Petra

 

  We follow Ibrihim into The Siq, a narrow slot canyon that twists through the sandstone bedrock to the hidden city of Petra. It is early enough that there are sections of the walk that are without other visitors and we are alone from time to time in the canyon that is sometimes twenty feet wide and hundreds of feet deep. The hidden entry protected the area which was inhbited from about 400 bc. There are some fameous structures here; toumbs carved into the rock faces - think Indiana Jones. All in all it is a fun day  - the weather is rotten, cold and windy, but we enjoy meeting all the people that Ibrihim greets along the way. "She is from this tribe, he is so-and-so's brother in law, this is my cousin" Everyone is friendly and if they have something to offer - jewlery, a camel ride, some tea - well, that goes with the terratory. We meet Captain Jack Sparrow, not really, but he does look a lot like Johnny Depp. We meet a weathered old gentleman selling ancient coins, discovered after a recent flash flood. Lisa and Barbara meet the author of a book they had read - Married to a Bedioun. She is from New Zealand but met a man when touring the area when she was young, and never left. She was filling in at her son's gift shop while he is away. Lisa buys some earings from her. As we return at the end of the day, the weather has worsened, dust and sand flying. Back in the hotel, I look in the mirror and my face is red from windburn in spite of the bandana I wore most of the day.