Tucked away in the desert hills of Jordan you can find the ancient city of Petra and re-enact all the Indiana Jones you desire. I mean people will stare at you like you are a bit off in the head, but you could.

I always thought Petra was just the one facade that you always see in the movies, the Treasury. Which is why the entry price of 50 dinars seemed pretty steep. Well the entry is pretty steep either way but there is so much more than just the Treasury. You can spend hours probably even days walking all the hiking trails around Petra and visiting the numerous tombs, cave homes, grand temple ruins, and simply taking in the amazing views.

Using a series of channels and dams that are still being excavated today the Nabateans were able to harness every bit of water in the desert to create a rich oasis city. Because of this I actually think that the game bonus for Petra is probably one of the most appropriate compared to real life. Desert tiles provide nothing in the game but with Petra all those worthless tiles are suddenly great and you have a thriving city.

Walking around Petra was breathtaking, figuratively and literally. It’s a long hike. We took a little break in the temple when I noticed the the hexagonal tiled floor. Maybe the Nabateans were a bit prophetic of their Civilization legacy.