One day while watching National Geographic program there was a quick ad for Petra, a future broadcast.
Now, when i was a little kid, my father used to subscribe to National Geographic and it was for him his
outlet, hiw way to see the world. He used to read to us about cities and old extinct civilizations that once
lived in these old cities. He said his dream was to see Petra, the Pink City. Petra? wasn't that the name of my great great grandma? i used to think.
As years went by, and i pretty much forgot about that night with my father at the table talking about "Petra",
one day while watching a movie, Indiana Jones and the Holy Grail, that day came back to my brain.. PETRA!
" I remember that building IN the mountain " and so it began.. my OWN dream to see Petra.
I made the comment to my ever ready to travel MOM and Noreen and they said... well,. LET's GO!
- those 2 need any excuse to pack up and go! - and so OFF we went.
Firs Stop: Aman, Jordan.
Aman was my first stop in the middle east, ever for me. What an eye opener. Just at the airport you DO feel
you are in another world. From the airport we went to the bus station to catch the 3 hr ride to Petra.
No reservations, no seat assigments, no NOTHING. you push yourself to the window to get a ticket and then
push to get in the bus. Then the drive into the dessert begins ... it was such a ... such a time of my life that
i basically blocked out those 3 hrs.
When finally arrived, we made our way to the Intercontinental Petra, which stands just a few meters from the entrance to the ruins. Now we just have to wait for sun to come up.
A few hours later, with very little sleep, we began our treck, sun still not up, but tourist already were
walking down the dusty path. That first day we walked what it seemed for hours... but once you made that
one last turn and come to face to face with the "indiana jones building" the world stops and you hear your heart beat in your ears. No one is around you,, or so it feels.. you feel... this moment of.. scilence. Then you blink, and you realize you are standin somewhere very few people have ever been. Then all of the sudden i hear my heart again.. and the voice of my dad telling me about the pink city from the pages of the "yellow magazine".
I get chills and i remember i have to snap a photo or two.
This trip was one of the most incredible trips i have ever taken.
I have been to many places in the world by that time, but nothing had prepared me for so many "personal moments" i experienced in Jordan.
From day 1, seeing the magnificent mountain carved buildings, - many of then took hours and hours
of hiking to get to! - but also when reaching one of the most beautiful mountain tops and we all kinda went our
separate ways to "think" and have a quiet moment. You really CAN hear yourself think. All you see below you are arid mountain tops, a dust storm in a distance and you can taste the freshness of the air.
Another similar moment was at top Mt Nebo, where it is said Moses saw the promise land at his feet.
A proper curch and monument, stands there marking moses "site" where he stood. REALLY? MOSES was here?
it is true then?
The Jordan River ... another WOW moment.. Where history says Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist..
then there was Aqaba, mabada, Queen's Noor palace in Aman... the dead sea.... wow.. too much. Way too much
for this little boy from acapulco. The photos are slowly making their way to this side, so keep on coming back to check on them. To begin with.. here are a few of them....
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