The first time that you walk down the Siq at Petra, to see the fabulous Treasury glowing in the distance at the end of that atmospheric chasm, it's a tremendous feeling of excitement. This is one of those places that's every bit as good, and every bit as impressive as you've imagined.
I've been to Petra quite a few times since, and each time the Treasury blows me away, although it's probably true to say that its impact is slightly less each time. However, because subsequent visits aren't all about the Siq and the Treasury, it means that your brain can take in all the other elements that make Petra such a wondrous place to visit.
The sheer array of tombs cut into the rocks beyond the Treasury is quite remarkable, many of them nearly as big and nearly as impressive as the site's most famous monument. In fact, it's the enormous size of the site that comes as a surprise to most visitors – and, when you think that probably no more than 15% of the lost city has been uncovered so far, then the mind boggles at what it would have looked like when it was at its height, 2,000 or so years ago.
For me, what gives Petra its timeless appeal, is the fact that, with the walk down the Siq, it feels like you're the one re-discovering the city, getting a feel for the ghosts of the ancients, each time you come here,. Like the impact that the Taj Mahal had on me, again Petra is a place that has a personal affect on many visitors. The Rose Red City is part of the rocks it was chiselled out of, and with your visit, as you literally follow in the footsteps of the ancients, you somehow become part of this mysterious city too.
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