All my Israeli friends warned me not to go to Jordan. Even young people stated flatly, “They are our enemy and we are their enemy.” When I mentioned the Jordanian-Israeli agreement to support each other, I was told it’s not real. But I was convicted that I should go to Petra and so I was going. While short of encouraging, my Israeli friend, Yehezkel, graciously insisted that I should not go alone. We decided to drive his car instead of taking one of the tours. From Jerusalem, we drove south to Mizpe Ramon and spent the night in a very cool ecolodge right on the ridge of the crater. A nearly-full moon rising over the sculpture garden gave the night a surreal element. 
As an American, I automatically compare all craters to the Grand Canyon. Ramon is not as big or as beautiful as the Grand Canyon but it’s really big and very beautiful plus it has the added feature of a road across the canyon floor that we traveled at sunrise watching the light hit the walls of the canyon.
En route to Eilat, we passed the construction site of the new airport that will serve both Israel and Jordan. That’s one more step towards cooperation and reason in a region that desperately needs both. Leaving Israel at the border crossing by Eilat was quick and painless. Entering Jordan was different. I had been warned to expect to up to two hours. There were very few people crossing and virtually no lines but the process was sadly incompetent. Go to door 4, go to window 10, go to window 8, go to door 6, pay a fee for entering, pay a fee for the vehicle, back and forth for 90 minutes. The car had to be registered, then insured, Israeli license plates were removed and placed in our trunk with Jordanian plates replacing them. We were cleared to enter but I had my doubts. Sure enough, turn around and go back to window 9 for another stamp. Once we finally entered Jordan, there was no doubt that we had entered an underdeveloped country quite apart from the southern European feel of Israel. Beware of camels on the road!
We drove through Aqaba, a big city on the Red Sea, but the traffic was horrible and in a short time we were ready to head to Petra. The drive took about two hours. Once in the town by the entrance to Petra, we stopped for a delicious, very affordable lunch, and asked for a recommendation for accommodations. Perhaps, I shouldn’t compare, but hospitality, quality, service and prices were 100% better than Israel. We spent the closing hours of sunlight and the rising moon at Little Petra. Words and pictures are insufficient but I’ll give you a taste and, hopefully, a desire to go see it for yourself. Imagine a town carved into beautiful, rose-colored cliffs thousands of years ago, deep in a canyon.
Early the next morning we each paid the 40 Jordanian denar (JD) fee ($50 US) to enter Petra. Locals pay only 1 JD but I’m fine with that. After all, it’s their country. Plus, they earn so little. The clerk at our hotel earns 160 JD per month. The temperature was reported to be 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) or a little higher which made the hike a bit challenging. It reminds me why I must make these treks now and not wait until I’m older. In respect for the Muslim culture, I wore long pants and long-sleeved shirt the entire time I was in Jordan. But no amount of hiking or heat could dampen my spirits. Turning a corner and seeing Petra exceeded my highest expectations.
Frequently, we came to small stands selling water or souvenirs. Passing a child of two or three years old sitting alone selling rocks in the heat was hard to accept. Yes, all children are created equal in the sight of God and under the law (at least under American law) but how fair is it that this child must work in these hard conditions while American children are showered in comfort?
It’s hard to understand how huge Petra must have been. Viewing it at any one spot is misleading. We estimated that the amphitheater seated about 5,000 people. Only by standing way far back and seeing a larger portion can you appreciate how there was such a complex town with multi-levels of residences mixed with massive buildings that served as public offices such as the treasury office. This picture shows how the buildings were continuous and carved into the canyon walls but, even as big as it is, this is just a small portion of Petra.
The last building in the old city is the monastery, set apart from the others. It’s high up in the mountains and takes quite a hike but it’s so worth the effort. Even the inside is well-preserved.
We got asked often where we were from. When Yehezkel said Israel, he was asked how he knows Arabic. And when he said his parents are from Baghdad, Iraq, the response was consistently, “COUSIN!” Almost everyone was warm and welcoming with minor exception.
I wish I had another week to spend in Jordan but I need to get back to Tel Aviv for Shabbat dinner with our friends who are Hasidic Jews. So much to do and so little time…
Kathryn Byler, blog 