Damascus - Palmyra

Damascus.
Getting off the train in Damascus at 6 am and the woman I was staying with wants to take me home. Do I look all that sorry looking? No.

I wander around for 4 hours in the day watching the sleepy city slowly awaken. There are many secret police. Or should I say not so secret. I think they are pretty obvious. I come to a place that I now know there was a planned demonstration. I didn't know at the time. There I am in my flaming backpack. Can't really hide, can I? Anyways I come around the corner and a woman in covered garb looks at me. Her mouth falls open. I just laugh out loud. She then laughs back at me. Really nice people.

They are really really hospitable here. I would really recommend Syria. While they are trying to make money from you, and you really do have to barter, they always ask where are you from. You tell them and they say Canada? Welcome to Syria! You learn to say "shookra" thank you. And they just leave you alone. I haven't had a real issue at all here.

The hotels are reasonable about 5$ a day and the food is also reasonable.

I loved Palmyra. It is very expensive compared to everywhere else, but what tourist trap isn't?

I found out at the hostel that you could do this on your own. They aren't doing planned trips. So I try to get together with a number of travellers wanting to do the same (how Canadian of me) and that doesn't really work out. I figure that if I leave at 6 am (yeah, I know I'm on a vacation)
(But really the Turks threw me off my usual time schedule. They would sleep in until 11 am and then stay up until 1 am).

I meet a guy named David from the US and he isn't scared to say he's American! I'm impressed! He seems to be on a bit of a pilgramage (who isn't) and he decides he will come with me. I like to figure things out and go on public transport and that certainly challenges people until they figure it out. So I have found out where we can go from our hostel by bus to the Pullman bus station. Where I then have to barter hard for a ticket. I don't like the price but I know that they are leaving at 7:30 and I figure that the bus will not be filled with people. So I tell David we should get a chai (tea) and wait until closer to the time. I figure they will want to fill the bus, and then it will be easier to barter. I'm right. I get there about 10 minutes before the so called cut off of 730 and it is much easier. They ask for our passports. We are carted off to a customs officer (huh?) who asks us where we are going and why. I tell him to Palmyra and as a tourist. No problem. Welcome to Syria!

Everyone welcomes you! I love it. It makes me smile.

Palmyra is an amazing city. This city is bigger than Ephesus, and incredibly preserved. The size is easily 3 times bigger. We see the temple of Bel and then walk and walk and walk. I am happy to say that all my hiking has kept me in shape to do this. We wander around the site with only a maybe 50 other people there. The sun comes out for us and the city virtually lights up. The colour is yellow, so in the harsh sun it must almost come alive. You can easily sit on the steps of the ampitheatre and imagine the theatre that took place here. It is really special to be able to take the time to imagine what it would be like. The grandeur. Because there are no crowds it is spectacular.

The Turkish and Syrian food hasn't helped me put on a few pounds...

I need for all of you to know that I will be leaving Damascus tomorrow morning and heading to Jordan. I will be going to Egypt. I have some news that things are very isolated. Now that the banks are open it makes sense for me continue on this journey. Please don't worry, everything is working out exactly as it is planned! I am very excited.