My Inner Peace

PETRA, the City of the Magic Fire (3rd part)

The Canyon

I left “The Monastery” behind and I went down to find “Prophet Aaron’s Tomb” (Moses bother). Google Maps was showing it somewhere downstairs, into another Canyon. So, there we are, following Google’s indications. Needless to say, that the “Mighty” Google was lost as well, so after a while, we found a local man and asked him about the trail towards Aaron’s Tomb. The man told us we can reach it that way as well, but it’s the longest way and the most difficult one. Hence, he advised us to get back to the “Crown Plaza Restaurant” (Yep, there is a Crown Plaza right in the heart of Petra’s ancient site 😊) and from there we will see the easiest way.

While I was walking towards “Crown Plaza Restaurant” I felt actually grateful. Thanks to Google’s indications, I think I’ve seen one of the most beautiful Canyons on Earth. Every step was made with a full heart and amazement in front of the Mother Nature’s power of creation. I took so many pictures there willing to take home with me every corner, every rock and every shade and glimpse of light playing within that Canyon. Needless to say, that the pictures cannot show the greatness of what the eye had witnessed there.

Once back to “Crown Plaza Restaurant”, I looked around to find an indicator towards Aaron’s Tomb. I found nothing, actually. However, I had a friend back home that was visiting Petra two months ago and he was doing the same thing. So, a quick Whatsapp message, and I received the number of a local guy that was arranging jeep trips to the tomb. I always prefer to walk, but taking into account that was already 3 pm and in Jordan, in November at 5 pm may get really dark, I said “ok, jeep it is!”. I wanted so much to find this tomb. God knows why, but at that particular time something was pulling me towards that place. Later, I understood why.

Sunset on the mountain

So, here I am, in the middle of a lot of Jordanian people telling me it is impossible to reach the tomb at that hour, but with a donkey, they can show me other beautiful places around. Well, “impossible” it’s a word I really like, ‘cos I know something amazing is about to happen really soon. When they saw I was firm in going up there, one of the guys called this man and gave me his phone to talk to him. He tried to convince me to came back the next morning, but once I explained him that was my last day in Petra, he offered to find someone willing to get me a ride up on the mountain. He found a guy, but an endless back and forth on Whatsapp started, and everything was about the money. He asked a huge amount of money for my budget, and when I said NO, he asked me what I am willing to pay. At that particular point I my fever was back and I was really exhausted. I just wanted to sit, rest and do a meditation, and close my personal story with Petra in this life. So I gave him for two people a sum I thought he will never excepted, meaning 25 % less than he asked for one person. He continued to negotiate while I was already giving up and focus to find “my meditation spot”. I must confess that at a certain point I was so trilled to find a certain place chatting with my friend, and I was not listens to his messages anymore. But when I did, I was really surprised to see he accepted my offer of 25 % less than he asked for one person.

At this point I was like… “WTF! I need my meditation and I am so close to do it here and now!” Then, suddenly, I remembered what all the people before used to tell me: “It’s IMPOSSIBLE to get there at this hour!”.

Hellooo, Diana! This is your sign! So, move your butt, forget the fever and go to find “your meditation spot” up there!  

We’ve met our driver up on a hill, we stepped into this “kind of a jeep”, and he started to drive up and down on the mountain. There were moments I thought the car will fall apart, but it didn’t, and the driver did his part acording to the deal we had. Soon after we left, I was again amazed by the beauty of the nature and while the Sun was drawing shades and red lights over the astonishing shapes of the mountains, I thought “what am I doing to a tomb that will be closed when we will arrive?” And right after I set my intention that no matter the hour of the arrival, all the doors and all the ways should be opened in front of us. Two minutes after, the man I was dealing with for this adventure called the driver and he offered to help me have a great experience because he knew my friend back home. And due to the fact that it will get dark and we need to walk for another hour up to the mountain and everything will be closed, he proposed to send a guide and to show us the way and open the tomb for us. Of course, everything in exchange of some money. Needless to say the amount was not important for me anymore, as I felt his phone call as a quick answer to my intention set few minutes ago.

So, from “impossible” to a jeep ride and a guide opening the tomb for us, I think it’s a good progress. 😊

After a while we reached the point where the car stopped and we started to hike. The Sun was going down, my fever was going up hence my body was not answering anymore to all my mind orders, and my friend that was accompanying me was also tired and had an arm in pain. Plus, we didn’t have had a proper meal that day. There was such a pressure around, both from outside and inside. We where looking up to see the mountain’s top and we were just spotting another peck to be climbed. At a certain point, our guide pointed towards a peck saying in Arabic (he was not speaking English) that the tomb is there. Such a relief, yet such a worry seeing the mountain we were still had to climb.  It was almost dark, but the Moon was shining, so we managed to reach the top without artificial light.

Moon over the mountain

Once on the top, I was so happy, I wanted to scream and let the entire world know that we did it! Instead, I kept inside that feeling and went inside the tomb to do my meditation I was waiting for so long, now.  I was so grateful I was there and I knew something brought me there even if under so many feelings I was not able to understand yet. But I did my part, I prayed and I tried to harmonize my mind, my body, and my soul, to be able to get down quick and safely.

By the time I finished everything, it was completely dark, but the Moon was still shining. However, the mountain has its paths, and some of them were in complete darkness, so we had to light up the way using my headlight and the torch from my friend’s phone. It took us 50 minutes to get down and reach the car again. But this time our bodies felt lighter, the pains were almost off, and the steps were firmer. The tricky thing is that when you go down from a mountain and it’s dark, the headlight makes you see more the path you are walking on, so the mind it’s not scared anymore by the parts she doesn’t see. And there were some dangerous parts over there, that during the day maybe would have been more difficult to overcome than during the night when you are not able to see them. 😊

Hiking with headlight

Once in the car, the fever hit again. The driver dropped us at the meeting point, so we still had to walk inside the site for a while. He showed us the way, and while we were walking, a dog came along. He was a sort of a guide too, as he showed us the way when more paths were crossing. Back on the official route towards “The Treasury”, we were stopped by the site police. They asked us for the ID and the Jordan Pass, and then two of them escorted us to “The Treasury”. They explained us it’s their job to make sure everyone gets safe outside the site and no one gets lost in these mountains still inhabited by the Bedouins.

Back to “The Treasury”, the ritual of so-called “Petra by night” was already began. So, we had the chance to see what was all about, and we received a personal guard to escort us inside “The Siq” as well. While we were walking inside the canyon, my fever was higher and higher, so once the guard decided to greet us and get back to “The Treasury”, we found a bench, we sit for a while to rest a bit, and ate some dates to be able to take a pill to drop down the fever.

Petra by night

Then we walked towards to exit, and continued to walk to a local food place for a tasty falafel, our first proper meal of the day, at 10:30 pm.

7th of November, a day full of amazing experiences, when the unthinkable became reality, and the “Impossible” became POSSIBLE. We hiked for 33 km that day, but for one that walked the Camino de Santiago three times, it was the most insightful walk I have ever experienced.

The most profound lesson of that day?

“When you think your body it’s completely broken, Faith will still keep you walking for hours even into the darkness, driven by your Heart and your Soul. And that revels the power of the inner light! ”   

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To be continued…

PETRA, the City of the Magic Fire (2nd part)

After an evening full of medicines and all kind of therapies, I finally managed to sleep and I woke up at 6 am willing to explore the magic tracks of Petra. I went to the Visitor’s Center and I started walking inside the archeological site at 8:45 am. I expected to find less people, but, to my surprise, there were a lot of big groups walking around, taking pictures and speaking all kind of languages. I was walking so fast to find some peace in there, but soon I found out it was really impossible before reaching again “The Treasury”.

The second day in Petra is different than the first one. “The Siq” and “The Treasury” are already familiar, so you don’t need to spend too much time there anymore. What I did on this part was just walking, and once I reached the Treasury, I went up on the mountain to take some pictures from that angle as well. Being early in the morning, the sun highlighted a part of the place where we were sitting to take “the perfect picture”, so we had the chance to play with the light and shadow and to do some great shoots. Up there, you need to pay 1 JOD, and you receive a black tea… awful! 😊

Petra – The Treasury

Once we came back from the mountain and reached again the “Street of Facades”, we passed the “Theatre” and the “Great Temple” and we continued to walk towards the “Ad Deir” known as “The Monastery”. To reach it, we had to climb another mountain, and from a certain point, to walk the 850 stairs on the way up. There were so many donkeys exploited up and down on the mountain to help tourists climb it easily. Some of them were so sad, and I spent some minutes with them just cuddling and making them feeling special. And the most impressive thing was to see a few of them crying while I was petting them. They broke my heart in so many pieces, as I really felt their sadness, loneliness and hard time to cope with the effort their masters were asking them to do. And, to be honest, I don’t think climbing that mountain on the back of a donkey is too much fun. I’ve seen tourists scared, uncomfortable or just tired to keep the balance on some tricky paths to avoid falling from a peak. So, I would say, think twice before asking for a ride. It may cause you more pain then just walking, and you will force an innocent animal to make a huge effort under your weight.

Petra – The way to The Monastery

So, step by step, stair by stair, breath by breath, and amazed by the beautiful Canyons we were crossing, we managed to win the race with our own limits, and reach the peak. And there it was “The Monastery”, 47m wide and 48,3 m high. This amazing building dates from 2nd century AD and it took the name “The Monastery” after it was used as a Christian chapel. Different yet similar with “The Treasury”, what stroked me again were the details and the perfect cuts into the mountain. If the “Tombs” and the “Great Temple” are “less perfect” and the time got them and left some important tracks, “The Monastery” and “The Treasury”, are still there and more perfect than the others, even if they are supposed to be older (except “The Church”).

Petra – The Monastery

Now, being on the top of the mountain and witnessing such a beautiful architecture, I always have to check it from different perspectives. And here, I had a new idea! Why not taste this monumental building?! 😊 Inspired by the donkeys that were licking the rocks, I tried the same with “The Monastery”. Aaaand… Surprise! The walls are salty! And this information can produce now so many stories. My favorite one is that everything was under the water ages ago, and all the rocks and Canyons around are salty! 😊 I haven’t taste them all, still, I like to believe they are! 😊

Petra – The Salty Monastery

Once the crazy things were done and the pics were made, I just set down looking for a while at this amazing shape. It is so beautiful to allow yourself to dive into the unknown story of this place and just feel it inside out. There is this new layer covering the history the local people are telling. This layer much more profound that doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. I think is just there for whom is really interested to see it and to feel it. It’s maybe the unspoken voice of the Mighty Spirit of Creation.

To be continued…

I am an independent writter, so if you like my stories, I invite you to support my activity with a donation.