Petra

I meant to blog yesterday about our experience in Petra, but I was so tired after we got back to the hotel, that I just couldn't haha.  So yesterday, we were in Petra...

Petra is an ancient city and one of the 7 new wonders of the world.  It is also a UNESCO world heritage site...

It was built as a sacred city over 2,000 years ago (roughly 300 BC) by a group of people called the Nabataens.  Later the Romans annexed the city and made their own additions.  The pride and joy of Petra is called the Treasury (the very first picture I posted).  I won't actually spend much time talking about this experience, because for me, it wasn't deeply spiritual.  Don't get me wrong, it is an incredible place!  To think that human hands carved these buildings into solid rock is beyond belief...and it was amazing to experience...but for me, it was something outside of the pilgrimage experience.

We spent about four hours walking through the canyon from the entrance to get to the Treasury.  Along the way were many tombs and shrines for the Nabataen gods.  One of the more incredible aspects of Petra was the water system they created.  They figured out how to move water throughout the city in small canals on the sides of the canyon.  They even had a filtration system, which allowed sediment to settle, so that they water would be purified for drinking.  I don't know how they figured that out, but it was incredible to see.

One part that was deeply moving to see was Mt. Hor.

This is where Scripture says Aaron, the brother of Moses and first High Priest of Israel died and was buried (it is the darker mountain in the back...the white spot on top is a monument to Aaron).  From the Book of Numbers:

22 And they journeyed from Kadesh, and the people of Israel, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. 23 And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, 24 “Aaron shall be gathered to his people; for he shall not enter the land which I have given to the people of Israel, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Mer′ibah.25 Take Aaron and Elea′zar his son, and bring them up to Mount Hor; 26 and strip Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Elea′zar his son; and Aaron shall be gathered to his people, and shall die there.” 27 Moses did as the Lordcommanded; and they went up Mount Hor in the sight of all the congregation.28 And Moses stripped Aaron of his garments, and put them upon Elea′zar his son; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Then Moses and Elea′zar came down from the mountain. 29 And when all the congregation saw that Aaron was dead, all the house of Israel wept for Aaron thirty days.

Seeing it, even from a distance, was deeply moving.  As I think more about it, I guess there is a spiritual aspect to seeing Petra.  While not strictly biblical, it is a testament to the ingenuity of humanity and the desire for relationship with the divine.  Every single step in Petra attested to this.  If nothing else, the fourish hours of walking certainly reminded me that we are journeying...and journeying...and journeying...

Peace.