Petra - World Heritage Site

May 14th, Monday we spent the entire day at Petra.  This site is huge.  We had a guide for the first 2 hours.  It was booked as 3 hour tour, but out guide's focus was to see how fast he could drag us to the drop off point.  He got annoyed when we stopped to take photos.  We should only take photos where he told us too as he knew best.  Our driver/guide has been the exception to all the local guides.  Ashraff has been very caring and considerate.  That's good since we spent 5 days with him!

I will try to reign myself in on the number of photos I post.  The geology and workmanship of the buildings carved into the sandstone were amazing.  Most of the photos show sandstone formations or sandstone buildings carved for public use.  Except for all the tombstones.  You go through a ton of very fancy tombs on your way to Petra to find a place to rest before you continued your journey.  It must have been to impress the visitors on how rich and powerful these people were - to guide them through all the tombs before they would get to the actual city.  Very little of the city has been exhumed. 

A tomb

 Three modes of transportation, horse & buggy, electric cart (not shown) walking.

 A representation of a god.  If you look close you can see eyes and nose.  There were many of these.

 Loved the sandstone formations!

 There were three statues at one time.  Only one sort of remains.  On the right is a staircase.

 The Treasury (really a tomb)

 The theatre.

The Gate.

 
 Mike engaging with the horse ride people.  They were very persistent and followed us around.

 Another tomb or two.

 The donkey looks so cute here.

 Policemen on horseback resting.

 More tombs.  Love the sandstone formations.

 Look closely at this sign.  It all seems normal - until you see "tampons". 

 Mike explained the sequence of events that led us to have a meal with the owners of  the "Artist Tours" of Jordan.  This was after the exhausting day at Petra.  If you have been to Japan you will understand how uncomfortable it is for Westerners to sit like this for hours.  The Owner had to help me get up.  He was so gracious about it - even tho he had issues with his knees because of a car accident.  In this very conservative Muslim home - I felt quite uncomfortable, as I was really treated as a man.  The women of the household were not invited to this meal.  I was later invited to meet the women.  Mike was not.  So I met the owners wife, daughter and first granddaughter.  The baby was only 40 days old and very cute.  I gained brownie points because I was so gushing.  I do love babies!