although some have been significantly worn down and it is hard to tell what they once were. If you explore Petra with a guide they will tell you what they're believed to be or even ask you to guess (I guessed most of them were camels).
As you reach the end of the Siq you catch a glimpse of The Treasury and it is absolutely stunning. As the light shines through the opening of the gorge and The Treasury's sandstone carvings appear you can't help but stop and take it all in. It is one of those moments that is hard to capture as beautifully on your camera as it is in your memories.
After you spend time just staring at The Treasury (which is inevitable) you can then take the extremely rocky path down towards The Amphitheatre, The Monastery, The Obelisk and so many other beautiful points of interest that draw your attention as you explore deeper into the ancient city. Wandering around Petra will probably take you the best part of a day as there is so much to see and is a dream come true for those with an interest in photography. Everything about Petra, down to the patterns on the rock is beautiful and you can spend hours taking photos trying to capture the experience so you don't forget.
I must also mention that the lighting in Petra is like nothing else. Everything is so beautiful in the warm sunshine and the rocks seem to radiate an orange/rose glow. Just stunning!
Jordan is heavily reliant on tourism with Petra being one of its most visited sites, and it is not hard to see why. Unfortunately, like most tourist spots it does get very busy so be prepared for this if you visit. I would also urge you to be respectful as tourism is already affecting the site due to the increased humidity from hundreds of visitors a day. This, of course, can't be helped, however, dropping litter and vandalising the ruins is something that can be avoided so we can preserve the breathtaking experience of visiting Petra for future generations.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Petra is at the top of my 'favourites' list and I would urge anybody thinking of going to 'just do it already'!
"Take only memories, leave only footsteps." - Chief Seattle
All opinions on this blog are my own!
