TODAY WE CLIMBED AGAIN, this time to the “High Place of Sacrifice.” The climb wasn’t as arduous nor the destination as impressive. Eventually you arrive at two monumental obelisks dedicated by unknown cults to forgotten gods. After some searching and directions shouted by women selling trinkets (God knows where they live or how they can make a living.) we climbed to a small rectangular courtyard carved into the rock and the sacrificial altar.
Sacrificial Altar,High Place of Sacrifice
The trail continues on down into the valley, eventually re-entering the main site near the Great Temple on the Roman Colonaded Street. We took that route last time, using much younger knees, but decided to return the way we came up. Our final stop was at the “Royal Tombs,” five tombs carved into the cliff face. Connie wanted to improve upon the photos we took last time — film, not digital which she scanned into our collection. It is hard to believe how niggardly I was when shooting on 35 mm film. Not only was developing expensive, we were never sure when we could next buy quality print film. I really love digital. Thank you, Canon!
Um Tomb Silk Tomb
Palace Tomb Corinthian Tomb
Even though our sight-seeing for the day was over, we still had a long, tired and sweaty trek back to the visitors center and our hotel, about five kilometers from the Monastery trailhead. To add insult to injury, it is all uphill but the faint of heart can take a horse-drawn carriage.
