Palmyra - Desert Hospitality and Roman Ruins

---

Summer School 2 was over so we had the opportunity to get away for a few nights before Summer School 3 began. That meant a late evening bus from Damascus to the desert city of Palmyra. We arrived at 1130pm and were soon drinking refreshing tea in our hotel before settling down for a good night’s sleep.

The following morning we set out to climb up to the citadel in the morning sun, before the heat of the day became too much to bear. It was a tough climb on rough tracks but the views over the extensive Roman ruins were worth it. Unfortunately our guidebook proved to be wrong (again!) and the castle was closed, not opening until midday!! We were not the only frustrated tourists up there though and we were given a lift back to the base of the hill by a couple of Spaniards. It was good to get a bit of Spanish conversational practice in too!!

Next we wandered through the extensive ruins. They were amazing and free! The colonnaded street is almost a mile long and took quite a while to wander down, stopping at various pots and rocks along the way. There were temples galore, the ubiquitous amphitheatre (for an extra 75 Syrian Pounds), a myriad of columns both standing and laying, and very few tourists. As the heat of the day increased we decided to head back to town, and that’s when the tour buses began to arrive so our timing was perfect.

In town we ate lunch at the wonderful Pancake House where we had a huge savoury pancake each stuffed with spicy lamb and chicken. Delicious! Then it was siesta time for us!!

Feeling well rested we set out to visit the museum before it closed at 6pm. It was much more interesting than we expected which is always a bonus. The headstones from tombs were a bit freaky, especially as they were actual representations of the person entombed! Some of the reliefs were beautifully carved with images of trading boats and camel trains. Upstairs were some strange fabrics recovered from the tombs. It’s strange to think they had been wrapped around desert mummies for millennia! At the entrance to the museum is one of a pair of enormous lions which used to sit either side of one of the most important goddesses in Roman Palmyra.

From there we walked back out to the ruins hoping to catch the sunset. The lighting levels were superb and the colours so warm compared to earlier in the day. Unfortunately it soon became apparent that the sun was going to set behind a hill with a huge radio antenna on top! Rather than wait for a disappointing climax to the sunset, we found a small bar where we sat outside in the evening breeze and had a cold beer!

For dinner we discovered the Spring Restaurant on the main touristy road. We sat on cushions on the floor upstairs inside a Bedouin tent. Our host, Mohammad, soon became a good friend. He fed us a local dish called mansaf which was a delightful dish of aromatic rice with chicken, pistachio and almonds. Served with salad and yoghurt it was superb. Then he gave us a plateful of fruit, refreshing black tea and slices of his mother’s home-made cake (more like a giant biscuit) which was excellent. The only thing which would have made the meal better would have been a cold beer!

The next morning we went back to the museum to buy tickets to visit the tombs. You have to buy your ticket from there, but once you get out to the site (by taxi) you are far from being alone. Luckily we always got to our destination ahead of the hoards from the tour buses. The tower tomb was interesting but quite bare inside. The second, more remote, tomb was underground and wonderfully decorated. It’s just a shame that it is not is the same condition it was in the 1920s when photographs were first taken. You now need these old photos to understand what you are looking at.

Our driver dropped us outside the Temple of Bel which we spent an hour or so exploring. There’s an extra charge to go in but it’s not expensive. The temple is quite substantial and there are a lot of columns standing all around the courtyard. It was also interesting to see how Roman columns were used as building blocks when they fortified the area. Ancient recycling!!

We walked back into town where Mohamad served us falafel sandwiches followed by more fruit, tea and mum’s cake! He speaks Arabic, English, Italian, Japanese and Spanish which is useful as we heard him use all of them! He was having a few difficulties explaining mansaf to a couple from Madrid so Russ went over for some more practice!!

If you are going to Palmyra, Mohamad is keen to help you out. Send him an email ([e-mail]) and he’ll sort you out with accommodation, food and, of course, some of his mum’s cake!!

We had intended to stay 3 nights in the same hotel but we couldn’t do that as our cash supplies were getting low and there’s no ATM in Palmyra! Instead we moved from the Al Nakheel, which was cash only, to the Bel Hotel where we could pay by credit card. They were even willing to give us a cash advance but we didn’t need that in the end.

We escaped the afternoon heat with a siesta then set out for a wander around the oasis. Just inside the walls a labyrinth of small roads takes you around various groves of palm dates, olives and pomegranates. It was nice just to walk around undisturbed and it’s the first time we have seen pomegranates on trees, they are normally in a box at the grocers!!

As the sun set we resumed our position at the small bar which served us beer. Then we went back to see Mohamad one more time. This time he served us another Bedouin dish but neither of us can recall what it was called! It was a rich mixture of tomato, onion, pepper and aubergine served with rice.We sat outside by the road as the Bedouin tent upstairs was full. After more fruit, tea and, you’ve guessed, cake, Russ presented Mohamad with his Brighton football shirt. Only then did Mohamad reveal his colours as a Manchester United fan!! The problem with giving gifts is that the act is often reciprocated. We weren’t quick enough in leaving to avoid this and Mohamad gave Trish a green Bedouin dress. It’s quite stylish really.

It didn’t turn into a late night as we had to be up early the next morning. The alarm was painful but we were soon packed, breakfasted and at the bus station. It’s not really a bus station though, merely a couple of restaurants selling tickets a few hundred yards apart. Unfortunately for us the 8am departures were full and it hadn’t been possible to buy tickets in advance! They tell you to just turn up and it’s not normally a problem. An enterprising taxi driver was trying to persuade us to take a taxi back to Damascus (GB£30) but we discovered that there was room on a 9am departure.

At 9.30 our bus arrived. Tickets in hand, we got on. The engine stopped. Most people got off. Some people looked at the engine. They even got it going again. Everyone got on the bus. The engine stopped again! Oh dear, we were due to start work at 2pm!! Eventually everything was ok and we were on our way. We got back to Damascus just in time to get a taxi home, change and get to work!!!

---

Photos

Tower Tomb
But see the baby camel in the foreground!

Comments

[mohamad]

palmyra
thamks our frinds for what you write abaut the spring restaurant. i invit every body to come and visit the must betful plase in the world palmyra. if any one he need help in palmyra you are welcom i can help were my brather he have nice hotel and i work in the spring restaurant and we do make tour in syria by care our by camel. i wish every body they come to syria they will enjoy and you are welcom alwyes.

[mohamad bahha eddin]

warning from thr desirt
hello for every boday iam mohamad from syria palmyra i just whant to say there is bad pepole steal my address mail so i changed now and the new address is [e-mail] sure as all thr time we hope that we can see more and more pepole in syria Best regards