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Palmyra

The bus dropped me off 2km the wrong side of town. The usually scrap over my bag ensued but this time I won and stormed off before any taxi drivers could kidnap me. After this the hotel touts tried there luck. Just say la shukran and keep walking. Then it was the kids. They worked in packs. While one was begging for money pretending (very poorly) to be sick, another was reaching in to your pockets while another was trying to unzip your bags. This continued until i got to my hotel and the owner chased them off.

Ancient Palmyra must have once been a spectacular city but after an earthquake a 1000 years ago all that remain are a few temples and quite a few columns. If this was anywhere else it would be packed with tourists. But as it is there were only a few dozen other people around. For every one tourist there must have been ten locals trying to sell posts cards or tours or camel rides or taxi's or just asking for money. The youngest of the postcard salesman must not have been a day over two. I guess teenagers just don't have the selling power.

The town itself was just like any tourist resort in Turkey. Everyone talking to you telling you how good their restaurant/store/tour was. It was also more expensive then anywhere else. After seeing the ruins and the citadel nearby I couldn't wait to leave.

cheers,
Scott.

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