Day 12 – Thursday, March 31: Wadi Rum, Petra
Today we awakened to the beautiful red sandstone desert of Wadi Rum. The day would be tiring but filled with turn after turn of ”wow” and “awe” moments. Here in southern Jordan, the sun was strong, with highs in the 70s. Perfect!
Wadi Rum
Following breakfast we had four pickup trucks (with benches in the back bed) awaiting us. Off into the Wadi Rum desert we went. We stopped a few places to take in the beauty of this painted desert. The views were spectacular with the early morning sun.
Petra
We returned to Captain’s where we boarded the bus and drove about 1:45 hours north to Petra. We read from Obadiah 1 (about Edom). We also heard a talk about the Exodus route, the location of Mt. Sinai, and the route that finally took the Israelites to Mt. Nebo. Taking the Kings’ Highway the last part of the way, we arrived at Wadi Musa and the ancient site of Petra. After enjoying a panoramic view of the Seir Mountains (Deuteronomy 2, 33; Ezekiel 35), we began our visit around 12 noon. We all thoroughly enjoyed the spectacular scenery and tombs/ruins of this ancient Nabaetean city! This red-rose ancient city is deemed one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Located in the heart of the Seir Mountains, the land of the Edomites. The Six brought us to the first monument, “The Treasury” (“Al-Khazneh”). This well-preserved monumental tomb appeared in the movie “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” It was the tomb of the Nabatean King named Aretas (Paul mentions him in 2 Cor. 11:32). His daughter (or granddaughter – depending on dating) was the former wife of Herod Antipas, see Matthew 14).
“The word that comes to mind today is ‘spectacular!’ Between the visits to Wadi Rum and Petra, these deserts are beautiful areas of such color. The jeep rides were so much fun. Walking through ancient Petra was also!”
From the Treasury we now began our walk into the city. Besides passing by many of the Nabatean tombs, we walked by a 3,000-seat theater carved into the sandstone, one of the largest theaters in Jordan. From here, some in the group walked to the Monastery Tomb at the far west side of Petra, while others explored on their own (e.g. the Royal Tombs). The Aravah and Negev of Israel could barely be seen in the haze to the west. Two in the group also hiked to the High Place far above the site. We all walked back to the visitor center for a long-waited cold drink, shower, and a great dinner.
We wake early tomorrow and leave at 6 a.m. for our re-crossing back into Israel at the Allenby Border.
Day 13 – Friday, April 1: Southern Border Crossing into Israel, Jerusalem
