Since arriving in Syria last week I've found several websites blocked, including Amazon.com, Facebook, and this Blogspot.com site. I've heard that in China people are adept at getting around these cyber blocks and that appears to be the case here in Syria as well. When I asked for assistance at a Syrian cyber cafe, the worker there easily navigated around the Blogspot.com block within minutes. Currently I'm in Palmyra ("Tadmor" in Arabic), three hours northeast of Damascus by bus. As my guidebook states, "An elusive and highly romanticised goal of European travelers over the centuries, even today a visit to Palmyra is an experience which alone makes the trip to Syria worthwhile." Two reasons why Palmyra flourished were because it's an oasis city (i.e., plenty of water around even though it's a desert region) and it was a convenient stopping point for caravans taking the shortest route from the Arab Gulf to the Mediterranean. Today instead of caravans you see large buses full of camera-wielding tourists who flock here to see the fantastic ruins.
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