The Turkish Syrian border episode

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Hmm, thought it prudent to visit the consulate on the way out to the border, got there half an hour to early so took tea with the cops guarding outside, this seems to be a recurring theme, maybe its like donuts in the states. got in to a better reception this time and my forged docs from work helped, he took passport and papers and said return in an hour, another cup of tea later this guy who i kept seeing approached , we did the salam ala cum bit and he asked how i was getting on, the police said he was a good guy, so i filled him in(not like that, we had a chat ). He was Iraqi and had a mate at the border, gave him a call on my behalf and said go down you will get over no probs, i offered him lunch but he refused and just was happy to help.Nice guy despite first impression of a spiv.
return again to embassy and was greeted with a smile and he said he had pulled strings and a visa was ok, in three days!! why three days for fooks sake ? so i thanked him and recovered my bits and left in a huff.
Got to the border and it was manic, BUT i was processed, paid my tax, insurance and other visa costs and it was all done in about 3 hours and with even the odd joke and a smile thrown in, even at customs where a guy was sitting on a bed behind a desk ( I kid you not ) and a very heated rugby scrum was in full swing and voices were definitely being raised I was englasey and ushered to a chair at the side of the boss guy, he pushed all forms to the side and did me first, much to the consternation of the locals, i so wanted to go back and film it, but was advised it wasnt a good idea.
Boring bit, visa 15 day single entry 52$ tax 80$ and customs cost 40 $, funny thing is you need us dollars and then it is changed to pay the bits into syrian notes. luckily again as i did not have dollars at all and assumed i could use visa or master card which is a no no, infront of me were 4 iraquie guys, great English and living in Jordan, they bought my Turkish lire off me for a very fair rate and offered to put me up when i get to Jordan( dont know about that one ).
So first impressions of a proper Islamic country, wicked ,headed for Aleppo, what a laugh, forgot you give way to vehicles going onto Islands, blow that im English give way to no one,lol. Rode through a bazzar, dont think i should have done that and made merry on the very slippery road surface, good roads and out of town its flat around here. Got into a sort of theme park based on the nile, looks ok and the room is clean and smells clean more to the point, it even has one of those massage chairs, guess where i am now !!!
I wondered down to the bike, idea was to check the oil and the chain but decided to get a couple of baby bels out and a cereal bar for tea, that was a mistake, offered a juice by the manager and the restaurant floor manager and sat chewing the cud. He said something which I only half understood, now the room is 1000 Syrian watsits which is 17euro, which is the total i had to my name bar a few lire.I had already asked about visa, no can do on that score. then relaxing the food turns up !!!! salad and fries and two plates of pate, well one chickeny and one like humus.struggled to clear the plates with bread water and juice included and then the meats turned up,I was full to busting and a plate the size of a hubcap full of chicken and other meats of various things, that is apart from pork I assume.well i waddled back to my room hours later full, satisfied and wondering what the bill will be like in the morning.If its a freebie (which i am almost certain of ) everyone must come to the Nile international resort www.alnil-sy.com .I heartily recommend it.

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Photos

Syrian Border
Another day another border

Nile International resort
If they ever let me back into the country, this place i will certainly go back to, typically off beat but great fun and good food and clean accommodation.

landscape
bit boring but this is all I had to look at for mile after mile....