Petra day 2

Back to Petra today to mop up the bits we didn’t see yesterday.

We made our way to the tombs some of which were fabulous inside with many different colours of rock layered through the strata.

Next, the hike up to the top of the High Place of Sacrifice. It was much hotter than yesterday and ,to me, walking felt much more arduous than it had to the monastery. Eventually we got to the top but the viewpoint wasn’t anything particularly special. However in its historical context, the High Place of Sacrifice was exactly what it says on the tin and was very dramatic from that perspective.

On our way down, we bumped in to Jocelyn and Thomas who had already done the green trail, and still looked as fresh as daisies.

We met Jan at the bottom (J has the Jordan trots, so far only Nik has escaped them!) and headed off back to the hotel and our life saver of a pool.

Restored after a swim and a relax, it was time to hit Petra for one last time and experience Petra by night. Lots of contention over this event online. Some people loved it and others said it was a complete rip-off. Basically, the walk to the treasury and the treasury itself are lit by candles. When you arrive at the Treasury, there’s music and a Bedouin story about the history of Petra.

The Jordan Jokers were similarly split as to whether to bother with it. Nik and I quite fancied it as it would show Petra in a different perspective, we wouldn’t get a chance to see it again and we like lights. Steve and Jan were less convinced – too crowded and a total rip-off.

Before we went , we had a meal at the restaurant Thomas and Jocelyn recommended. And indeed who should we see there?!

It was an excellent recommendation with the very generous meze starter being my favourite part of the meal, along with the camel kofta.

Then off to the main event.

Overall, the jury is out for me. Petra by night is a rip-off (£20 per ticket) and I suspect skullduggery is at work here as we could only pay cash despite websites saying you can pay by card. There were far too many people – it unnerved me how a tragedy could so easily happen with so many people in such a confined area. A canyon would not be an easy place to get out of.

There were not enough candles. People were stumbling about and having to use their phones to see where they were going. Considering how much is charged, at least double the amount of candles should be lit.

On the plus side, it was interesting to see another side to Petra, it was nice walking at night and the lighting provided was atmospheric.

That is Petra done and dusted. Tomorrow we move on to Wadi Rum, Jordan’s protected desert area where films such a The Martian and Dune were made.