Not many people have heard of Palmyra, but if you ever go there you will never forget it. Palmyra is an oasis about three hours north east of Damascus by bus. It is everything an oasis should be. It is green and full of palm trees and stands in the middle of the desert. I know this is stating the obvious, but until you see a real oasis, you never really appreciate the difference water makes. The Palmyra oasis was situated at a key intersection of several trade routes, and as a result became extremely important and rich through levying taxes. The Romans conquered Palmyra and added a major Roman city on top of the existing city. Because of its isolation and the desert heat, the ruins today are remarkably well preserved. One of the real beauties of Palmyra is that very few people go there and the ruins are open. You just walk in and clamber wherever you want. Naturally the children loved this. Sunset was stunning and we were able to view the ruins from a nearby castle which was built by the Arabs in the 12 century on top of one of the few hills.
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