Petra at night: magic happens
admin July 11th, 2007
Lysa De Thomas is currently visiting Jordan with a group of teachers, professors and a resident archaeologist to study the Jordanian Education System, work with Iraqi refugees, and learn about Islamic culture. They took time out to visit Petra recently and Lysa’s description of Petra at night in her blog is amongst the most evocative we have read.
In front of the Treasury are hundreds of lighted luminaries and a Bedouin man sitting in the middle of them playing an exotic string instrument. He soon begins to sing and his voice is echoed throughout the area. He sings and plays for about 10 minutes and you can’t help but feel like you’ve been transported to another time. I swear I could almost hear the voices of past civilizations and see their ghosts wandering though the crowd.
Then, just as the man stops singing, beautiful flute music gradually meanders out of the treasury. Little by little its tune grows and gently envelopes the crowd of mesmerized people. Never before, in any ancient ruin, in any sacred area, in any natural area, have I been as awestruct as I was that very moment.
