Chaco Culture NHP, Monday 7/6/26

 

Chaco Canyon has to be a destination, in my opinion.  It's located in a remote area of Northwest New Mexico, and it isn't easy to get there.  But it's worth it:  This gem contains the most sweeping collection of ancient ruins north of Mexico; Chaco Canyon was a major cultural center.  Neither of us had any idea of its size, which isn't a surprise -- we thought Petra in Jordan was one building.  Learning all the time!

The very beginning and ending of the 21-mile road (off the main highway) to the park were paved, but the rest of it -- 16 miles -- was slow and excruciating for Smartie (and us!), above.  We were staying in Bloomfield NM and the entire distance to Chaco Canyon was 60-miles, +/-. 

The reason we'd stopped (photo above this one) was so I could pay a personal call to Bossie here.  I told her I admired her red and yellow earrings.

We kept our eyes on this huge stand-alone landmark, which we could see for miles, believing it would mark the entrance to the canyon.  And it did.

In 1966 Chao Culture was designated a National Historic Park, and in 1987 it joined the select list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  We were grateful to be here.

The first step in a place like this is to stop in the Visitor Center, as there's always a wealth of extra information and the rangers can share their insights as to what to see and where to go.  Above, is the layout of Pueblo Bonito, and how it looked at different stages. 

Nowadays people wonder why a site was abandoned, why a population just disappeared.  Perhaps they left to find a better home elsewhere.

We set out on the 9-mile Canyon Loop drive.  Awe was our first impression.

Please read this.  Enlarge it if you need to.

One hundred thousand tons ...

We got an early start, we really did, but the trip took more time than we thought, so the day was already on slow broil by the time we started touring the pueblos (on our own). Truly, these ruins took our breath away. I'll share a few photos, but you have to see this area to believe it.

In all the pueblos we've visited, this kiva is the largest we've seen.

On a pathway, with ruins to my left and my right.

It's difficult to convey how much has been uncovered and restored, the scope of Chaco Culture.  

I can tell you that Pueblo Bonita was the core of Chaco and the largest great house.  It was built in stages between the mid-800's and early 1100's.  Pueblo Bonita reached at least four stories (!) with over 600 rooms and 40 kivas.  That in itself is amazing.

On January 22, 1941, the collapse of a massive sandstone slab called Threatening Rock rained large boulders on Pueblo Bonito. This 30,000‑ton block, about 100 feet high, had been leaning precariously over the pueblo for centuries.  It crushed 30-60 rooms, filling rooms with debris.  Jimmy stands beside one of those HUGE boulders.  Read more here:

 

The round holes held stabilization logs.  Some remnants are visible.  We marveled at all the work, of collecting and shaping and piling one stone atop another to make buildings.

Sitting at a picnic table in the shade of a ramada, we were entertained by these two -- an Antelope Squirrel (Harris'?) and a Canyon Towhee.  Four pics of the same two critters begging for a handout.  Jimmy couldn't resist the temptation.  Lunch was yummy with fresh farmers market peaches and our usual PB&J, plus Gatorade.  It was a nice break from the scorching sun.

A short distance away, Pueblo del Arroyo was planned and constructed in two short stages and, still, it was big.

Impressive!

We climbed several short steep rises.

Looking down into the kivas, etc.

I copied this map from the park service brochure.  Perhaps this will give you a better idea of the canyon.  The red line is the paved loop.  Enlarge to read it better.

No one really knows why the ancients picked Chaco Canyon as a hub of regional cultures.  Maybe the weather was kinder 1,100-1,200 years ago, but the winters here are long with a short growing season, the summers are brutal, and rainfall is "marginal."  Nevertheless, the native people made this high desert valley the "center of their world."

From the brochure:  They created monumental architecture and developed far-reaching commerce and a complex social organization.

We reluctantly left, as the heat had become overwhelming, yet there was so much we didn't see today.  Someday we'd like to return for more exploration, with lots of trails to hike, petroglyphs to study, and many more pueblos to look into.  But not in summer.

I took the above two pics on our way back to the main road.  The horses weren't fenced in and looked wild and healthy.  They weren't afraid of me, even with two foals in their midst.

So, that was our day at Chaco Canyon.  Another long day for us, but a good way to spend a day!  This was the last adventure on our nonexistent bucket list.  We've done all we wanted to do this week-plus in New Mexico.  Tomorrow we'll pull out and point Tergel's nose toward the west.  California, here we come.

Petra! Fri, 10/10/25

Petra, Jordan, may have been a trip afterthought, but now we were like two little school kids on a field trip, excited, filled with anticipation and ready to explore, its mystique looming large.  Our guide, Faris, met us in the Mövenpick lobby and we walked across the road toward Petra's V/C, stopping for a prerequisite photo, below.  The morning was sweet, cool and sunny, but the temp would inch toward 90 in the afternoon.

BTW, Mövenpick puts out a great breakfast buffet.  I'm waffling here (no pun intended) because I truly didn't know what to expect regarding Petra.  I was thinking there was more to see than the building everybody knows as "Petra."  Jimmy agrees.

Faris and Jimmy approaching the entry gate.

Hoy!  This is probably easier reading if you're on a computer, but even then, you'll need to enlarge the pic.  We're starting at the far right, where it says Mövenpick, and it appears we'll be doing A LOT of walking!

From the Visitor Center, we walked along a dusty road, though we could've ridden a horse, but I wanted to walk with Faris and hear him talk about the ancient people -- the Nabateans -- who lived here, who made this city.

Petra's heyday occurred during the 1st century BCE, when it served as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. The city flourished due to its strategic location along trade routes, making it a significant center for trade in frankincense, myrrh, and spices.

After the dusty road, we approached the iconic Siq. The Siq is a natural 3/4-mile-long sandstone gorge that gently winds toward the ancient city, until it opens on to the magnificent Treasury. A triumphal arch once spanned the Siq entrance (above), but it collapsed in 1895.  I saw an old photo of the arch, and it was perfect, like icing on a cake.

Water channels ran along each side of the Siq and held clay pipes that carried fresh water to the city from springs.  We could see some parts of the water channel even after all these years.  One side was for people, the other side for animals.  Some sections of the old road were still visible, too.

Dramatic.

Consider this:  The Siq's narrow, winding path also served a strategic purpose—restricting entry and shielding Petra from potential threats.

I could've spent the entire day in the Siq, with the interplay of light on the rocks, in the often narrow, other times widening gorge which allowed sunlight to enter.  Occasionally we walked without others close, but too often we ran into a French-speaking tour group and had to walk away as they were loud (not those above).  I love this picture.

I swear, the Nabateans were wizards.  They knew what happens to narrow gorges when flash floods occur, so they built dams (far left) in prone areas.  They controlled the water.  Niches and "god blocks" (middle, left) were carved throughout the Siq to protect those entering and leaving the city.  Two large carvings of camels with drovers (middle right), a testament to Nabatean trade, were weathered, but recognizable. There's always something to capture your attention in the Siq.

Walking through the Siq was so cool.

Faris became animated as we approached the end of the Siq, above left.  Then, suddenly, we burst out into bright sunlight and in front of us was:  Petra.  It's called The Treasury, carved into the cliff face.  It left us breathless.  This is what I thought constituted Petra.  Lots of people were milling around in this wide-open space, everyone vying for the best photo.  No, you can't go inside, it's off limits these days, but it's empty anyway.

Petra was a city, but essentially what we're seeing here are tombs.  We continued walking, along the "Street of Facades" lined with more tomb fronts.  Look up at the top right and you'll see a guy standing next to the flag!  We didn't join him.

Next came the Roman-style theater, but Nabatean made -- carved out of solid rock! It could seat approx 8500 people.  All the other ancient theaters we've seen on this trip have been made with blocks stacked upon blocks.  This theater, above, is all carved.    

The colors!  Oh, the beauty of these rocks.

Continuing along the path, we reached the Royal Tombs, a series of grand burial places including the Urn Tomb, the Silk Tomb, and the Corinthian Tomb.  We climbed up here, but they're also empty so we didn't go in.  People are atop the tombs (but not us).

Look wayyyy down there, beyond the lone horse, and you'll see tiny people and more Petra!  We'll eventually walk to those buildings.

All carved in solid rock.

North of the Colonnaded Street lies the ruins of the Byzantine Church, with its wonderful mosaics.  Wiki tells us:  Archaeologists concluded that the Church was originally built in the second half of the fifth century CE. It continued to be used as a religious structure until about the early seventh century CE, when it was destroyed by fire.  These mosaics retained color and clarity!

Above are the remains of Colonnaded Street, the city’s main shopping street two thousand years ago. On either side of the street are the ruins of the once-grand city center, including the Great Temple, one of the largest Nabatean public buildings.  You can see groups of people in the clearing.  We'd walk down there after our lunch at the Basin Restaurant, near the trees at right.

My words and pictures only touch the surface of this amazing place.  To see it in person is a truly WOW experience.  Petra was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and added to the list of Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks in 2011. 

I usually don't wear a ball cap, but with my sun visor gone, the cap worked.  Here I stand on the Colonnaded Street.

"The pavement marks the emplacement of the main colonnaded street that ran through Petra's city center. Built by the Romans in the second century AD, it replaced an earlier Nabataean street – a spacious dirt-and-gravel road, which may have been lined with houses that followed the winding course of the Wadi Musa, Petra's main riverbed."

But still very rugged.

We skipped hiking up to the Monastery (800 rock-hewn uneven steps) and rejected the offer of a donkey ride up to it.  That building very much resembles The Treasury, and we were already on fumes.  We're fine with our choice.

More folks were coming in as we were walking out.  Jordan is a 97% Muslim country.  Today being Friday, Jordanians have the day off for religious reasons (their workweek is Sun-Thurs).  On Fridays, Petra offers locals a one-dinar entry fee, so native Jordanians were taking advantage of this.  

Jimmy's encounter with Bob:  Top -- Bob's head is painted orange, and he has orange spots, don't ask me why.  Jimmy says howdy.  Bottom left:  Jimmy moves in and Bob sticks his neck out to give Jimmy a sniff.  Bob then turns his head toward me and the camera and laughs!  Honest.  I about died laughing.  Enlarge the pic and you'll see.  Too funny!

Dead on our feet by this time and back at The Treasury, we were willing to spend the 30 Jordanian Dinar each for a shuttle ride back to the VC, but woe on us when we saw the line!  Hey, no woe, it was lucky us to share the line with these folks.  The lady with the little girl was from Palestine, and she was with relatives from Jordan, Dubai and maybe Lebanon.  They all spoke broken English, but they were so happy to talk with people from California, from America.  They took our picture. She'd shaved the little girl's head because she thought her hair was too coming in too thin, believing it would now come in thick.  I smiled.  Special times.

One last pic of us in front of The Treasury.  To think I thought this one "building" was Petra.  I'm glad I discovered how much more Petra is.  This is the Best of the Best.

We treated ourselves to a delish dinner at the hotel restaurant and then crashed.  We had 5-6-7 miles on the ol' fitbit (I forget exactly), but a ton o' steps.  Tomorrow, we move on to a tent in Wadi Rum!  That'll warrant one last post.

Jordan, Thurs, 10/9/25

 

Let me say that I was woefully unprepared for this phase of our trip (though I wasn't aware of it). Jordan was sort of an add on anyway -- you know, as long as you're 7,000+ miles from home and in the neighborhood, why not see it if you can?  After landing at the Amman airport, we were met by Faris, our guide while in Jordan, and were whisked away by auto south toward Petra, which ended up being an all-day trip.  When I looked at the map of Jordan at home, Petra appeared to be like 20 miles from Amman; nope, it's 150 miles.  The plan was to stop on our way to tour Karak, followed by Little Petra, neither of which I'd ever heard of.  But, okay, let's go!

This is what much of Jordan looks like.

Treeless.  Rocky!

And this -- goats crossing the road in front of our car.

While on the Kings Highway, we crossed the Mujib Dam,

then climbed yonder mountain at right.

Seeing villages interspersed.

Maybe around the halfway point of our drive on Kings Highway, Karak Archeological Castle loomed atop a mountain in front of us.  It's only 15 miles east of the Dead Sea and at the top we could just barely make out the blue of the sea in the distance.  (So close to Israel!)  This is one of those places that had its beginning way back in the 7th Century BCE when it was a capital city of ancient Moab. Nowadays Karak is best known for its relevance in the Crusades. 

Medieval Karak Castle was built in the 12th Century, and it was the stronghold for Crusaders in their ongoing war between them and Saladin's army.  It was only in their hands for 46 years before surrendering to Saladin in 1188. There isn't much left of the castle, but seeing and exploring the underground passages and etc., was kinda fun.

Faris and Jimmy.

Very few others here.

Lots of dark passages.  Interesting place to visit.

Great views from the mountaintop.

As we left, we encountered "juice" man.  His specialty was on-the-spot-squeezed pomegranate and orange juices mixed in a go-cup.  A bit tart, but very tasty and full of good juju to keep us healthy.  We saw these juice stands in Turkey, too.

From Karak, we motored on.  Jimmy, above, is entering Little Petra. The Arabic name of Little Petra is Siq al-Barid, which means "cold canyon," as in no sunlight enters in this narrow, steep-sided canyon.

Siq-al-Barid.  I was amazed at what we saw here.  Apparently, Little Petra was used by ancient Nabateans (who knew?) as a sort of reception area for travelers from other lands, a place for them to stay before granting them access to Petra.  (Petra was on the spice trade route.)

"The Painted Biclinium." I didn't know what that meant, so I looked it up. This place is called Painted House, a rock-cut biclinium, or smaller dining room, with well-preserved wall paintings and famous frescoes you can see on the ceiling. We didn't use the stairs to go up, so we missed the frescoes. (not sure if it's even allowed)

The Temple Above Cave Rooms, believed to have been used as a ceremonial building, and possibly for rituals, is a significant archaeological site carved into the sandstone cliffs. Holy cow -- carved!  It's one of the most fascinating sights in Little Petra. The temple is supported by two massive stone columns and features intricate details, including Nabataean horn capitals and a two-level structure.  The top level was off limits, but we went in the bottom caves (which were empty). 

As we exited, a young Bedouin boy was offering rides on "Bob the Camel," but we ixnayed.  A photo was okay.  We also passed by the Bedouin vendors, who had their wares set up on tables at the exit.  Some of the Bedouin vendors still sleep in the caves.  I believe they're "grandfathered" in.

I snapped a pic from the moving auto of this Bedouin temporary community near Little Petra.  Jordan reminded me a bit of Morocco in this respect, with their Bedouin tribe camps.

We had many thousands of steps on our feet by the time we finally made it to the Mövenpick Petra Hotel in time for dinner.  I can tell you we were both exhausted by the time we finished dinner (up since 3:30am!).  And, get this -- the hotel is directly across a road from the Petra entrance, so tomorrow all we have to do is walk out the door and we're there!  Faris said if you think Little Petra is "really something," wait till you see Petra -- the real deal!