The Monastery

Which isn't really a monastery, or at least not when it was carved out of the sandstone cliff face by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago.

We were up in time for a 6.30am start, and had a 3 hour guide to show us the highlights in the Siq, Treasury and down through the Central Valley ruins, then we walked up the 1,000 steps to the Monastery, similar in design to the famous Treasury, but twice the size and without the same detail. Most people came up by donkey and mule, in fact all of the younger folk, so we felt quite pleased with ourselves. We walked even further on to admire the view of the Wadi on the other side of Petra, which is a spot that feels like it is on top of the world.

At this point my camera battery died, and I stopped to change it, only to realise that I had left the spare in my camera bag (having transferred things to a proper walking backpack). Oh well, I had taken enough photos and the light by this time was pretty harsh. And there always tomorrow for more.

Extras - the famous view of the Treasury (Al Khazneh) from the end of the Siq, and a curious camel.