For the past few months, writer Theodore May has been following in the footsteps of Alexander the Great, tracing the 2,000-mile path Alexander forged through the modern Middle East. Theo is writing about his experiences for The Global Post, and you can be follow him on Twitter at @Theodore_May. He's been contributing glimpses from his journeys here at Intelligent Travel. 
Along the waterfront, in Gaza City's port district, lie a number of high-end hotels, whose plush reception areas and outdoor patios can surprise visitors who aren't expecting that sort of comfort in Gaza.
Some of these hotels used to serve alcohol. Others used to host late-night dance parties. That was until Hamas took over.
Today, "No Weapons" signs greet you at the entrances of many of the hotels. Beer is gone from the shelves, and the view you'll likely have from one of the hotel cafes is of an Israeli warship or two patrolling off the coast.
If you manage to get into Gaza, and chances are you won't, these hotels can serve as comfortable bases for exploring the tiny Palestinian enclave that measures only 46 kilometers (28 miles) long, top to bottom.
Once in town, though, you must visit Gaza City's premier (and perhaps only!) souvenir shop, which serves all ends of Gaza's political spectrum and will send you home with various knickknacks to wow your friends.
The Chairman Arafat Shop sits on a major thoroughfare in central Gaza City, across the street from the austere-looking cultural center and just a few blocks from the vacant lot that used to be Gaza's parliament building. Tareq Abu Dayyeh, who runs the shop, is an equal opportunity salesman, marketing to Palestinians of every political stripe.
The back wall of his store is plastered with the images of famous regional leaders, the most prominently displayed of which is Yasser Arafat. Also on the wall, though, is a photo of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The store shelves are jammed with goods, many of which are made in Gaza. Keffiyehs, the type of headscarf made famous by Yasser Arafat, are a favorite item. You can buy them in the traditional black or red checkered pattern, green and embroidered with the Hamas logo, or black and bearing the name of the Islamist party Islamic Jihad. And, if you're a wayward hipster, you can buy your keffiyeh in yellow or orange.
The rest of the shelves are lined with prayer beads and rosaries, American flag pins and Hezbollah magnets. Malaysian scarves sit next to hand-stitched wallets, silver camels, and Bethlehem drink coasters. The most intriguing and funniest items in the store, though, sit in a corner by the manager's desk.
On one shelf, Abu Dayyeh has stacked a number of coffee mugs into a pyramid shape. One mug design, featuring a keffiyeh-wearing Barack Obama, reads, "Oh... Abu Malia. Palestine loves you!!!" Abu Malia, a common Arab naming convention, means "Father of Malia."
Behind the mugs is an 18-inch-tall Obama doll. Attached to his vest are a sword and a couple of grenades, with a pistol jammed into the pockets.
After all, this is Gaza.
Photos: Theo May
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