A jaunt through Jordan

Poetry in stone

A lone flute plays haunting notes from the hollow depths of Al Khazneh (the Treasury) in the ancient stone city of Petra in southern Jordan. Rows of candles mark the entrance to the most famous of all rock façades in Petra.

At a time when heat and dust filled the valley of Petra, the Nabataeans spent 40 years carving the Treasury. “Petra by night'' is a two-hour evening walk that involves long rows of candles, cups of sweet tea and Bedouin music.

Spirit of the times

Walking past the main gate and into the Siq (the entrance), the walk culminates at the Treasury. Long shadows are cast on the sandstone. The wind whistles through the hollows and ancient ghosts forlornly call out from the burial sites of the carved caves.

At the Treasury, carpets are laid out for us and cups of tea are served. A rabab (a lute-like instrument) player's voice fills the space with melancholy, followed by a flute solo. Once the show is over, we trudge back through the Siq to the main gates and out of the dead city.

Petra, meaning “rock'' in Greek, was carved out of the pink sandstone desert bowl and became home to the resourceful Nabataeans several centuries before Christ. Around 1200BC, these Arab Nabataeans who spoke the Semitic language Aramaic, arrived in the rocky valley of Petra, changing the face of history forever.

They cleverly engineered aqueducts to collect rainwater and carved fascinating temples for pagan deities from sandstone. With sea routes to the east as yet undiscovered, all trade passed through Petra, giving the Nabataeans a distinct commercial advantage.

“I'm 92 years, 3 months and 1 day old,'' declares Hani when I meet him the next day. Noting the incredulous look on my face he repeats the sentence, this time making sure I hear each word clearly. “I have been a guide for 65 years and I always find something new in Petra,'' Hani adds.

Well-travelled man

It is mid-August, the hottest month of the year in Jordan and yet this man makes countless journeys into the Siq, Al Khazneh and beyond. The approach from the main gate is riddled with horse riders seeking customers.

Little Bedouin shops dot the rocky landscape selling cups of sweet tea, pottery, jewellery and ancient coins. Even though some may find the site a trifle touristy, it does not distract from its raw beauty. Hani points out fossilised bones burrowed into the rocky sides of the Siq.

We walk through the entrance with 80-metre high cliffs on either side. Looking up to the caves high above, I see small niches that have been scooped out. The Nabataeans believed that these niches led the way upwards for the lost souls.

“I'm tired of life but not of Petra,'' says Hani as we climb down the rocks. He has just taken me to a burial site used for Nabataean royalty. Several rectangular tombs are now gaping holes in the ground.

Innovative people

The Nabataeans were an ingenious people, cleverly positioning themselves at these strategic crossroads of the spice and silk trade.

The city is believed to have been abandoned sometime after the 14th century and was forgotten by the world.

In 1812 Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt disguised himself as an Arab on a pilgrimage and gained access to the fiercely guarded rock city to rediscover Petra.

“Where there are rocks, you will find carvings,'' says Hani, pointing to Greek and Aramaic inscriptions, and intricately carved steps. Wadi Mousa is the town that developed around Petra with hotels and restaurants catering to tourist traffic.

In 1914 T.E Lawrence or Lawrence of Arabia, an archaeologist, visited Petra — now one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Go there ... Petra ... From the UAE ... From Dubai

Emirates flies daily via Amman. Fare from Dh1195

— Information courtesy:
The Holiday Lounge by Dnata. Ph: 04 4380454

Getting there

• The drive from Amman to Petra takes approximately three hours.
  
• Royal Jordanian Airline connects Dubai and Abu Dhabi daily with Queen Alia International Airport in Amman.
  
• Visit www.rj.com for details.

Where to stay

• A range of budget-friendly three-, four- and five-star hotels have sprung up around Wadi Mousa in the past few years.
  
• Crowne Plaza Petra: The hotel sits only a few metres from the main tourist attraction of Jordan — Petra. Guests can enjoy great views of the rock façades from the rooms and the poolside.

If you go

• Carry lots of water, sunscreen, a hat, wear comfortable clothing and shoes.
  
• Mid-morning or late afternoon is the best time for great photographs, when the sun casts shafts of light on to the rock façades.
  
• Approximately 70 guides operate within Petra. It is important to select a genuine guide. A guided tour costs extra and a tip is customary.
  
• If you are a female traveller visiting Petra alone, it is advisable to avoid conversations with Bedouin horseback riders within the lost city. A firm “no'' should do it.
  
• Bargaining is called for when opting for donkey, camel and horse rides.
  
• Petra by night: This tour is organised three times a week by the Petra Tourist Office near the entrance of Petra. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday nights. Tickets are priced at 12 Dinars (Dh62) per person.
  
• Petra by day: Tickets cost 21 Dinars (Dh108) for a day and 26 Dinars (Dh134) for a two-day pass.