I wasn't joking
One Friday however, my friends and I did manage to visit a lesser-known attraction in Jordan called Wadi Mujib. We got a little lost finding the place, even though we passed right through it the first time, and from the top the area kind of looks like Jordan’s version of the Grand Canyon.
We eventually wandered all the way to a city called Karak to the South of Amman, where I managed to snap a picture of its famous castle. Karak Castle was a giant crusader castle built by the French in 1142, and was the scene of a major battle between the French Crusader Reynald de Chatillon and the Arab Armies of Saladin in 1183. Saladin won the battle, and it was controlled by different Islamic Armies since that time. To be honest, I’m mostly interested in this battle because it’s featured in the video game Age of Empires 2.
After a while of driving and reaching the Dead Sea Coast, we finally found Wadi Mujib. Entrance to this area, a hiking park, cost us 13 JD ($18), which I believe was with a student discount. Somewhat ominously, you’re also required to sign a waiver before entering. I had seen pictures of this area before, and knew that hiking involved getting wet. Therefore, I decided to leave my camera in the car for this one, which unfortunately means that I don’t have any pictures. This was disappointing since there were several great opportunities for scenic shots during the hike, as you spent the entire time at the bottom of a canyon and the rock formations on either side of you were incredible. The pictures below that I found online should give you a good idea of what the hike was like.
Essentially, you’re hiking upstream in knee deep water the entirety of the hike, which is very tiring with the current going against you. The hike upstream takes about 2 hour to complete, and ends when you reach a massive waterfall that is essentially impossible to climb. There are several obstacles over the course of the hike, including shorter waterfalls and slippery rocks that you have to scale with the help of ropes and the occasional park attendant. I got a few bruises during the climb, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone not prepared to strain themselves. There are some safety precautions though, as everyone hiking is required to wear a life jacket. These make the hike downstream fun as well, since you can lie down in the water and have it carry you for a few meters.
The next day I went on another major excursion - the University-sponsored trip to Petra. This was my second time visiting Petra (I first visited during my Spring Break in 2009), so had already seen most of the major monuments and attractions there. However, Petra is definitely worth a second visit.
While my first visit to Petra, if I recall correctly, cost me 30 JD ($42), this trip cost a whopping 50 JD ($70) for admission. They did not have any sort of student discount, and the ticket vendors insisted that the only reduced fare was 1 JD ($1.40) for those who possessed Jordanian residency cards. Despite this steep price, I would say that it is worth it for anyone who visits Jordan, as it is the most significant “must-see” attraction in the country.
The day we visited Petra was incredibly hot, and my purchase of 3 liters of water outside the entrance was definitely a wise investment. The trip organizers only really gave us about 4 hours to explore Petra, which was enough for a repeat visit but would have been disappointing for the first-time since it didn’t leave enough time to see everything the park has to offer. Petra is very, very large, and taking occasional breaks due to the heat and strong sun was a necessity.
Every trip to Petra begins with a walk through a narrow crevice called the Siq, which is actually the Arabic word for crevice. Impressive rock walls surround you on your left and right, and this is fortunately the shadiest part of the hike.
You know you’ve reached the end of the Siq when you see the Treasury, Petra’s most famous landmark, emerge from around a corner.
A little more walking and you can see the Treasury in its total glory.
Past the Treasury is what I called the ancient city’s “main street,” which is full of rock carvings, temples, a giant amphitheater, and various caves that you can explore. Unfortunately, we didn’t really have the time necessary to wander around this area, and my friend Mike and I made a bee line for the mountain trail.
Hiking the trail up the mountain in the intense heat was incredibly strenuous, especially since we were rushed and barely stopped for any breaks. Most of the trail is essentially a staircase, although the roughly 1000 steps to the top shouldn’t make you think that this is easy. The trail is lined with Bedouin souvenir sellers and shopkeepers, and as I neared the top, I wondered how they got things such as furniture and refrigeration to the top of the mountain.
However, once you climb the final steps, you’re treated to Petra’s other famous landmark, the Monastery.
You can actually enter the Monastery if you don’t mind scaling a small wall, although it’s essentially empty inside. Additionally, the area around the Monastery offers the best views in Petra, if you’re willing to climb a bit further up a trail (we figured that even though we were pressed for time, that we had already come so far).
We then relaxed at a snack stand by the monastery for a bit, and I didn’t mind paying the ripoff prices for bottles of water there since I was genuinely exhausted at this point. The climb down the mountain was much easier, although we were still rushed to get back to the bus in time.
Overall, the trip was definitely worthwhile, despite the heat, sunburn, and price, and I was really glad that I didn’t pass up the opportunity for the second visit.
I truthfully haven’t gone on many eventful trips since Petra, and have just been finishing Arabic classes in Amman. Ramadan began on August 1, and until August 31, Muslims (94% of Jordan’s population) are not allowed to eat, drink, or smoke from sunrise to sunset. For foreigners, this means that all snack stands, restaurants, and café’s are closed until 7:30 (with the exception of a Subway near the University), and eating, drinking, or smoking in public in front of those fasting is considered a real faux pas. Supermarkets are thankfully open all day though, so I’ve been buying snacks and eating them either at my apartment or sneaking them in the University (in the bathroom).
Ramadan ends with a major holiday called Eid al-Fitr, which is essentially a big all-night party of food to mark the final fast breaking. Unfortunately, I won’t be in the Middle East at that time, because I’ll be home in New York!
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