The Last Crusade

The Last Crusade…..

Did you watch the 3^rd movie in the Indiana Jones Trilogy called ‘The Last Crusade’?  If you did, you will remember the last part and the climax of the movie that was filmed in an amazing place called Petra.

           When I found out that one of our stops in Jordan would be in Petra, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like.  How in the world would we get back to this archealogical treasure that was tucked in between a mountain, carved thousands of years ago. 

Petra is another famous ruins that is in the country of Jordan.  It was a city that was built by the Nabataeans, ancient Arabs who originally came from the Arabian Peninsula. For a history lesson…the Nabataeans are not listed among the tribes of the Arab genealogies, their origins are obscure.  They are first mentioned in historic documents around 312 BC. 

They had lived a considerable time in north-western Arabia, and then settled in Petra because of a natural cut in the mountains that saved days of travel through a harsh desert, and mountainous region.  It was a strategic area that lay on the ancient trade routes linking China and India to the Mediterranean coastal cities.  The Nabataeans; masters of the region’s trade routes, levying tolls, protecting caravans laden with Arabian frankincense and myrrh, Indian spices and silks.  And where have we heard about frankincense, and myrrh? You guessed it, the Kings that traveled from the East to visit the Christ child.  They would have likely traveled this ancient road that took them through Petra.

Of course, like everywhere else in this region, Roman influence was seen as well.  Ancient colonnaded streets are still seen, tombs of royalty, pagan temples, a high place of sacrifice, a treasury, and the As-Siq, which is the famous main entrance to Petra.  A 1200 meter long, deep and narrow gorge that is carved by water into beautiful reddish colored rocks. A strong cool wind flows down the shaded path way.  Not at all what the desert feels like otherwise.  It is an absolutely amazing sight.

We walked through it in 5 hours, and most people take at least 2—3 days to visit it.

Keith and I loved every minute of it.  It was hot, dry, and not for the faint of heart to walk 1 ½ miles in to the Treasury façade, another 1 ½ miles inside, and then back out. That doesn’t count the miles we walked around the ruins, and up a 100 step ancient stairway with no rails.   We don’t know how many miles we walked that day in the hot sun and dry conditions, but it was so worth it. 

This special place was where I decided to take a bucket list experience. 

I rode a Camel! 

A live, smelly, growling, chewing his cud, Camel.  I am glad that Keith didn’t have the video camera running while that camel was getting up from his sitting position with me sitting on his hump saddle.  While he was getting up I had to throw my body back and then balance forward while he manuevered his front legs up, all this after he had unfolded his back legs. This has to be done while I am hanging on both in the front and the back.  It was quite a sight to see, and I am sure it wasn’t a pretty picture when I was trying to balance myself on top of this large creature, but it was a blast, and I am so glad  I did it.

While walking up the path way that led out of Petra….I could almost hear the Indiana Jones theme song…

I hope you can go to Petra someday……