Petra - Half As Old As Time

 Petra - Half as old as Time

Situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Nabatean City of Petra is considered among the Seven Wonders of the World. 

In the description of the “Universal Outstanding Value” of this World Heritage Site, UNESCO describes the Ancient City as a “Major Caravan Centre for the incense of Arabia, the silks of China and the Spices of India, a crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia.” 

The poet John William Burgon memorably described the spellbinding ruins of Petra as “A Rose-Red City Half As Old As Time.” 

Around AD 663, an earthquake destroyed parts of Petra and choked water supply, leading to its abandonment. The city remained lost to the World until the Swiss Explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, in the guise of an Arabic scholar, rediscovered it for the Western World.

Petra, a world hidden within the mountains of Jordan, was built several centuries ago. This ancient "caravan city" was the capital of the Nabataean Arabs, an ancient Semitic race of people who inhabited Jordan. They were mostly traders and agriculturists.

Tombs, caves, temples, monasteries, amphitheatres, gates, street facades – you need at least a couple of days to explore Petra.

The rock-cut architecture takes your breath away. Animals, deities and mortals, mostly carved in rock, greet you everywhere in this World Heritage Site. The architecture is heavily influenced by Assyrian, Egyptian, Hellenistic and Roman styles.

Perhaps the most stereotyped image of Petra is Al Khazneh or the Treasury. Entry is through the Siq, a long narrow gorge, no more than 3 meters wide in some places, which gives the impression that the mountain has parted ways to allow you to enter it. Back in the day, caravans made their grand entry to Petra via the Siq.

The Treasury or Al Khazneh is one of Petra’s most recognizable monuments and one celebrated in Hollywood classics such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Tintin fans will also recognize the monument for its appearance in the Red Sea Sharks.

The Street of Facades in Petra is lined with rock-cut tombs in sandstone. Bodies were interred in chambers carved on the rocks.

The Royal Tombs, much larger in scale, and Urn Tombs lead to a single chamber, which was probably an ancient Byzantine church.

TRAVEL TIPS: Royal Jordanian Airlines flies three times a week (ex Mumbai) and five times a week (ex Delhi) to Amman, Jordan, from where Petra is a three-hour drive. Jordan Express Tourist Transportation (JETT) operates air-conditioned luxury buses to nearby Wadi Musa, where a selection of accommodation is available.

Petra is not just a city of tombs and rock cut temples. Meet the Bedouins here, stay in a cave, ride a horse up to the monastery, or watch craftsmen create sand art in bottles. Petra, as the BBC says, is one of the places you must see before you die.

A 102-year-old Ship turned into a Rich Forest

 

You will see a unique spectacle at Homebush Bay in Sydney, where a 102-year-old ship has a rich flora in its rusty hull!

The SS Ayrfield, a 1,140-ton ship, was traveling between Newcastle and Sydney in the 1960s, transporting supplies for US troops to the Pacific.

After the end of World War II, the SS Ayrfield, along with many other ships used, were left there to disintegrate.

But today, so many years later, the rusty ship is a unique spectacle and attraction for many tourists, thanks to its lush vegetation!

Unusual Rocks Around The World

A sizable percentage of our planet is made of rocks. While several rock formations have changed little over the years due to their geography and extent of exposure to various other elements, many others have been extremely transformed to reveal a timeline of earth's physical history.

• On the International Rock Collection Day, we bring you the 20 most incredible natural rock formations around the world. The listed natural rock formations were created over centuries, few of them have formed over millions of years, using the hardest materials. Today, thanks to our nature who is a patient artist, we have over 100 natural rock formations around the world.

  Below listed rock formations will surely inspire you to head outdoors and explore these incredible formations!

Beautiful & Amazing Libraraies

 There are plenty of breathtaking places to visit in the world.

There are natural wonders like the Grand Canyon or ancient ruins like the Colosseum, or fantastic buildings with sky-high observation decks.

But there are a few places, pretty much in every city, that you might not expect to take your breath away: libraries.

No, you don’t have to be Belle from "Beauty and the Beast" to appreciate a good library. So many libraries, whether they’re several centuries or just a few decades old, can be a wonderful stop to make on your next trip.

Some libraries are even famous institutions of some of the best cities in the world. Libraries like the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building of the New York Public Library, for instance, has been photographed and appeared in movies hundreds (or possibly thousands) of times. You’ve probably seen this library, even if you haven’t been to New York.

Or, there are libraries that are celebrations of innovative design. The interesting, clean, and minimal architecture of the Stuttgart Library in Germany, for instance, would make any modern design-lover leap for joy.

And some libraries look as if you’re stepping into a royal palace, like the aptly-named Royal Portuguese Reading Room in Brazil, or the Rampur Raza Library in India.