The rose-gold ancient ruins

Earlier today we rented another private taxi excursion leaving Hama to Homs visiting Qala’at Saladin and Krak Des Chevalier. Arriving at noon at Homs we ran into the bus station for tickets to Palmyra. We planned to arrive Palmyra before sunset. A lot of hype through my reading and from other travelers that Palmyra is magnificent. Either to be seen during sunset or sunrise.

After getting or ticket which leaves at 3.30pm, Amaia and Jose Luis was searching for somewhere to have lunch, I had one at Krak des Chevaliers.The taxi dropped us infront of the bus stop and and from that point we walked to the bus ticket counter so we didn’t get to see much of the surrounding. We were approached by tout that literally saying there’s no restaurant in the bus stop. We kind of believe it as the location was pretty much isolated and Homs is known for transit town to get to Palmyra so that’s not much going on there. Agreed on the fare to bring them to the restaurant, Amaia and Luis left me inside the station. I wandered and saw there were quite a few kebab stall at the station. I realized that’s another cheap way the touts making money out of travelers. I ran looking for Luis and Amaia to tell them there were stalls for food, they don’t need to waste money in looking somewhere else. They were just 100m away and had not get into the taxi yet.

The bus didn’t bring us right to the site but we had to hire another taxi ride to the ruins. And we were loosing light already. The best spot to see the ruins is from the Citadel. So the taxi brought us up on the hill where there were a handful of travellers. To be honest Palmyra didn't live up to my expectation from afar. The guides book says it's magical but I didn't think i'st that astounding. Just another ruins I must say. Maybe because I had seen a lot of stones, collonades and ruins all the way before that.

We parted ways at the dusk. Jose Luis and Amaia headed to Palmyra town spending a night to see the ruins again during the sunrise. I headed to the bus station leaving for Damascus.