72 HOURS ON THE RUN!
With only three days to spend in Petra, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Joshua Heath needed a tightly packed itinerary!
DAY 1: PETRA, JORDAN
I first saw the rose-red sandstone facade of The Treasury building in Petra while watching Indian Jones And The Last Crusade. Immediately it was added it to my travel wish list. I also fell in love with Harrison Ford and my daddy complex began. Mr Ford, as I refer to him in my fantasies, was added to another list.
Earlier this year, I visited the ancient and awe-inspiring city of Petra in Jordan, fulfilling one of my wish-list dreams.
You can drive to Jordan, but with limited time, we flew from Tel Aviv to Eilat, where we connected with a driver who took us to the Arava border.
Crossing the border is a strange experience as you walk the 100-plus metres across no man’s land into Jordan. There, we met our driver and English-speaking tour guide, who welcomed us with cold water and an air-conditioned SUV to escape the intense desert heat.
We drove the two hours to Petra through a changing landscape of rolling sand dunes and rocky outcrops, peppered with small houses and villages. We arrive in Petra to an array of shops selling local souvenirs; the perfect place to purchase a hat or head scarf to shield from the scorching sun before embarking on the 1.2km walk to the ancient city.
The approach to the city is impressive. Wind your way downhill through the high-walled Siq – a crack in the rock, torn apart by tectonic forces. But beware – if you hear the sound of a horse and carriage approaching, move to avoid being run down. Taking a carriage ride is not recommended, regardless of what the locals tell you. After nearly an hour dodging carriages, we arrived at The Treasury.
Carved from sandstone, The Treasury gets its name from the misguided belief that it was used to store treasure. In fact, it’s a tomb, probably for a Nabataean King.
The Outer Siq is dotted with over 40 tombs and a 7,000-seat theatre with a staircase ascending to the High Place Of Sacrifice. Passed the Royal Tombs, the Great Temple and Monastery, you’ll eventually come to a set of steps leading to the top of a hill – the site of a ruined crusades fort, built in AD 1116.
The views across Petra are spectacular and worth the hour it takes to reach. Our tour concluded with a traditional meal of skewed meats cooked over open coals, charred vegetables and an array of mouth-watering dips and pittas.
With the sun setting, we travelled back to the Jordanian border along the desert highway towards the country’s most dramatic landscape – Wadi Rum (Valley Of The Moon). Gigantic rock formations and rippled sand dunes stretch across an unpopulated area the size of New York City. With less than three days of rain a year, Wadi Rum has become the ultimate Middle Eastern destination for hikers, climbers, campers and nature lovers.
Petra became one of the Seven New Wonders Of The World in a 2007 worldwide poll. It is the most visited tourist attraction in Jordan and one of the most visited archeological sites in the world.
DAY 2: JERUSALEM
You don’t need to be religious to appreciate one of the world’s most historically rich cities.
Our morning began with breakfast at the luxurious Mamilla Hotel, located along Alroy Mamilla Avenue, Jerusalem’s newest shopping destination, which leads into The Old City’s main entrance, the Jaffa Gate.
The avenue is a fusion of old and new; to our left, a group of nuns enjoying ice cream, and to our right, a Jewish man busking with an electric guitar.
Entering The Old City, we followed our guide through a labyrinth of small cobblestone streets to historical and spiritual landmarks such as King David’s Tomb and the room, allegedly, of The Last Supper.
The Church Of The Holy Sepulcher, built on the site believed by Christians to be the location of Jesus’ resurrection, has been a place of pilgrimage since the 4th Century. Filled with the fragrance of burning frankincense, it’s an overwhelmingly emotional place for many – we see many visitors in tears.
The Treasury was not used to store treasure. In fact, it’s probably the tomb.
Beyond the Armenian and Jewish Quarter, we reach the Western Wall. Standing for thousands of years, it’s considered to be the holiest place of the Jewish faith. Visitors write a prayer on a scrap of paper and slip it into a crack in wall.
While The Western Wall and the Tower Of David represent the religious, historical aspects of Jerusalem, the Machane Yehuda Market represents its heart. A bustling marketplace and neighbourhood, blending the lines between old and new. Fresh produce, baked goods, cafés, bars and restaurants are a feast for the senses as weave between the thousands of tourists trying to take it all in and locals here for their daily shop.
DAY 3: SHUK AND COOK
Some people collect souvenirs, I collect recipes and, where possible, book a cooking class to learn, firsthand, how to master local dishes. As too many cooks spoil the broth, I booked a private tour with chef Amit who, by the way, was one of the most delicious looking men I saw in Tel Aviv.
Our tour began at the bustling Carmel Market, the largest authentic Middle-Eastern style shuk (market) in Tel Avi. Here we purchase the ingredients for the afternoon’s cooking class while sampling local street food. Making our way round the market, Amit explained what spices are used to balance one another from the countless on display.
Our class took place in Amit’s kitchen, about a 20-minute walk from the markets. We started by smoking eggplants over an open flame on the stove in preparation for a traditional baba ghanoush. Green tahini, almond labane and freekeh salad follow before Amit share his grandmother’s mujadara recipe, a dish consisting of brown lentils, onions and a fragrant blend of herbs and spices, dressed with a squeeze of lemon.
To finish we made malabi, a dessert of almond milk, coconut cream, rose water and crumble pistachios. Sitting down to eat with a glass of local wine, we enjoyed a delicious explosion of flavour with every bite. Our malabi, which had been setting in the fridge, had the consistency of a creme caramel, the subtle flavour of Turkish delight, and had me going back for seconds.
As the day came to an end, so did our jampacked 72 hours in Israel. Next… who do I speak to about ticking Mr Ford off my list?
Amit, our private tour chef (pictured), was one of the most delicious looking men I saw in Tel Aviv.
MORE: Joshua travelled with the assistance of OUTstanding travel, which specialises in quality travel services to LGBTIQ travellers visiting the Mediterranean coastline.
Go to outstandingtravel.com/ IG @outstandingtravel