Blogs from South, Syria, Middle East - page 10

The Story of a Fight Over Olive Trees The sign over the once functioning Golan Hospital reads, “Destructed by Zionists and changed it to firing target.” In 1967 during the Six Day War the Israeli army pushed into the Golan Heights and began an occupation of more than 450 square km of formerly Syrian territory, which included the small village of Al-Quneitra. However, only six years later the during the Yom Kippur War the Syria forces pushed back and negotiated a cease fire with Israel that remains in place today. The cease fire returned 150 square km of territory back to Syria and created a UN monitored buffer zone between the two countries. Within the land returned to Syrian control was Al-Quneitra. Upon withdrawing from Al-Quneitra, the Israeli army displaced all of the towns’ residents and ... read more

It's been a bit of a detour filled journey on the road to Damascus but I'm finally here. The trip to Hama from Beirut looked so easy when I read about it in the guidebook, go to bus station get on bus after a border crossing and a few too many hours in a bus arrive at Hama for a couple of days. Well that was the plan anyway, the initial part of the plan worked like a dream. I found the honest Beirut cabbie who took me to the bus station, dropped me at the right part of it and then charged the correct price. Off to a good start. After making the major investment of a few dollars to get my ticket to Hama all was looking good, then I realised that the bus ... read more

A refreshingly late start to the morning is always a pleasant experience. For the first time in weeks I didn't have to get up at the crack of dawn. Also we got a treat for breakfast this morning - instead of our usual meal of cereal and coffee, we finally got some scrambled eggs. It would have been fabulous if we were able to get some bread with it - but scrambled eggs with left over cold tomato pasta isn't as exciting as I had originally expected...(sigh!!) Our next destination was the city of Bosra, a black basalt town approx 137kms from Damascus and close to the border of Jordan, our next country. We reached Bosra just in time for lunch. A few of the group were feeling rather unwell, with some of them opting for ... read more

Marhaba all, from sunny Damascus This is my first attempt at being a blogger - albeit only in the sense of keeping a kind of travel diary to let people know im still alive. I know that for many of you this will be the first you would have heard of my Middle Eastern sojourn but others will have no doubt been bored rigid over the last 18 months with the constantly changing plans, destinations etc!! I guess I will start with what my plans are. I am 2 weeks into a 9 month trip to the Middle East - but using Syria as a base. I am enrolled at Damascus University (I start next week) to study the Arabic language and am also taking extensive private lessons. Hopefully by the time my trip is over ... read more

Nachdem ich mir diese Nacht meine Matratze direkt unter den Deckenventilator gelegt hab, konnte ich erstmalig in Damaskus halbwegs gut schlafen, auch die viel zu kurze Matratze fiel nicht mehr auf, da meine Fuesse nun auf dem Boden liegen konnten und nicht gegen die Bettkante stießen. Somit konnten wir nach einem Durchfallfrühstück (Trockenbrot und Tee) uns auf den Weg nach Amman machen. Vorher galt es allerdings noch den Ausflug nach Bosra nachzuholen, da dies nur einen winzigen Umweg bedeutet und unbedingt gesehen werden musste. Als wir dort ankamen haben wir auch gleich das alt Roemische Theater gesehen, welches die Hauptattraktion der altroemischen Stadt darstellt. Step der zunächst noch meckerte, wegen der 10 Falafeln Eintritt, welche er ohne die ISIC bezahlen muss, war dann doch schnell ueberzeugt und sollte es nicht bereuen. Joschka erwaehnte noch, dass ... read more