REVIEW: Virtual tour Among the towering red cliffs of Petra, like some monstrous swollen Buddha, sat the corpse of Mrs Boynton... as I read Agatha Christie’s Appointment with Death set against the backdrop of Petra, I longed to visit the ancient city. With lockdown playing spoilsport, I decided to do the next best thing—take a virtual tour of the Rose City.
Carved out of sandstone with the main building—Treasury—covering an expanse of 40mt X 25mt, the city of Petra was supposedly built sometime in the first century AD, though there are no written or proven records of the date. Jordan’s best-known tourist attraction, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the imposing structure. Even on a laptop screen, it inspires awe. The lost city carries the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people, who were admired for their refined culture and ingenious architecture.
It was a flourishing city. Later, the arrival of the Romans added to its already increase in trade, and the Roman influences can be seen in some of the architecture. As I wander around the facade, the columns, porticoes and the many steps and statues, I long to reach out and touch this enticing structure. Excavations are still going on below the Treasury. In fact, local bedouins believed that the building had a stash of hidden gold.
The Treasury is accessed through the Siq, a natural geological fault that serves as an entrance to the ancient city of Petra. Thrice a weeknight shows are held at the Treasury that is bathed in the light of 1,800 candles. It is accompanied by a story set to ethnic music. Should you be an adventurous soul, there is an observation deck high up nestling in the 182mt-high rocks. From this vantage point, one can get a bird’s eye view of the Valley of Moses.
The ancient city boasts a 3,000-seat amphitheatre built with Roman inspirations, besides numerous tombs such as Palace tomb, Corinthian tomb, Silk tomb, Urn tomb and the Unieshu tomb. There is also the Castle of the Daughter of the Pharoah, a High Place of Sacrifice, and the Byzantine Church which also houses the Monastery. It is taller and wider than the main building and has 800 steps across a narrow gorge leading to the top. Once at the top, you can admire the scale of the masonry. While travellers huff and puff to the spot, I simply zoomed in. From my vantage point, I could spot a shop at the foot of the Monastery. My virtual guide informs me that it sells delicious Arabic coffee. Well, so much for the advantages of a virtual tour. Ready to take one?
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