Day 13 Palmyra

Thursday March 3^rd.

Jackie, Graham, Krys, Stamati and I were up really early to catch a ride with a local guy who was supposed to bring a van, but only brought a compact car. Consequently we had to jam three in the back and Krys and I in the front with the driver. I had to basically put my arms around both the driver and Krys, while she slipped into the seat more or less under me, and I had to keep my ass up so that I didn't get impaled on the stick shift. However, we drove about ten minutes up the mountain to another crusader castle that has a commanding view of the vast Roman ruins of Palmyra, including the tombs. However, we did not get there before sunrise as we were supposed to. We wandered around up there for a while taking photos and shivering, because it was very cold and quite windy.

Then we got driven back to the hotel, with the same seating plan, for breakfast. Then the whole group walked out of town to the Roman ruins. This is a large complex with lots of intact columns and buildings. Much of the city was buried under the sand for centuries and that saved it from being sacked. Local people lived in some of the ruins up until the 1930's when they were forced to move out.

Palmyra was a major hub of the caravan silk and spice trade routes. It is located out in the desert at an oasis (that has since dried up). Traders from around the whole of Asia and the Middle East passed through here and had to pay taxes to do so. It was a very wealthy city.

After our guided tour, Stamati, Graham and I took another ride to the tombs where we could see the buildings that they built to house their dead. In each one there were shelves, one above the other to store their mummies. Then we got a ride back into the new city of Palmyra to visit the museum. Inside were four mummies that they have discovered in various tombs around the complex.

The driver charged us 100 Syrian pounds instead of the agreed upon 75, and Graham took offense , so we told Jess when we got back. It was interesting to hear her tear a strip off the tour leader about his driver and then the driver actually came back to refund to each of us our extra 25 pounds (about $0.50). She is not afraid to tackle any of the Arab men.

Then we all went to the same restaurant as last night, only in the day it becomes the Pancake House! I had banana pancakes. Then another bus showed up to take us to Homs. Our luggage had to be tied on top for the three and half hour ride.

We drove across the Syrian desert for a couple of hours and then it changed and shortly afterwards we were in an area of trees and grasses! The last part was a long drive up a steep hill to the top of the mountain to the Hotel Beibars. We checked in and when we got to our rooms we were all delighted to find that we had stunning views of the crusader castle Krak des Chevaliers across a small valley. That is our destination for tomorrow morning.

Megan, Stamati and I went for a walk back along the road to the castle to watch the sunset. We met several women and their children and took photos of them. Then we walked back in time for dinner. Tonight's dinner was the best meza of the whole trip, really delicious. Then the main was fried garlic chicken. We had a couple of drinks and talked for a while before turning in. They owners of the hotel gave us a nightcap which was annis based, like uzo or anisette, only stronger tasting.