(Photo: Rotarians: Maurice Webb, Paul O’Brien and Val Webb. Paul give a vote of thanks to Val for sharing their recent trip to Petra)
Val presented interesting aspects of their recent journey to the lost city of Petra in Jordan. Beginning with a map showing perspective of the area, For example, Wadi Rum which had a connection to the Lawrence of Arabia, a photo on which Moses (Musa) struck the rock showing path of water, various mode of transport e.g. camel, cars, donkey or on foot, a site/scene of “temple of doom”, a swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt who managed to pass the “gate” to see Petra by growing beard and dressed as a muslim arab, and so forth.
Petra is the biggest tourist destination in Jordan and a UNESCO world heritage site.
Val described the trip to Petra which is through a desert area, showing areas with tombs carved into sandstone rock built by the nabateans. After that, a walk through a 2 km tunnel with high sandstone walls, the lost city of petra is revealed.
The architecture, religion and writing suggest the nabateans were influenced (due to invasion) by the greek, roman, muslim and the crusaders.