Petra - Jordan - page 369

( 2155700; www.petrakitchen.com ; cookery course per person JD35; ) If you've al-
ways wanted to know how to whip up wonderful hummus or bake the perfect baklava,
Petra Kitchen is for you. Located 100m up the main road from the Mövenpick Hotel,
Petra Kitchen offers nightly cookery courses for those wanting to learn from locals how to
cook Jordanian mezze, soup and main courses in a relaxed family-style atmosphere. A
local Jordanian chef is on hand to make sure you don't make a camel's ear of the authentic
Jordanian dishes. Dishes (including delicious vegetarian fare) change daily. The experien-
ce starts at 6.30pm (7.30pm in summer) and the price includes the printed recipes, food
and soft drinks. Better still, buy a bottle of St George wine to share with your fellow ap-
prentice chefs. Reservations are recommended. See the boxed text ( Click here ) for an idea
of what to expect.
Sleeping
In 1908 Macmillan's guide, Palestine and Syria, had the following advice:
At Petra, there is no sleeping accommodation to be found, and travellers therefore have to
bring with them camp equipment, unless they prefer to put up with the inconvenience of
sleeping in the Bedwin huts at Elji, half an hour distant from Petra, or spend the night in
some of the numerous temples. Such a course cannot be recommended to European trav-
ellers, especially if ladies are in the party.
Even as recently as 1991, there were only four official hotels in Wadi Musa. Visitors now
have a choice of over 70 hotels (none of which are inside the site itself) and camping is no
longer permitted.
The high season is generally from April to mid-May and October to November (check
the heating works!). Outside these times, prices can drop quickly from the official rates,
especially if you're staying more than a couple of nights. Most hotels have a variety of
rooms in a variety of sizes; some with a balcony, some with no natural light, so ask to see
some options. The prices quoted in this chapter are for high-season accommodation in an
average room (neither the hotel's best nor worst), with bathroom (unless otherwise noted)
and with breakfast - the norm in Wadi Musa, unlike in the rest of Jordan. Note that the
views advertised by some hotels are of Wadi Musa valley, not of Petra itself.
Women travelling alone need to be more on their guard in budget hotels in Wadi Musa
than in other towns (make sure doors lock properly and there are no peep holes).
If you get off the minibus at the Shaheed roundabout in Wadi Musa with a backpack,
then you will be besieged by persuasive touts. Decide on your choice of hotel in advance
if you want to be left alone.