My Top 5 ‘Petra’ Experiences
Petra has an obvious magic. For me, it’s the soul of Jordan. There is a certain enigma about it. The pink rocks, the caves, the history and the Bedouins make Petra a mysteriously beautiful city. The fact that it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World evoke curiosity to visit it and when you do, it just spellbinds you!
Also read The Landscapes Of Jordan
When I was about to visit Jordan, all I knew about it was Petra. The sight of Petra Treasury was imprinted in my imagination. I was obviously fascinated by it. But, I had no clue that it would be so unfathomable and full of magic.
I wish I had more time to chew on Petra’s mysteries, but let me share some of my best experiences in Petra –
Visiting Little Petra
I found Little Petra absolutely remarkable. As the name suggests, it is a small version of what the main Petra is. However, the magic is not at all little. Yes, even Little Petra is equally evocative and dramatic.
According to Wikipedia, Little Petra is an archaeological site located north of Petra and the town of Wadi Musa in the Ma’an Governorate of Jordan. Like Petra, it is a Nabataean site, with buildings carved into the walls of the sandstone canyons. As its name suggests, it is much smaller, consisting of three wider open areas connected by a 450-metre (1,480 ft) canyon.
The Petra walk by night
My most favourite part of the Petra trip was walking towards the treasury in the dark. The walk leads you to the show called ‘Petra by night’, which is an event to showcase the treasury rocks in the laser light.
The ‘Petra by night’ show didn’t really impress me much, but walking the entire Siq to the Treasury with candles lit throughout the way was definitely thrilling. Though I was with my fellow travellers and bloggers, I deliberately chose to walk alone for some time to take in the aura around. The ‘stillness’ that accompanied me as I marched along the rocks was kind of awe-inspiring.
The Petra Treasury by day
The next day, we walked towards the Petra Treasury in the morning as well, and it was equally mesmerizing. In fact, it fascinated me even more when I saw the rocks and caves in the daylight after having walked amidst them in the night. Perhaps I gasped at each rock that I came across – they were massive!
The feeling of just being…
Petra is a kind of place where you just want to be. It reminded me of Jaisalmer for some reason. I guess the aura of rusticity is quite similar between the two cities. I loved the arid air of Petra.
Snapping photos
Of course, photography is always a joy for me, but there are places that just drive me crazy. Petra is one of them for sure. If you ever get a chance to visit Petra, make sure you have the best camera, tripod (I didn’t carry one, and I regret it) and a good camera phone, too.
Petra is simply irresistible for a photographer.
Also read How Did I Learn Travel Photography
Petra is one of the most fascinating places I have ever been to.
What do you say? What’s the most inspiring place you have ever visited?
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