Blogs from South, Syria, Middle East - page 7

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 29th 2009

So, continuing the game of catch-up, here's a little bit about our home for the first week: "The Damascus Hostel". First of all, the owners and staff are pretty much the nicest people ever. Even though our flight was 1.5 hours late, Johnny was still standing patiently at the baggage claim door when we finally straggled through. I think we were told "welcome, welcome" almost 20 times on the 20 minute drive in from the airport. Then, we discovered that the hostel is literally perched on top of the ancient city wall, and they pulled our bags straight up the wall by a pulley as Johnny drove us deep into the less-than-one-lane wide streets of Bab Touma, the Christian section of the Old City. There, we were met by Khaled, who walked us down a winding ... read more

Damascus! Day 1 - The Umayyad Mosque

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 25th 2009

Inconspicuous

Damascus for Dummies

We're here, we're safe, some photos for you all! Day 1 - Visiting the Umayyad Mosque, about a few yards of the Souq Hamadiye, walking back to the hostel, getting lost, and watching the twilight fall from our balcony.... read more

Damascus

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 21st 2009

Damascus by night

Birdy85

I must have some kind of illness, a very odd illness, one that drags me back to Iraq like some kind of migratory bird each year. Each year for my birthday I gravitate this way. My first waking memory as a 23 year old was soundtracked by the end of the world crashes of a massive mortar attack. 'Whooomph, bang!' The first salvo woke me up as it barreled in, splitting the air and popping like a TNT balloon. I curled foetal and tried to pretend that the explosions were only an extension of my brain sapping hangover. I opened my eyes as I tried to shrink into nothingness and somehow avoid the instant roulette death of falling mortars. With flinching and puffy eyes I saw the Iranian helmet in bed with me. Hazy memories flooded ... read more

Tomorrow, TOMORROW!

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 21st 2009

Syrian Air (NOT OUR AIRLINE THANK GOODNESS)

Damascus for Dummies

We're packed, we're ready, we're leaving TOMORROW! At 1pm tomorrow (June 22), Leah and I will be racing, split-screen style, toward the Philadelphia and Toronto airports, respectively. We'll see each other about 10 hours later in the PARIS airport, squealing with excitement. Within a few hours, we'll be giggling in the back row of the Air France flight to Damascus. We'll be met by adorable Raymond, owner of the Damascus Hostel , and hopefully be woken up at 5:30am by the call to prayer blasting from the mosques of the Old City. I can NOT wait, and thanks to all our friends and family reading this - wish us luck!! - Jordan... read more

Dummies and Dorks

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 11th 2009

Jordan has "CULTURE SHOCK: SYRIA"

Damascus for Dummies

Two dorky girls who love to study? Check. Two dummies who know surprisingly little about where they're going (given the fact they've been studying the region for three years)? Check. Nothing left to do but pack next week, resulting in much worrying about prices, jails, destinations, visas, politics, the heat, clothing, Arabic, the heat, classes, transport, apartments, the heat, and did we mention THE HEAT? Check. Results in? A geeky guidebook frenzy. Meet the guidebooks, coming to you from Kingston, ON and Baltimore, MD: JORDAN AND LEAH ARE GOING TO SYRIA! (almost rhymes)... read more

El mercado de los viernes, Cuma pazari

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 7th 2009

Pablo in Barhal

En Siria el fin de semana es viernes y sábado, el viernes todo está cerrado menos este mercado donde venden frutas y verduras. Suriede hafatasonu cuma-cumartesi, cuma günü her sey kapali, burasi gerçekten müslüman bir ülke, sebse-meybe satin almak için tek bu pazari var.... read more

Damascus

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 3rd 2009

Bosra

thedribbleman

As I was asked to leave the women’s area I whispered to Annina “I am sick and tired of being repressed.” I was inside one of the Muslim worlds most important buildings. You know if you look at all my travels this year. And take the whole believing out of the equation, I’d be a very good Muslim. I have made many unknown pilgrimages to important places in the Muslim world. None more important than Umayyad Mosque in Damascus. Damascus is Syria’s capital and was my last stop here but in the centre of the country Syria has some real gems. Most of the major sights outside the two big cities are in the middle of the country so a good base and base that most travellers choose is Hama. Hama is a conservative city that ... read more

ARE YOU SYRIA - S ?

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus June 1st 2009

THE ROYAL FAMILY BID US FAREWELL

2 BLONDES ON HOLIDAY

DAY 45 Today we say goodbye to Jordan and head off to Syria. INFO Syria has a coast line on the Mediterranean. It is bordered by the countries of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. Syria is a dictatorship. The previous president (Hafaz) was a true dictator and ruled with an iron fist. In saying this he also brought stability to the country as for thirty years prior to his rule there had been many coups. Not long before his death the President's eldest son and heir, which he had been grooming for the role was killed in a car accident. He then hurriedly commenced grooming his second son, Bashar Al-Assad (which means the lion) to take over as President. He has made some major changes to Syria for the better, including opening up the ... read more

Syria and beyond

Middle East » Syria » South » Damascus April 16th 2009

View of Beirut

Dom39

So once again I've been a little lax with updating this so apologies for that. At the end of February, Anja and I headed off to Lebanon for the 3rd and probably last time this trip. We actually managed to get further out from Beirut than I have managed in the past which was good. First stop Tripoli, which was a lot more like Syria than the rest of Lebanon I had seen previously but still nice. We headed back via a picturesque port town called Byblos and had a fish dinner at a restaurant that was frequented by the rich and famous during the 1960's before the troubled times began. After an eventful night that saw me locked in a bathroom for an hour at Anja's friends house in Beirut (it needed a Lebanese guy ... read more

Maalula

Middle East » Syria » South » Maalula April 15th 2009

Welcome to Maalula

Storrie

Was taken to Maalula to see Mima's home village where her family spend the summer months. Its only a 40min drive from Damascus and Mima's dad drove us there as he had business to attend to in the area. Got to see her house and all the mess that she and her mum and sister will arrive to in the summer. Her dad and brother regurarly spend time there due to the close proximity to their work. They also have a farm that they grow fruit in which only 5km from the house set at the edge of the village. Maalula is the only place in the world that still speaks Aramaic, the language of Jesus. Was dropped at St. Sergius monastery which is a interesting but quick stop over point. There are a few things ... read more

Brief history of Syria

Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Syrian troops - stationed in Lebanon since 1976 in ...more history

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