#14110 Exploring the Ancient Ruins of Palmyra, Syria

Columns, columns everywhere, and all the stone is pink. So might Coleridge have written, had he also penned a poem entitled “The Rhyme of the Ancient Palmyra.” Mentioned in the Old Testament, and reaching the zenith of its power under the Romans, this Silk Road city was once known as the “Bride of the Desert.” The huge site still boasts numerous temples, arches, watchtowers, and a largely intact colonnade of rosy pillars, penetrating the heavens like a Freudian wet dream. During the savage heat and jagged light of day, these old stones are stripped of their mystery. But sunrise and sunset are times of magic, when shifting, soft hues of pink and orange once again breathe the life of history into these ancient ruins.