Explore Chrissie's Jordan

I have a love of ancient history and sites. There are so many in the world, some are incredibly popular and well-known, others aren’t as talked about. 
 
My husband and I went to Eilat for our honeymoon. Whilst there we decided to explore as much as we could, so we ended border hopping into a few different countries that surrounded the small city on the Gulf of Aqaba. One of these trips took us to Jordan to visit the ancient hidden site of Petra. Once we’d got through the border control, a feat within itself, where we ended up sitting up in a room, minus our passports for what seemed an eternity, we finally made the journey northwards. The trip took about two hours up the Kings Highway and the Desert Highway, passing sand, rock, and Bedouin. A typically Jordanian view.
 
Petra is a stunning place, and nothing can ever prepare you for the size and complexity of this ancient city. The walk down through the winding Siq Gorge is long and hot. The towering rock walls, once split open by a violent earthquake, tower overhead making it both fascinating and eerie.  Small rock cut irrigation channels run along the base of the rock and the occasional wall carving or remains of flagstones can be seen.
 
When you finally reach the end, emerging into the city by the famous El Khasneh, it’s worth it! There's so much to explore, from rock cut houses, tombs, even a Roman amphitheatre! There are continuous remains of an entire city that was the base for the ancient Nabataeans who ran the silk route. 
 
I loved this ancient site, the incredibly intricately carved buildings, the inspired water irrigation system, the history behind it and the very fact that it was essentially once a hidden city with only two ways in and out. For me Petra must be one of the most beautiful and interesting ancient sites I’ve ever visited.

Look out for the final blog post tomorrow where we will finish our book location tour! Don't forgot to share the posts and support other authors in the #IndieAuthorWeekUK hashtag across social media.

• Have you ever been to Petra? If so, what did you like the most about it?

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Chrissie is an author who loves history and enjoys travelling and days out exploring. www.chrissieparker.com/books