ROAD TO DAMASCUS

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ROAD TO DAMASCUS
Flight to Damascus with Gulf Air via Bahrain (again) was fine. On arrival it was a little chaotic but I passed the time pleasantly talking to a charming man who turned out to be a big shot in a big company in Bahrain.
I took a taxi to a hotel that was supposed to be female friendly but found it to be grubby, noisy and the bathroom was crawling with cockroaches. They are usually nocturnal so I dread to think what it would be like at nighttime. I left and walked to find my second choice of hotel which was not far away but no one seemed to know it. Anyway the Afamia Hotel was clean and warm. I had come unprepared for the cold.
That evening I wandered around the souk. I did not see any other foreigners and you did not get pestered. Became completely lost so took a taxi back but he made a drama of the journey although I had given him the card of the hotel which even had a map but even one block away he was determined to go wrong so I got out there.
The hotel was fully booked the next day so I took a bus to the famous ruins of Palmyra. I met up with 2 Ozzie fellows and a Dutch girl. That afternoon we went round the ruins I shared a guide with a couple -he is Swiss and she originates from Peru. The other 3 were on a tight budget and used the Lonely Planet book as a guide. It was still very sunny but this was the last of the sunshine I would be seeing for some time.
The Roman ruins at Palmyra are one of the world's most splendid sites with its colonnades and temple remains spread over 50 acres. For the sunset we went up op the 17th C castle on a hill. Palmyra was where the rebel Queen Zenobia was based. I had never heard of her before and it was quite an amazing story.
I stayed in the Ishtar Hotel which was supposed to be the happening place- well it wasn't. I ended up playing Shithead with Dutch Linda and Ozzie Angelos. It was good fun as we were drinking the duty free Vodka that I had decanted into plastic water bottle. Inevitably someone drank it thinking it was water.
I was going to stay another night but I was so cold in the night that I decided to move on.
I had a quick look round the museum before catching the bus.
The bus to Deir ez zur had like first class airplane seats. I thought the other bus had been comfortable with water and sweets being given out and this was the same. I checked into quite a nice hotel but it was still very smokey. Then I got a taxi to the ruins of Mari and Dura Europos near the Iraqi border. It was cold cloudy and very hazy. I was told later that it was dust from the Jordanian desert-it was quite unpleasant.
Europos covers a large area and I was the only one there. There were many pieces of pottery lying around. The caretaker came to get me on his motorbike. I think he wanted to go home. The best part for me was the first sight of the Euphrates River. Despite the cloud and the haze viewing it from the yellow ancient ruins the Euphrates was a beautiful metallic pale turquoise colour
On the return journey the taxi driver asked if I minded if he picked up extra people. I didn't mind and actually it was good fun. A couple gave me their baby to hold. We joked about me taking the baby with me.
The next day I went to change money which was was a drama as the bank was not open when it should have been open and then when it did open it did not change money and then had to search out another one which was a private bank hidden away in a residential block. It does not help if you don't speak the language but despite this most people are helpful. I went to take the bus to Aleppo but there was no bus for 3 hours so rather than wait I did it in stages. My first stop was at Raqqa which is where the caliph of 1001 Nights lived.
In Aleppo which has been inhabited for 8000 years,I really enjoyed wandering around the souks. It has the air of an Arabian bazaar. I was surprised to see a man riding a donkey come out of a shop. Again no pestering and full of life, everybody busy doing their thing. I bought myself a blanket as I am so cold. Also I have a sore chest because of all the smoking. Everybody, everywhere smokes.
On the way back I stopped in at the legendary Baron Hotel. which, when Aleppo was the end of the Orient Express was where the rich and famous stayed. Such as Charles Lindbergh, Amy Johnson, Lawrence of Arabia, and I think Michael Palin too. Certainly atmospheric. Outside I was accosted by Walid who has worked there for 45 years. He now arranges tours using old cars like Pontiac or Dodge. He tried to chat me up and told me personal things about himself. To show off, he flashed me a stash of money under his shirt. I just laughed at him and said 'Oh I thought you were just fat. I laughed even more when he asked if I would like to see his old Dodge. Although I had had a couple of glasses of wine, I knew it was time to leave.
After Aleppo I made my way down to Tartus and for once had a really scruffy bus. However they all drive very carefully and it was a scenic drive across mountains. I am coughing and spluttering and really suffering with the cold and wet- it is now trying to rain.
I checked in at the Daniel Hotel which is the cheapest so far last year it would have been £5 but now with the exchange rate it is about £7 for a single en suite. It rained quite heavily that night. had some nice fresh fish, it is a port town, with a crispy salad and chips. Actually, generally the food is good and tasty. The next day I went to change money again and the taxi gave me a run around again. I am beginning to realise that it is deliberate and not just stupidity. Other than the taxi drivers people are kind and helpful. I met 2 girls in one of the trendy seaside cafes. There are aged 17 and 18 and I was surprised that they ordered a sheesha at 11 in the morning. Sheesha is considered to be less harmful than cigarette smoking but it is still an introduction to smoking. They helped me to book the Berber Hotel near Krak des Chevaliers. The famous huge impressive crusader castle
The fellow at the Daniel arranged for me to take a taxi there for £20 at the new exchange rate. The £ has gone down some more!
I took a guided tour which was OK except that he told me that in one tower was where people liked to make love-nudge, nudge wink, wink. Too much information. What is it with these people?
Krak is considered to be the finest crusader castle in the world and I have a room with a fantastic view of it, As the sun was setting It picked out the castle and there was even a rainbow over it. I was cursing that my camera wasn't working-the battery was flat again. I just had to try it again - and it worked!
That evening the only other guests are a French couple and a Swiss girl. each with their guides and drivers. The manger again tried to flirt with me. It must be my charm. No, I think they are just a randy lot looking for an opportunity. They are not that pushy that it offends.
Although it was cold I would have liked to have stayed longer but I had booked the hotel in Beirut for the next day- Chrismas eve.

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