EarthCache

GC1V4ZY

by TeamNulti2003

Difficulty:

1.5

Terrain:

2

Location:

Jordan

N 30° 19.350 E 035° 27.100

Petra, O Leeds, is the most wonderful place in the world, not for the sake of its ruins, which are quite a secondary affair, but for the colour of its rocks, all red and black and gray with streaks of green and blue, in little wriggly lines…and for the shape of its cliffs and crags and pinnacles, and for the wonderful gorge it has, always running deep in spring-water, full of oleanders, and ivy and ferns, and only just wide enough for a camel at a time, and a couple of miles long. But I have read hosts of the most beautifully written accounts of it, and they give one no idea of it at all…so you will never know what Petra is like, unless you come out here… Only be assured that till you have seen it you have not had the glimmering of an idea how beautiful a place can be.

T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia)

Channel your inner Lawrence of Arabia and visit Jordan’s first EarthCache in the ancient city of Petra. Petra was named one of the New7Wonders of the World in 2007, and was chosen by Smithsonian Magazine as one of the 28 Places to See Before You Die.

Petra was once a thriving trading center from 400 B.C. to A.D. 100. But in the 1800s a traveler disguised in Bedouin attire rediscovered it and shared this hidden treasure with the world.

Several scenes from the Hollywood blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed in Petra. The movie’s fictional Canyon of the Crescent Moon was modeled on the eastern entrance to Petra, a 250-foot-high (76-meter-high) sandstone slot canyon known as the Siq that leads directly to Al Khazneh (the Treasury)—perhaps the most stunning of Petra’s dozens of breathtaking features.

Some logs from this amazing EarthCache say everything:

DerBär
The ancient city of Petra is definitely one of most impressive places we have ever seen. Of course we knew about the treasury beforehand but we didn’t expect that there was so much else to see. The awesome Siq, the colours of the rocks and all these huge buildings carved out of the sandstone – we often didn’t know where to look first. In the afternoon we walked up to the Monastery which was a fantastic hike with great views as well.

SpeedyGC
It is absolutely true. Nothing quite prepares you for Petra!
The sense of anticipation as you walk up the Siq to the Treasury builds and builds and it does not fail to disappoint. Simply breathtaking.
Have sore legs and feet from an exhausting day but it has been well worth it and looking forward to some more exploring around the site tomorrow.

Old Bet
No pictures I had seen nor words I had read were adequate preparation for Petra. What an incredibly special place.

Check out these amazing photos taken by geocachers and see for yourself!

Don’t forget that this Sunday, October 9th is International EarthCache Day. We’ll be unlocking EarthCaches in the Geocaching® app for members of all levels to enjoy. Will you be finding an EarthCache this weekend?