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Tuesday 2004-05-11 - Damascus - Palmyra, Syria
We’re moving!
Today, we really start moving across Asia. Leaving at eight, we first have to get out of the city: now we see how big Damascus, with a population of 3.5 million inhabitants, really is.
When we’re finally out, we’re in the desert. Mostly barren mountains on our left, an almost flat plain on the right. Sparse plants, sometimes little clumps of bright-red poppies along the road side, purple thistles, other flowers that I don’t recognize. Sometimes small flocks of sheep and some goats, with the herder often often seated on the back of a donkey. Some people sleep on the bus — I almost never do and I love desert landscapes! Of course, as is often the case, when we stop for a drink (‘Bagdad Cafe’) the flowers I wanted to take a picture of are nowhere in sight.
Before noon we’re in Palmyra, already seeing some of the temple ruins before we enter.
Tuesday 2004-05-11 - Palmyra, Syria
Impressive Romans
After lunch with (again) a cup of lentil soup we walk to the ruins of the Roman city of Palmyra. Enormously impressive, more so than even the Acropolis in Athens, we think. Not only is it visible that here was an enormous city here in Roman times (600,000 people lived here in the first century) but along the big avenue where a surprising number of columns are still standing we also see remnants of the sewer system that make it clear what an enormous feat of engineering this city was.
Apart from the museum (in the big temple of Bel) which happens to be closed when we get there, entry to the whole site is free, and we roam around for several hours. Of course, I take lot of pictures as well!
