A view of the Siq, a narrow passageway running between two rock faces. Although the scene at the end of this Siq wasn’t anywhere near the one in Petra (below, taken around 15 years ago), it still had that same feeling, which makes sense because both Mada’in Saleh and Petra were Nabataean cities.

I should add here since some people have asked: We were told we didn’t have to wear abayas or headscarves at Mada’in Saleh, so naturally all of us Westerners took advantage of that. There of course were Saudi women there dressed traditionally, as well as other Muslim women who wore at least headscarves.

The Siq in Petra, Jordan: