What an exciting place Jordan has been so far! Everyone that we had spoken to before we got here said that we would really love Jordan, and so far I can agree with them. Today is looking like it is going to be another great day because the sun is shinning and the temperature is just right. I got up a little earlier than everyone else this morning and had a nice dip in the hotel's pool.
Once I got back from the pool, everyone else had gotten up for the morning, so we all went down to the hotel's lounge and had breakfast. We had a choice of different types of fruit and a few other breakfast type foods that were native to Jordan. After we finished our breakfast, we all went and had a quick shower in our hotel room and got ready to go out and explore Petra.
It was my day to choose the activity, so I decided that we would do a leisure activity, which was fine with the rest of my travel buddies because we were all feeling like getting some exercise in after all we had ate throughout our whole travel experiences. I brought the idea up of going for a hike to Jebel Haroun. 
Through Petra past the Qasr el Bint and out into the mountains, passing the mountain of Um el Biyara and the Snake Monument on our way to "Aaron's Mountain". This is the traditional burial place of the brother of Moses and is a sacred place for the Bedouin.
Topped by a small white mosque, it is often visited by pilgrims who decorate the shrine with rags, thread and shells, the Moslem equivalent of lighting a candle to the saint.
Recent excavations have shown a very large Byzantine monastery just below the summit, surrounded by extensive gardens and outbuildings.
We return by a slightly different route, still in the "back country".
This is another strenuous day but very rewarding.
The cost of this hiking trip was 100 dinars for the whole group.
Once we finally got back to the hotel, we where so tired that we just stayed in and went to lounge and had dinner. Even though we had a ton of fun, this was a physically demanding day, but we all were glad to get some exercise and see some great scenery.
Total expenses:
100 dinars
141 dollars Site:
http://www.jordanjubilee.com/outdoors/hikingpetra.htm
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