Petra - so aventura! Petra - 100% adventure

Hoje quase perdemos o cafe da manha do Hotel - tava bom demais dormir...
Descemos 10 minutos antes do cafe ser retirado, ja nao havia mais ninguem no restaurante, nem funcionarios, nem hospedes.
Comemos o que deu e fomos para Petra.
Para evitar desencontros, desencantos e aborrecimentos, combinamos que cada uma de nos iria no passo que quisesse, e se nos perdessemos, ou tomassemos rumos diferentes, nos encontrariamos no hotel, no fim do dia.
Antes de sair de Bahrain, eu ja fui avisando que ia fazer o passeio de Petra de burrico. Renata nao estava muito convencida e a Monica queria caminhar.

Today we almost missed breakfast at the Hotel - sleeping was so good ...We went down just 10 minutes before it was removed, there was almost no one else in the restaurant, no employees, no guests.We eat whatever we found, and went to Petra.To avoid misunderstandings, disappointments and hassles, we agreed that each of us would  be free to do what we wanted, see whatever we felt like, and if we lost each other,  or took different paths, we would meet up at the hotel in the end of the day.Before leaving Bahrain, I told everyone I would visit Petra on a donley. Walking did not appeal to me at all. Renata was not too convinced and Monica wanted to do it by foot.

Essa e a primeira parte da descida, que voce pode fazer a cavalo ou de charrete, se quiser.Nos andamos.

This is the first part of the path, you can ride a horse or hire a chariot, if you want to. We decided to walk.

 A caminhada e lindissima, entre rochas que foram escavadas pela agua a milhares de anos, vemos formacoes indescritiveis, alem de imagens esculpidas nas pedras ha milhares de anos. Cada passo e uma surpresa, cada curva uma nova descoberta.
Em meio a essa magia toda, estao milhares de turistas que se engalfinham para tirar a melhor foto, para conseguir o melhor angulo, para ouvir o melhor guia.
Esses turistas sao disputados pelos Jordanianos, muitos deles beduinos, que vivem da exploracao do turismo local. Ha centenas de pessoas que se dividem entre alugar charretes ou cavalos para voce descer ate Petra, alugar burricos ou camelos para voce explorar Petra ( sim, o Governo regulamentou o negocio e agora o territorio esta todo demarcado. Do portao de Petra ate a area do "Treasury", ficam as charretes e os cavalos. Dali em diante eles nao sao mais permitidos e os burrinhos e os camelos ganham espaco. Camelos para as areas planas, burrinhos para os "despinguelos".

The jorney is simply gorgeous, walking between rocks that were excavated by water thousands of years ago, we see indescribable rock formations,  carvings on the stones that go back thousands of years. Each step is a surprise, every turn a new discovery.Amid all this magic, are thousands of tourists fighting to get the best shot, to find the best angle, to choose the best guide.These tourists are "served" by the Jordanians, many of them Bedouins, who live by the exploitation of local tourism. There are hundreds of people who make their living between renting horses or carriages to take you up from or down to Petra, rent donkeys or camels for you to explore Petra (yes, the government regulated the business and now the whole territory is demarcated. From Petra until the gate area of ​​the "Treasury", are the chariots and horses. From there they are not allowed anymore and donkeys and camels take the stage. The camels are for the flat areas and the donkeys for steep jorneys or steps.

Ha tambem centenas de vendedores ambulantes e lojinhas vendendo colares e souvenirs de Petra.
A primeira e mais memoravel memoria de Petra, e na minha opiniao a primeira vez que voce ve o Treasury. Descendo pelo labirinto rochoso, voce de repente se depara com uma maravilha arquitetonica, escultural e historica de cair o queixo. ( coloquei essa foto como abertura desse post).


There are  hundreds of "street" vendors and shops where you can buy  necklaces and souvenirs of Petra.The most memorable image of Petra is, in my opinion the first glimpse you see of the Treasury, while you are just ending walking down the rocky maze, you suddenly come across a wonder of architecture, sculpture and historical  significance. It is jaw-dropping for any standard. (I put this picture as an opening of this post).

O proximo passo e fazer uma farrinha ali na pracinha central. Dar uma espiada nas pessoas, tirar foto na frente do monumento, bisbilhotar as primeiras lojinhas ( todas aceitam cartao de credito e praticamente todas as moedas).

Then you stop for a lil while, have some fun observing the monument itself, the people around you, you check the first shops, take pics in front of the treasury and you are good to go.

Depois de me deliciar revendo o Treasury, eu corri escolher o meu burrinho. Imagina se eu chego la embaixo e nao consigo alugar um burro pra me levar pro passeio?

After enjoying the Treasury, I rushed to choose my donkey.Imagine if I get there and there are no donkeys available...

Vi um que estava bonitinho, bem cuidado e parecia forte e jovem o suficiente para aguentar o tranco. Negociei o preco, especifiquei que eu queria ida e volta, subi linda e faceira no meu burrico ( que se chamava Monica).
Renata e Monica ( a outra)  decidiram ir a pe. Eu "peguei" meu burrinho e fui relembrar as belezas da cidade das Rochas.

In the middle of the "donkey pool" I identified one that seemed well cared for and was also strong and young enough to handle the journey with the extra weight.
I negotiated the price, made sure i was "buying a return trip" and off I went on Monica. Yep, the donkey name was Monica!
Renata and Monica ( the human friend, not the donkey friend) decided to go by foot. Off I went exploring Petra with my donkey and my guide.

Dai pra frente foi so coisa bonita. O meu guia era um menino que nao devia nem ter 20 anos, beduino. Meio afoito, ele andava, andava, andava, de repente virava e me mostrava alguma coisa linda.
A paisagem e maravilhosa, as formacoes das pedras sao fascinantes, eu poderia passar dias ali, so observando a natureza.

From there onwards all I saw was beauty. My guide was probably not even 20 years old yet and was a beduin guy. A bit anxious, he would walk, walk, walk and out of the blue, turn the donkey around to show me a gourgeous site.
Petra is amazing. The rock formations are fascinating, I could spend the next few days, just sitting there, contemplating the beauty!

Andamos por trilhas estreitas, subimos escadas ingremes,visitamos ruinas de templos, cavernas, formacoes rochosas.E eu deslumbrada com a beleza do lugar e a hospitalidade do beduino.

We went on stunning paths, up steep stairs, we saw temples, caves and rock formations. And I was stunned by the beauty of the place and the hospitality of the beduin guide.

De repente ele me levou por um caminho desabitado, eu ja nao via turistas em parte alguma. Antes que eu comecasse a me sentir insegura, ele virou o burrico de repente e eu dei de cara com a vista mais magnifica da viagem, bem a minha frente, eu vi o Monasterio.
 Dali eu via as pessoas pequenininhas la embaixo e estava cara a cara com a grandiosidade desse monumento.
Incrivel imaginar que tudo isso foi esculpido ha mais de 2000 anos atras. Perdi o folego frente a tanta beleza. Me deslumbrei.
O meu guia entao pegou a Monica ( o burrico) e me levou ate a entrada do Monasterio, ele queria que eu entrasse nele, mas nao senti a menor necessidade. para mim, ficar ali, contemplanto tamanha beleza, era mais que suficiente.

Suddenly he took me down a deserted path, I could not see tourists anywhere. Before I began to feel insecure, he suddenly turned the donkey around and I saw the most magnificent view of the trip, just in front of me, I saw the Monasterio.From where I was, I could see people as small as ants and was face to face with the grandeur of this monument.Unbelievable to think all that was carved over 2000 years ago. I lost my breath in front of such beauty.
My guide then took Monica (the donkey) and me up to the entrance of the Monastery, he wanted me to enter it, but I didn't feel the slightest need to do so. To be able to contemplate the monument was more than enough!

Depois de tirar muitas fotos, o beduino me levou a um outro monte, onde ele parou o burrico, colheu uns gravetos, fez fogo pra fazer cha para mim.

I took lots of pics, enjoyed the view and then the beduin took me to another mount where he "parked" Monica, got some dried wood and made fire to brew tea for me.

Olha o foguinho ai

Look, we made fire! Ok, he made fire!

Com uma pedra grande, ele improvisou um banquinho para eu me sentar.

He even got a rock to be my "chair"

Tomar cha, sentada numas pedrinhas improvisadas, cercada de natureza e historias de mais de 2 mil anos foi um dos pontos altos da minha visita a Petra.
O beduino me contava historias de mulheres ocidentais que moravam na vila dos beduinos.
Segundo ele, ja eram 35 as mulheres que se apaixonaram por um beduino, pela cultura e tradicao local e decidiram montar acampamento por ali. Literalmente.
Achando que o passeio tinha acabado, agradeci a gentileza e a oportunidade de poder contemplar tamanha beleza em terras que ja pertenceram aos beduinos.
Mas ele continuava a me contar historias.
O Rei Hussein esteve em Petra, conversou com os beduinos e os convenceu a mudar de Petra ( das ruinas) para um bairro beduino, onde ele construiria casas para as familias, assim as criancas poderiam ir para a escola, como todo Jordaniano.
O rei Hussein tambem garantiu que os beduinos continuariam com o direito de explorar o turismo em Petra. Assim os burricos e as lojinhas de artesanato espalhadas por todo o site continuam a pertencer a eles.
Eu ja estava satisfeita com o passeio, podia perfeitamente ir embora, mas mais uma vez o beduino me impressionou.

To have tea, sitting on improvised rocks, surrounded by nature and history going back more than 2000 years, was one of the highlights of my visit to Petra.The Bedouin told me stories of Western women who lived in their villages. According to him, there were already 35 women who fell in love with a Bedouin, their culture and tradition and decided to set up camp there. Literally.Thinking that the ride was over, I thanked the kindness and the opportunity to admire such beauty. I thanked him for his hospitality and kindness, but he continued  telling me stories.King Hussein went to Petra, spoke with the Bedouins and convinced them to move from Petra (the ruins) to a Bedouin neighborhood where he would build houses for  the families, so the kids could go to school, like every Jordanian.King Hussein also ensured  the Bedouins their right to explore tourism in Petra, as they have always done. The donkeys and crafts shops scattered throughout the site still belongs to them.I was already satisfied with the tour, could well leave, but once again the Bedouin surprised me.

Ele guiou o burrico ate a montanha mais alta de Petra – onde fica a vista do fim do mundo.

He took me to the highest mountain, to see the "end of the world's view".

E parece mesmo o fim do mundo...

And it really looks like the end of the world...

  La, no topo do mundo, havia uma tenda beduina, dois beduinos tocando um instrumento parecido com uma viola, uma lojinha que vendia prata e coisas locais, e mais um fogareiro com cha.
Nao tomar cha oferecido por eles, e praticamente uma ofensa para os arabes, e eu tomei a minha quinta xicara. Eu ja disse para voces que eu nao gosto de cha? Pois e, nao gosto. Mas tambem nao to aqui pra arrumar briga com os locais, nem pra fazer desfeita, ne?

Right there, on top of the world, there was a beduin tent, two bedouins playing an instrument similar to an eukalele, a lil shop sellin silver and other local stuff and another fire to make tea.
To refuse their tea is the same as to refuse their hospitality, so I had my fifth cup. Did I mention I don't like tea? I don't. But i did not travel this far to pick a fight with the locals or to be rude to hosiptable people, right?

La em cima encontrei tres italianos, nos tentamos falar uma mistura de ingles/portugues/italiano, rimos, nos divertimos e passamos momentos muito agradaveis. Alem da vista impressionante, a companhia tambem estava agradabilissima.
Agora sim, so nos restava voltar ao portao de Petra.
Eu nao me conformava com o talento natural desse beduinozinho em fazer um otimo servico de atendimento ao cliente!
Eu gostaria que o meu dia tivesse acabado ai, por que dali pra frente, a coisa mudou de figura e tudo foi muito diferente. Mas isso e assunto para amanha.

When we were up there, we met three Italians and we tried to speak a mix os English/Portugues/Italian, we laughed, we had lots of fun and spent some precious moments. It was not only the interesting view and amazing atmosphere. The company also contributed.
Now we were done. All we had to do was go back to the Treasury where I would leave Monica and the Bedoiun and find my way back to Petra's gate.
I was still in AWE of the Bedouin's natural talent for customer services!
I wish my adventure finished right there, but unfortunatelly what came next was totally down hill - in so many ways, i will have to tell you tomorrow.