Entering Petra

Let's walk in, shall we?  The siq, or canyon which is not technically a canyon because it was caused by a split in the rock, winds along for quite a ways, and it's breathtaking the whole time. It's impossible to do the place justice in photos, especially with a little point & shoot. But I'll show what I've got anyway.

Starting at 6:30am, we had the place nearly to ourselves, with only a few other people spaced out far enough to give a sense of solitude.

The rocks still show signs of having fit together once.  On the left above, and both sides below, you can see the carved water channels that run the length of the siq.

Look for the geometric, carved alcoves in the photo below, tiny in the face of the rock. There were so many of these, all with subtle stairways or paths leading to them, as if the Nabateans tended them regularly.

Okay here it comes....

No words for that moment, except that the camels are very well placed.

The intricacy and depth of carving, into and against the living rock, is staggering.

 We reached the Treasury before the sun, and as we turned down the next path, we found that the men from the coffee shop opposite the Treasury had come down here to sit in the first warm sunlight, as it lit up some tombs.

Next, we go up.