لقد قمت أخيرًا بزيارة الأردن والبتراء

Today was an early start to head towards the meeting point for the walking tour. I took a nice slow walk down admiring the views and taking pictures. I lost track of time as I turned up at the meeting point with just a few minutes to spare before the start of the tour. Anyone that knows me will tell you that I prefer to be super early. The guide must have thought I wasn’t coming as he said he tried to call me to see if I was close by.

The tour consisted of the guide, myself and 4 Poles. It was a nice cosy group. I got to speak to the Poles about Poland and use my 4 words in Polish. They were the ones to ask the questions and it saved me from asking them – which I liked.

The guide took us to our first stop – a bread shop to show us the different types of bread. He showed us how to cross the road and said that in Jordan pedestrians have the right of way and cars have to stop. There were police by us and they didn’t stop us from crossing but we gesturing to the cars that kept on going.

After the bread shop, we went to the “Thieves Market”. Apparently this is where sellers have their wares that have been acquired dubiously (shall we say). It was fun to see. They had all sorts of things to sell from old remote controls to broken hair dryers to clothes.

After here, we went to the vegetable market. It was really fun to see. Visual sensory overload with all the colours and nasal sensory overload with all the smells – neither of which were unpleasant. It was a nice contrast with the colours. Once we were done at the market, we were taken to a sweet (not our interpretation) shop and the guide got us some Kunafa. It is a dessert layered with cheese and filo pastry. This one had a pistachio topping. It was really nice and I was glad I tried it. I usually don’t do local cuisine either.

We then headed towards the gold shops which were plentiful. I wasn’t overly keen on seeing them but did as they were part of the tour. After this, we headed back to the meeting point and ended the tour.

I decided to go to the amphitheatre as it was now open. I managed to get in without having to show my pass. The views were awesome. To look up at the amphitheatre was just crazy and very disorientating. I decided I wanted to see the views from the top so made the ascent (yes, it felt that high up) to the top so I could sit up there and admire the views. It was a climb and a half let me tell you!

There were 28 steps from the ground to the first tier. From the first tier to the second there were 38 uneven and steep steps. From the second to the top tier there were 41 steep and uneven steps. My legs felt like jelly on each step and even at the top. I decided to get right back away from the edge to help me feel a little more safe.

The views were astounding. The views of the Citadel (which I had planned for the last day) were amazing. I sat up there in awe for about an hour and walked around the top too. I just didn’t know where to look.

After I was done here, I walked towards the mosque (of which they were everywhere as you would expect in a Muslim country) to get some pictures before heading towards the Nymphaeum. The guide had told us earlier that it was closed for “archeological works” and had been for a number of years. As I was taking pictures over the fence, a guy came out and let me in to walk around and take some pictures. I felt like the dog’s (and pardon my french) bollocks that I got to spend 30 minutes here and get some pictures that most people couldn’t.

After I was done here I headed back to the hostel for an early night as tomorrow I am going to Petra.

As I was walking and taking pictures people were saying hello and asking where I was from and welcoming me to the country. The people here are super friendly. As a friendly northerner, I loved it.

Total steps: 18,329

Total miles: 8.6

Below are some pics from today

Today was an early start as I had to be at the bus station for 06:00 for the bus to Petra. The hostel offered a round trip transfer for 100 JOD but this was not a price I wanted to pay. I found Jett Bus offered seats for 10 JOD each way and I decided on that. It was cheap enough to use Uber to get to the bus station.

It was weird as the offices weren’t even open for when we had to be there. The bus finally turned up and we set off. We then made a pick up at another bus station before heading out to Petra.

The road to Petra was really weird. It was motorway most of the way and then every so often there would be signs to say there were housing complexes and there would be speed bumps and a speed reduction and then back to motorway speeds after it. So bizarre.

We stopped halfway to use the toilet and get drinks. There were so many Jordanian souvenirs – and so expensive too. I passed on them and went to the bus after powdering my nose.

We finally got to Petra and I headed to get my ticket. I went to look for souvenirs too and the sellers were quite pushy. Always offering ‘very good price’. I found one that offered souvenirs at a price I wanted to pay. I asked if I could pay by card and he said yes. His card machine didn’t appear to be working properly and he was asking if I could pay in cash as he doesn’t usually allow card for so little. I told him I would look elsewhere and he found a working machine. Shock!

I started my descent down towards the Siq. Included in the ticket price is a horse ride down and the guy looked at me and said he had a bigger horse for me. I declined as I have no desire to ride a horse plus I wanted to enjoy the scenery and the views.

In Petra, there are 8 trails that you can do. There is only the main trail that you can do yourself. The others you need a guide and the guides are pushy trying to get you to do the trail and get money from you. I also noticed young kids selling postcards, gum, picture taking options. I politely declined everyone as I wanted to experience this for myself.

The canyon was so high up to look at. I loved it. There was so much to see. I don’t even know how to describe it properly. As I was walking, the Treasury came into view and I was in awe. Once I had rounded the corner I saw it in its full glory. I didn’t know where to look. It was awesome. I stopped for a drink and then headed more towards the end of the trail.

I crossed a bridge and climbed the rocks up to the top for a view over the amphitheatre. It was a tough climb but I am totally glad I did it. I said to the young un that I climed the rocks and said I couldn’t remember the formal word for it. Hiking – dear readers – is the word I was looking for.

There was a point where I thought I wouldn’t fit through but no fear. I did and I climbed further up. Once I had climbed back down, I went to the amphitheatre and then continued on down the Colonnade of Facades and down towards the end before once again powdering my nose and heading back to the entrance. It was a 5 mile round trip and quite pleasant (minus all the sand in the shoes).

I sat for a couple of hours in the shade waiting for the bus and it was quite pleasant. The journey back was uneventful. I was tired and tried to sleep for most of it. We stopped again at the halfway point and then headed back to the bus station. I got an uber back to the hostel and went to find some food before going back to the hostel to sleep. I was just that tired.

Total steps: 17,632

Total miles: 8.2

Below are some pics from today

I didn’t have a very good sleep as food wasn’t playing a good game with me and I was awake for a lot of the night.

I slept until about 11 and then headed towards Paris Square as it was suggested it was a nice place to go. I went here before I went to the Citadel.

The walk to Paris Square was down the hill from the hostel and then up A LOT of stairs. 173 to be exact. My legs were like jelly by the time I got to the top. I then found a shop and got some Strawberry Fanta and headed towards the square. My opinion: it’s not a square but a roundabout and not worth the time out to visit it. I’d say go there only if you are in that area. I found a Starbucks and had some cake and water and got an Uber to the Citadel. I wanted to be there to see the sunset. It was amazing to see. The sunset was really good too. I can’t find the words to describe how awesome both were.

I wanted to be there when the call to prayer was sounded too as I was told you could hear it reverberate and echo across the city as there were so many mosques. It was totally worth it.

I then headed back to the hostel to just chill for the evening and pack ready for the flight back to Krakow tomorrow.

Below you can see the timelapse of the sunset and the call to prayer across the valley.

 

Total steps: 7,338

Total miles: 3.4

Below are some pics from today