Palmyra Ruins

Was hard to get up. The guide insists that you leave the luggage outside your room – which I think is a recipe for disaster. But they actually have you check your luggage before you get on the bus so it works out OK. I forgot to charge up my iTouch – which I discover while listening to music and playing “Pop it”. The guide just drones on and on – he cannot seem to be quiet. I just need a few highlights – not ll this endless detail. Finally he shuts up and I can sleep. We stop for a photo up at the Iraqi sign. Mark is not shaking so much so the picture is pretty good. But the Syrians are blocking Facebook so I cannot share my pics. It is odd being so disconnected – not knowing what’s going on or who is playing Farmville endlessly. No work e-mail is easy to get used to though  Stop at the Baghdad café for a break. Lots of photo ops. Apparently this is the Starbucks of Syria – two or three (or was it four) of them. Sharif tells the story but I am not listening. Miss Akos and Jessica – they do not drone on and on. Of course you are not supposed to be talking when looking for wildlife. We finally get to the Temple of Bel. The ruins are amazing – I find them more impressive than the ruins at Athens. Which are just in the middle of the city. First encounter with the Syrian souvenir sellers. Not in the same class as the Egyptians, but pretty pushy. Can’t buy anything – won’t fit in carry on. Don’t think anyone understands the concept. We visit the above ground and the below ground tombs. Hardly seems nice to be walking through people’s graves. But the bones are long gone – some carried away by dogs. It has finally gotten hot. Off to the Colonnade street – again impressive ruins. Huge theater. Lots of sun – Mark looks like he will melt. Another “optional” lunch. And a long drive to our out of the way hotel. Sharif naps; great not to have to listen to him. He is very funny – I just don’t like listening for so long. A good lesson when giving presentations. Except no one listens then – using their blackberries or laptops.
Get to the hotel around 6 PM. The check in process is incredibly efficient – keys handed out in minutes. Not even in the U.S. are things this efficient. Syria is an amazing place – hard to believe it is not overrun with tourists like Greece. Oh, wait -- dictatorship with ties to terrorists tends to put a damper on your tourism. Still feels very safe. Finally get a couple hours down time. Mark sets out looking for beer and I go along to keep an eye on him. He strikes gold – find the town square. Lots of shops sell beer. There is a group of people singing and dancing. Not clear what they are celebrating – they came on buses. We also see some of the English people on the “companion” tour bus (there are two groups) walking about. Everyone looking for beer.
I think about going to the gym, but play Pop it instead. I find the “resort” kind of drab and dreary. Mark says I have gotten used to staying in :”too fancy” places for work. Probably a bit of both. We have a buffet dinner. Getting to know the different people on the tour. Most everyone seems older – a lot retired. Our group starts dinner – then a huge crowd comes in. Later find out they are Lebanese out for a day (or in this case night) trip. They are rude and pushy. And smoking. Glad to leave them behind and go to bed. Get to sleep an extra hour tomorrow ……