| Transportation is easy to arrange in Syria - just go to a city's main bus station and someone will help you find your bus. Inter-city taxis are cheap too, 50 Syrian pounds (equivalent to $1 US dollar) gets you anywhere within the city bounds. Syrians treat foreigners will although they always ask where you're from - we try not to answer that question. This morning we arrived in Palmyra, an eastern desert oasis. In a Bedouin's garden tucked in the oasis, we buy fake student ID's for $10 apiece (go into any Palmyra hotel and ask discretely for a student card - someone will pop up and lead you to the right person). These transactions are shady but worth it; Syrian sites discount 95% to students so these ID's pay for themselves in one day.
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| During the Greek and Roman era, Palmyra was a rich desert trading town. The city's most famous character was Zenobia, a self-proclaimed descendent of Cleopatra. Like her hero, she fought Rome and lost. |
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| More Roman theatre antics. |
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| Cool site, but without student cards it's expensive to see everything here. Admission total for all Palmyra's sites: $18 for non-students, 45 cents for students. |
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| Palmyra's best site: tower tombs. |
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