Syria - Aleppo

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To all those who enjoyed my initial note well here's another - to those who binned it immediately ...well bin this one too!

I really am not sure where George Bush gets his information from regrading 'axis of evil'. I really could not fell safer here than is any part of the UK. You can go out at midnight and really there is not threat whatsoever. Try that in Brixton. The peoples reactions are mixed - I cannot describe them as friendly - but there again not unfriendly. I have met good and not so good - my main betes noires are the taxi drivers. What a weasly bunch they are ( mainly) they always try not to turn on the meter and when you forget to ask them - you get a price 2 or 3 times what you have already paid for the same journey. I always get a price now before putting foot in the taxi - you show them money and they nod or not. they never - just never have any change - convenient eh? The little s*** who dropped me off at the coach station to come to Hama must have dropped me off half a mile from the coach station and charged me double. I am told the vilest arab insult ( by my knowledgeable son-in-law ) is wish them to go home and do something unmentionable to their sisters.....Yes I wish this upon that man! However - when I went to Palmyra - my bedouin taxi driver returned to my restaurant half an hour later with my camera left in the cab. As I say mixed.

I stumbled upon on my last night in Damascus a really nice restaurant just into the Christian district. They sold wine ( always Lebonese wine which really is very good ) which is not usually available in most restaurants. Anyway I made friends with the waiter and he was looking after me well when in strolled a very important looking party and occupied a large round table in the corner. I naturaly asked who there were and it was the Syrian Foreign minister and half of the government. Further to this it is likely that the foreigh ministers of five of the surrounding arab states were with him. He didnt request my autograph . Yes I mix in the best circles!

I then took a coach - or pullmen as they call them to Hama. I wanted to see Palmyra and Crac des Chavalier - probably the highest ranking attractions in Syria. Both very good indeed. After returning in the evenings the biggest challenge was finding somewhere to get a drink with your meal - careful examinations of your lonely planet fixed that - but the place was a dive - like most of Hama I must report. Just away from the city center there were 2 recently built imposing edifaces with iron gates and guards - I walked past them last night and guards inside gave me a very good look. Looked like the sort of place a few miscreant Syrians have spent the night having correctional treatment!!

Have I mentioned the cult of personality here - I do not mean pictures of David Beckham though but the formidable Bashar Assad. His pictures dominate the streets and every available surface - its a sort of Syrian graffiti. You are left in no doubt of who is running things here. I bought an ironic fridge magnet with the words' I love Bashar' on it. You can fight for it when I get back....

Anyway in Aleppo now and its seems so much nicer then the other 2 places I stayed. I am in the Barons Hotel. Its certainly faded grandeur ( $65 per night ) but probably the most charismatic hotel I have ever stayed in. Lawrence of Arabia, Agatha Cristie, President Assad ( the father of Bashar) , Lindbergh - Charles not Freddie! and many others have stayed here. Apparently King Feisel stayed in my room in the thirties - I've checked under the bed and he did check out!

To end, its not the evil place portrayed - tourists thank god are very thin on the ground. Do you know I have not met one American!!

Try it but look out for the taxi drivers....and that bloke that charged me double for a falafel - yep you guessed it - no change!

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Photos

Palmyra
Magnificent Roman remains

Palmyra
The recently discovered theatre - magnificent

Crac Des Chavalier
Beautiful and never conquered - even by Salidin. My guide Mahmood pictured