It`s like stepping back in time. Worn grey metal detectors grace the entrances to shops and offices. Dour guards sit at school desks outside the doors of malls and hotels. Every bag must be opened for scrutiny. Police cars don`t bother switching off their flashing lights. And if you must go wandering about, the ubiquitous officers with assault rifles will stop you far less often if you avoid the company of journalists from India or Brazil.

The view from the hotel window is a montage of contrasts. The beachfront looks as modern and vibey as that of any Mediterranean city. It`s somewhat less busy than one might expect, however. There are a few towering glass skyscrapers in the centre of the city, away from the beach. Aside from these, the buildings that aren`t built in the traditional sandstone are glaringly seventies in design. This theme extends to the interior of the hotel. As with all seventies interiors, one gets the slightly eerie feeling that it has seen better days. It probably has.