The Treasury!

Our walk down to the Treasury has many stops as our tour guide, Hanson, (who was our guide the last time we were here) stops along the way and tells us little facts and such, all the while ignoring the armed guard who seems to have fallen off an Indiana Jones movie poster. Seriously! Look at this guy!
Not to worry. The armed guard ignored us as well.

A guard a Petra

We stop and look up at the carvings, seeing imaginative creatures, created by both man and wind. Elephants, grand facades and raptor claws.

A taste of the grandness to come!

Wind has erased most of this camel.

Is it an elephant or a fish?

Can you see the raptor claw?

A silly pair getting married!

 

There are also camels and a pair of wayward souls participating in a traditional wedding ceremony. Can you guess who they are?

Then, finally, we're urged to peek on an angle into the final part of the wadi, and there we see the masterpiece. 

The Treasury.

It's incredible to be here!

Just to stand here, as the day warms up, within the busy courtyard, fending off hawkers and staring up at the high red walls, we are just in awe.  

There is still much to see. I can barely take it all in. 

A panoramic view beyond the treasury.

Didn't I see him in the Caribbean?

Lunch is at a cafeteria at the far end, past the treasury, past Johnny Depp above, where we had stopped for photos, camel rides, and to purchase things off the local hawkers. My husband bartered for bracelets and a fake coin, and came away without a hat, sunglasses and his watch. Me? I bought two fridge magnets.

For lunch, some choose the $10 US bag lunch and others eat the snacks they brought with them. We make sure we get a photo of our local Sackville group. We have some with sore joints who shouldn’t attempt the climb back up to the entrance; they take first a donkey ride, then a cart ride. 

A motley crew if there ever was one!

They race up and down the wadi, for $30US, mind you.

The day has been a great one, getting to know the others, huffing and puffing and laughing at those who chose a camel or donkey ride. We're starting to ache and I look forward to the steamy indoor pool back at the resort. 

 

Can you see the steam? It's getting cold again.

A welcomed end to the day!

Our first full day is ending, but tomorrow we start a new chapter. On to Israel!

Let's back up a bit

First, I want to skim over our experience of traveling. Secondly, I want to tell you that I did my best to write down all our guides told us. Any mistakes are my own.

Our Moncton to Toronto flight is delayed until 6 pm due to weather in Toronto. Then it's delayed again. And again. We soon realize that we'll miss our connection to Frankfurt and won't meet up with the rest of the team until Jordan. One team member reminds us that Rick Warren says to pray with surety. 

So we do.

I'll jump over this part and all our layovers in Montreal and London, and happily announce that late in the next evening, (or is it the next one?  It doesn't matter.) we make it to Jordan! We’re met at the airport by a man who has arranged for VIP treatment through customs. Our luggage arrives in good order, something we have learned that the remaining team members are unable to say. It will take them three days to get their checked luggage!

The trip to our hotel in Petra takes about 2.5 hours and we arrive in the wee hours.

We're staying two nights at the Old Village Resort, a lovely complex designed to mimic a village from ancient days. Several of our team, however, have trouble getting into their room, and end up in another room. Only much later do we realize the key should turn in the opposite direction. Old fashioned keys! What are we to do with them? 

Inside ours, we have to put on the heat. It’s surprisingly cold after the sun goes down. 

The Old Village Resort

The next morning is brisk and clear, a day full of promise. Breakfast is excellent, as we meet up with our team leader and the rest of the group. I choose pickled fish, vegetables, mixed fruit, sausages, falafels and good coffee. It may seem a strange combination, but I'm always up for trying new things.
The view outside the dining room is magnificent, a look into Wadi Musa, the canyon that extents down to the site of old Petra.The sun is peeking over the eastern edge, lighting the houses that fill the western hillside like jigsaw pieces.
Now it's on to a UNESCO world heritage site. Petra!

Welcome Home!

You may think I'm greeting you at the airport. Nope. Rather, I'm asking you to take a trip with me. 
Yes, a trip.
To be a pilgrim. We're going to the Holy Land, and I've tucked you into my suitcase. 
Don't worry, it was a smooth flight and the air is warm and the sun is shining. We have found our bus and settled in.
Our guide steps into the aisle, takes the microphone and says with a smile, "Welcome Home."
In the coming weeks, and with a lot of daily blogs, you and I are going to explore the Holy Land together. I recently returned from there and want to share my experience with you.
And since I'm not currently writing anything, my blog has become my creative outlet. But not to worry. Each day will be friendly and peaceful and completely enjoyable. 

Garden of Gethsemane

So, please bookmark this page, fill your mug with whatever drink you prefer, and relax. This will be worth your time. 
See you tomorrow.