Petra

The fun really began when we got to explore Jordan with the Pettys. The kids were so happy to reunite with Jack and Maddie. Sedona said that she wished their home was hers. After we were there for a few days, I had to agree. One of the worst parts of living overseas is the fact that people leave. When the Pettys left Qatar just shortly after we finally moved into their compound, it was devastating. That is why our reunion was so delightful.

Some of my favorite people

Our first stop was Petra. You know, Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Sun? Yeah, the facade exists but there are no holy grails or 20 foot rolling rocks. Instead, it is a small room where most people use as a urinal (as the smell indicates).

The wind at this particular corner was less like the breath of God and more like a cold and penetrating current from hell. It was great there was so much walking so all the little bodies following us had their blood flowing. I was impressed with how much they walked and how little they complained. Xavier said his favorite part of the entire Jordan trip was walking through Petra holding Jack's hand. He thought it was fantastic that Jack admired him, even down to fearlessly following him on high rocks and cliffs.

Heavah was quite happy collecting pottery with her dad for an extended period of time. I am sure the relic pieces are worth millions. Sotheby's, call me. She insisted on keeping every piece regardless of the fact that it weighed an extra 10 pounds in daddy's pocket.

One of my favorite Petra shots

The kids followed the water conduits the whole way through, which was at least a mile in and a mile out. The other tourists weren't used to seeing a bunch of rambunctious children wreaking havoc on a famous archaeological site. There are certain tourist sites in the world that most people aren't crazy enough to bring kids. Petra is one of them. We were just a whole bunch of crazy walking through with 6 small ones.

Petra was established around 6 century BC and was a caravan trading center for the Nabataeans. The narrow, towering rocks show movement of wind and rain. It reminds me of Page, Arizona, with taller, and more jagged rocks, and fewer Mormons.

The picture below shows ancient marketing efforts. To the left you can see a Nabataean and his caravan following behind (the camel's belly is over Heavah's head). It is like a 'Welcome--First Five Customers are Free!' sign to all the arriving caravans.

Heavah's favorite part of the entire trip was riding the horses in and out of Petra. After continuous walking for hours, 10 dollars for 4 horses? Done.

There is a reason why Petra is considered one of the modern 7 wonders of the world. Plan your trip and go!