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Published: July 13th 2008
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Hama is the fourth largest city in Syria. It took us just under three hours to get there from Damascus and we were instantly impressed by the chilled out feel to the place, delighted to find the most delicious chicken kebabs (so far) at the bus station, and very happy not to be ripped off by a taxi driver!
We stayed at the Riad Hotel and when we return we will definitely stay there again. It was like a cross between a one star hotel and a backpacker hostel with excellent service, friendly staff, and other travellers to talk to! Our room had a great view towards the river and it's a shame we could only stay one night.
The thing most people come to Hama to see is the collection of
norias, or waterwheels. Unfortunately for us, we arrived on a Friday. The sluices on the river are closed and the wheels are static. With no flow of water, the stagnant pools glow green and emit a smell which defies description. Even so, the wheels were very impressive and we had a good wander around.
On Saturday morning things were very different. The sluices were open and
Hotel Riad
A good multilingual sign the wheels were in motion. We were very careful not to get too close though, as a fine spray of water stays close by. Cholera isn't a souvenir we wanted to take home!!! The wheels were truly magnificent in motion and it's just a shame that only 17 of the the original 50 plus remain.
We also did a bit of culture by seeing both the Azem Palace and Hama Museum. The palace was nice but our escort was keen that I didn't take photos inside. It's a shame as it was beautifully restored. The museum had similar restrictions on photography. The mosaics inside were superb, but I can only show you the lesser ones from the garden.
As we waited for a taxi back to the centre we were the cause of a rather unfortunate car accident. A taxi decided he wanted our business and reversed a few hundred yards along a busy road. Just as he tried to come towards us, another taxi sped alongside him and swerved to avoid him. He smashed into the central reservation causing a LOT of damage to his car. Once we were sure (from a distance) that nobody was hurt,
we jumped in another taxi and got out of there!!!!
So, Hama was very interesting. We met some lovely people there and even got approached by a teenage brother and sister wanting to practice their English. We were just sat by the river having a drink so it was no bother. They were quite good and lovely to speak to. We're still not sure if they came over of their own accord or the parents sat nearby (who presumably pay for their eductation!) told them to do so.
We'll be back to stay at the Riyad as they run a day trip we want to do. For now, it's back to the final days of Summer School 1. It's not been too bad so far!!
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Jay and Donna
Donna-Lee and Jamie Heather
A new adventure
I'm sure it's very different from Argentina, but exciting all the same! Looking forward to keeping up with your adventure!