Travel

Trip to Petra This is a slide show of photos I took while traveling from Israel to Petra, in Jordan, as well as photos of Petra itself. We would love to have you, the members of TOS50.com, send videos or photos of interesting trips you’ve taken so we can post them on our website. Sharing photos and/or writing about  a great vacation you took can be helpful to those of us who are seeking out interesting places to visit and, at the same time, you will get to relive your own wonderful adventure. We look forward to hearing from you. Photos and videos should be e-mailed to admin@tos50.com.  Videos should not be more than three to four minutes long.  Information or questions can be posted in the Travel section of the website.
 
I traveled to Petra in Jordan last June with a friend. I had been warned that it was a strenuous trip, and it was; however, it was an awe-inspiring experience, and although I was exhausted at the end of the day, I enjoyed the trip immensely. Send your travel videos to: admin@tos50.com Petra is a unique city carved into the rocks by people who settled there more than 2000 years ago (the Nabateans). Petra was chosen as the capital of the Nabatean people because it was located in a valley surrounded by sandstone mountains. The rock is deep pink in color. That, in and of itself, is rather startling. Upon entering Petra you can’t help but be overwhelmed by its beauty and the incredible architectural achievements of an ancient people. In 2007 Petra was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The “Siq” is the main entrance to Petra. There are 800 tombs in Petra, but the Kazneh is the most famous. “Kazneh” means “treasure.” The Bedouins believe that the Pharaoh hid his treasure in the urn at the top of the Kazneh while he was chasing the Israelites who were leaving Egypt. The gorge and the Kazneh (The temple) were made famous in the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
 
The trip is made difficult by the fact that motorized vehicles are not permitted to enter the site. You can walk, hire a horse or a horse and carriage, a donkey or a camel to take you around. The route is approximately five miles round trip. You travel into Petra downhill, however, the return trip is uphill. The roads are made of stone and, therefore, even the carriage ride is uncomfortable. Nevertheless, whatever discomfort may be involved in actually reaching Petra is unimportant as compared to its breathtaking grandeur. In 1985, UNESCO recognized Petra as a World Heritage Site. There are wonderful hotels in and around Petra. However, we chose to return to Israel to stay at a Kibbutz that we were familiar with for a few days. Since we are on “The Other Side of 50,” the trip was somewhat strenuous for us and we needed to take some time to rest before continuing on with our travels. A special thanks to Al Cinamon (www.TJHS55.US) for preparing the slide show on Petra. Remember to send your travel videos to: admin@tos50.com