Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Day Four: Saturday 9
th
July 2005
Palmyra to Krac des Chevaliers to Tartus
“Roman desert ruins; Crusader Fortress and the Soviet Syrian Seaside.”
(Shahin Hotel, Tartus)
Plan for Day 4:
◦
Palmyra
◦
Krak de Chevaliers
◦
Tartus
◦
Island of Arwad
Having successfully given Abdulla the slip the previous evening, we met up with him in the
morning for a light breakfast and a review of our itinerary. This route was to have been one
of the longest we had taken (390 K) but amicable negotiations had cut off 200 K from my
original plans and a more manageable 190 K was agreed on. By this time, a little road wear-
iness had set in, coupled with frustration and irritation with our incompetent guide who we
were actively planning to painlessly get rid of at the first possible opportunity.
Our functional, modern, concrete, hotel was in an amazing, if not archeologically irrespons-
ible location; right in the middle of the Roman ruins with magnificent views on the temples
from the dining room and similarly spectacular views of the citadel from the bedroom. It
was named “Zenobia” after the rebel queen who, after the failed rebellion, had been captured
and taken to Rome in golden chains.
