179. Petra

179. Petra

Jauntily we go riding rented horses down into the narrow, twisting dry gorge that conceals and contains the hidden city. Rounding a bend, we are suddenly confronted with a classic-style building facade, perhaps seventy feet high, carved into the sandstone cliff. This unexpected work of art is called “The Treasury”.

Other huge, elegant building facades adorn the ramparts of the deep and narrow chasm. All are carved directly into the native sandstone, which is streaked with pleasing colors: rose red, pale blue, yellow, beige and white. This hidden city looks like it is sculpted of soft Neapolitan ice cream!

What a lot of time and effort were expended here in this desolation!

We thought we had rented the horses for the day, but the guide that comes with the horses wants to take them back to the guesthouse to rent to other tourists if any appear. I argue and raise hell, but of course he takes the horses explaining that he will return with them for us in the afternoon, and walking around the ghost city soon cools my temper. Horses are certainly not necessary to enjoy this compact “city”. 

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