Rousted by the Syrian Army

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pics added in turkey.

Rousted by the Syrian Army

So we leave Palymera to find a camp site for the night. Usually Oasis camps
right at Palymera in the ancient ruins, but we were a bit ahead of schedule,
and Allepo is a long drive, so we decided to drive for a while. It was also
really hot and no one was particularly excited about putting up a tent in the
desert heat of the late afternoon.

We drove for a couple of hours, and our driver pulled off, heading across the
desert looking for some shelter from the wind and away from the road for a
bit of privacy. We quickly encountered tank tracks in the desert, and then
realized that we were next to two big pipelines, so we headed back to the
road. About this time someone pointed out the big white signs in Arabic
(unreadable to us), which probably identified this area as restricted and
unacceptable for us to camp.

After another hour of driving it was starting to get dark so we pulled off in a
nice stand of trees along side the road. It didn’t seem that this was a
restricted area; no signs etc. We pitched our tents and set up the kitchen and
began preparing dinner. Then the Syrian Army arrived. One officer and two
armed soldiers, none of which spoke much English. Their message was
clear; we could not stay there. We argued with them, invited them for
dinner and finally gave them a phrase book to use. The officer quickly
found the phrases “Prohibited” and “Goodbye”.

Then more soldiers arrived and the officer’s commander showed up with a
translator. We became a bit more alarmed when they demanded to see our
passports. Our guide told us that the Syrian army is notorious for seizing
passports and then demanding bribes to get them back. We provided them
with a list of our group, but refused to provide passports and we quit cooking
and QUICKLY packed up and left; loading our half cooked food into the bus
in pots. Their final comment was “ We wish to help you, but you cannot
stay here. Welcome to our country.”

Now it is 10 p.m. and it is dark and we are driving through Syria. After an
hour or so, a gas station light appeared. We turned in and our guide
negotiated with the owner so we could finished cooking and camp on the
asphalt next to the station, lulled to sleep by the blaring horns of drivers
seeking to wake up the station owner for fuel during the night.

And we are on to the Krak du Chevalliers

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Photos

Tank tracks in the desert
This was our first clue that this was not the place to camp

Camping at the gas station
Good news-- the oil and gas odors kept the mosquitos down

Cooking dinner at the gas station
We ate kind of late that night

Comments

[Jennifer]

:)
Now this blog entry made me chuckle a bit... remember the mineret?? Hmm.. camping on the sidewalk reminds me of camping when I was younger-just kidding. That must have been a bit scary when you saw the Syrian guards. Each time I read an entry I am even more impressed ( and a little envious!) with your trip. Stay Safe and I love you! Jennifer

[cuz Beth]

I'm now adding extra prayers for safety!!!
Dear Bill, O.K. this is now beyond adventuresome and reached the level of "are you nuts?!!" Seriously, I'm grateful that y'all had the good sense NOT, nor NEVER to hand over your passports. Smart move. Hope things get calmer and more luxurious. You deserve a break! Love, Beth