Called Tadmor by the locals, Palmyra is considered the best site in Syria. This extensively excavated Greek, then Roman, caravan city is on an oasis in the middle of the desert. The closest river is the Orontes 150km north, but the oasis is lush and continues to support a new town with a population of 40,000.

We arrived from Hama by bus with a transfer in Homs. For 2 hours between Homs and Palmyra, the land was a vast desert of tan and orange rock and sand. The only dwellings were occasional nomad tents.

There is no admission fee to see most of Palmyra. After choosing a hotel in the new town, we walked through Palmyra in the late afternoon. Only a handful of tourists were around. Locals selling beverages and fake antiques weren't persistent when we said, "La, Shukuran" (no thank you). It was an enjoyable and relaxing stroll through some fabulous ruins. As the sun began to set, we climbed a hill that overlooked Palmyra and watched the city glow golden in the diminishing rays.