BLOG: Castles and ruins in Palmyra
Day 4 (Sunday, March 28)
We got up early and headed to Palmyra, known as one of the best archaeological sites in the Middle East. It was a long ride — about two-and-a-half hours each way from Hama— but it was definitely worth it. Palmyra is considered a must-see for anyone visiting Syria, and after seeing it, I would definitely agree with that assessment.
We had great weather all day, so I didn’t mind the excessive walking that is needed to cover the site.
The best part, without a doubt, was a large castle at the top of a hill overlooking the ancient city. It was a phenomenal structure that provided a great view of the ruins below it. Unfortunately, covering Palmyra is an all-day affair, since it’s quite a distance from the major cities in Syria. It was nice, though, seeing the “rural” side of the country during the drive there; it was a good reminder that not all Syrians are cosmopolitans from Damascus.
We got back to Hama and I had a huge, delicious dinner for just $2 dollars. That was one of the best parts of
Syria: The terrific food that costs about a third of what a similar meal would cost in the U.S.
We then went back to the hotel for some sleep. Unfortunately, the five or so mosques within earshot of the hotel provided a much-too-early wake-up call during the (approximately) 4 a.m. call-to-prayer. As one of my friends from the trip likes to say, in a sarcastic voice, “Welcome to the Sharq al-Awsat (the Middle East).”
Indeed.
