Jebel Haroon

A slight mishap yesterday meant this was the only photo I took today!

The light here is seldom conducive to good photography as a heat haze seems to build up from very early in the morning. The warm colour of the local stone is highlighted by the sun. This morning there was also a strong wind stirring up the sand and dust. I'm glad I wasn't at any of Petra's high places in that.

This shows the distant mountains surrounding Petra and gives some idea of why it was such a successful site for millennia - easy to defend and a catchment for the rain that fell on the mountains.

The tallest mountain, on the left in shadow, is Jebel Haroon - Mount Aaron - named after Moses' brother who allegedly died and was buried there. There is a mosque atop the mountain, and getting there must be an act of faith in itself.

Some of the houses in Wadi Musa (named after Moses) can be seen in the foreground.