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Published: January 5th 2011
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Going to Syria....oh yes, but we need a visa! Two ways to get a visa, in a syrian consulate, or at the border.
In order to apply for a Syrian visa, you need to visit the consulate where you are officially resident. For syrians, this is already where it can become tricky...guys...I have a belgian passport, and I live in Thailand...why would I go back to Belgium to apply for a visa. Than the guy told us simply...by the way, I cannot give you a visa, you fly to Amman and are going by road to Syria...I need to see an airline ticket to Syria. So the Syrian consulate in Bangkok is...useless.
Next stop, call to the Syrian embassy in Amman....ok, I'm organized, this is back in September. Sorry sir, you are not resident in Jordan, we cannot do anything...try at the border...my question...but is it feasible? Answer...I don't know sir, we are not the border!
Next stop, I can always try to get more info from the Syrian consulate in Brussels...this time I tell them that I'm resident in China as I still have valid proof for this, but that we are travelling all the time before
our Christmas trip and will therefore not be in China before the trip...not completely true, I admit. Few phones calls, few emails as they don't bother to even reply...finally a two lines email...You contact Syrian Embassy in Beijing, we cannot do anything for you....for info, the email was not even signed! So Syrian embassies or consulates...useless!
There is always the net to get more info...well, not that many people do blog on Syria, even less on ways to get a visa. Only one thing is clear....you can get a visa at the border...it is possible, but not sure. You will receive either a 3 days transit visa, either a 15 days visa...or will simply be sent back from where you came, after having waited anything between 30 minutes to 7 hours!
By now you may know that I try to be an organized guy! But how do I plan with those kind of info. Only one thing for sure, we haven't been to Israel before, which would have made things more complicated! So my point was...let's try it, we'll see. I made sure all my hotel bookings could be cancelled at last minute (may have cost me few
euros more...but...). And you know what, Idon't even have a plan B this time. I thought...a family with a 10 years old...I'll ask Leslie to smile big time!
At the JETT bus office in Amman they would not sell us a ticket because we had no visa...ok, for info, 200km on the bus is only 12 usd. So we took a "service"...it's basically a clean big (and ours new) korean car which can take 4 passengers. Easy, 3 of us fit in the back, and we had to wait only 10 minutes for the fourth! For this luxury, you pay only 16usd per head...what the hell would anybody pay for a bus when you see the difference...and the taxi driver help you with all the forms!
So drove to the Jordan border. Took us 40 minutes to clear this one. The longest step seems to be to clear the taxi vehicule documents actually. And yes, you pay 12usd to have the honor of leaving Jordan by road!
Next, Syria border. Place is clean, nobody in front of us in the "foreigners" queue...first question...but you have no visa...eheh...welll spotted! My answer....we are belgian/hungarian, we live in Bangkok, and
they told us at the Syrian Embassy that because we were going by road, we had to apply here. Euh, seems that was way too much info in a single sentence for the immigration officer!
Next question from the officer...after looking at his little list...but there is a Syrian Embassy in Hungary. My answer, I know, you are correct, but last time we were in Hungary was in August, we live in Bangkok....oh...he is scratching his head.
What is your job sir...I answer...I work in finance...in finance??? yes...for a bank.....my business partner would be puzzled to hear that we "have" a bank...lol! He asks me the question 3 times. Next, question to Mari...what is your job....answer...housewife...oups, think he never heard of that job...what is housewife....answer...I take care of the little guy here...oh...big smile! Eh, he didn't ask any question to Leslie.
Wait here, I come back (immigration officer)....we take a seat, he is back 15 minutes later...we stand...it's ok. It's ok for what? Never got an answer! Belgian you pay 36usd, Hungarian, you pay 40usd...hey, Belgians are cheap! Cool! By now, I know we are ok with some kind of visa...but which kind? transit? So go to
pay, still have no idea for what...15 minutes later...112usd poorer, we have 3 visas, 15 days! Welcome to Syria...and all of this in less than 40 minutes...issuing the visa, or rather the stamp is actually what takes time.
For info, few days before this, we met a singaporean girl...border of Turkey and Syria, they give her a 3 days transit visa for 25 usd...after waiting 3 hours...go figure out!
Damascus is the first of few entries on Syria. Due to the uncertainty of the visa issue, I only planed 5 nights, 6 days in Syria. So here we are on the road to Damascus, and I open my Lonely Planet to start to plan. Our base for the first night in Damascus is the Sheraton. Old hotel, even Carter stay here...but I never receive nice upgrades at Four Seasons...The Four Seasons is THE place to stay in Damascus, it is also way out of our budget!
In "funny countries", I tend to make sure I stay in confortable hotels, but we eat local food and travel local! When it comes to sleep, a good hot bath, clean sheets, and a separate area for Leslie to sleep is
more than welcome!
Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world...or is it Aleppo...who cares, we are going to visit both! We have spent an outrageous time wondering around the Old City. The only disappointment is the inside of the Citadel, beside that wow! Nice people, great atmosphere, and wonderful food! There are more tourists than we thought, huge proportion of italians and frenchs in small groups. But still, a very limited amount of tourists for the season...wonderful! People in the street stop you all the time simply to great you welcome to Syria.
Our highlights were in no special order the Souqs, the Umayyad Mosque, Khan As'as Pacha, the Azem Palace, and yes...the food. The best part of the Old City is simply to wonder around.
Temperature have also dropped compare to Amman. We may be at around 12-14 degrees during the day, little lower at night with a mainly overcast weather.
Beside the Old City, we did move a little by taxi to reach few bus stations and the train station on the outskirts of the city. Damascus seems pretty much unevenful. Living in Amman seems easy, not sure expats are so
happy in Damascus!
Enjoy the pics, this is the first of 5 entries on Syria. We found the country amazing, we will never live here, and not sure we are back tomorrow, but what a place...do come before too many tourists hear about it!
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liliram
liliram
you made it!
wow, you guys are truly adventurous. cant wait to read your next few blogs on syria. stay safe.