After having been to Turkey and Morocco, our attraction to Arab countries grew so much that it took us to Syria and Jordan. Our son Enea is by now four years and 3 months old, so we decided to tackle this trip in the way we like best: without any agency or guide. So we applied for the necessary visas, bought the tickets directly from Syrian Airlines, booked a few hotels over the internet and the car. After that we set off with plenty of enthusiasm and a wish to have a great experience. And so it was. AN IMPORTANT NOTE IS THAT CAR RENTAL IS ADVISABLE ONLY FOR THOSE WHO ARE TRULY EXPERIENCED AND SEASONED DRIVERS; DRIVING IN SYRIA IS TRULY DANGEROUS. AT A COST OF ABOUT $100 YOU CAN HAVE A CAR WITH A DRIVER WHO EATS AND SLEEPS ELSEWHERE. YOUR CHOICE NASSER IS AN EXCELLENT PERSON AND AN EXCELLENT DRIVER 00963944922562
2:30 PM ON-TIME DEPARTURE FROM FIUMICINO AND EQUALLY ON-TIME ARRIVAL IN DAMASCUS AT 6:30 PM LOCAL TIME. AS ARRANGED, AT THE AIRPORT WE HAD THE TAXI THAT TOOK US TO "AL MHAJED HOTEL, 4,400 S£, an acceptable hotel, as convenient as it gets, thanks to the taxi stand across the street, the possibility of renting a car, a quiet location even though close to the center
VISIT TO, BUT ABOVE ALL DISCOVERY OF, A FANTASTIC CUISINE, MADE OF EXCELLENT INGREDIENTS AND LOVE, ALL STEeped IN ANCIENT CULTURE, WHICH MAKES FOOD A CULT, SERVED WITH ATTENTION TO PRESENTATION AS WELL AS TO TASTE, BOTH IN THE LITTLE RESTAURANTS AND IN THE GRAND RESTAURANTS, CARVED OUT OF ANCIENT HOUSES OF THE WEALTHY DAMASCENE CLASS, WITH SPLENDID COURTYARDS WITH A FOUNTAIN AT THE CENTER, OUT IN THE OPEN, WHICH WERE THE HEART OF THE RESTAURANT, ABOVE ALL ELISSAR AND THE CITY OF HOPE, WE PREFERRED THE LATTER AS MORE INFORMAL. THEN OF COURSE THE SOUK AND THE SPLENDID MOSQUES
ANOTHER DAY EXPLORING THE CITY, THE NATIONAL MUSEUM, THE MOSQUES, TAKING THE TIME TO LIVE AND WATCH LIFE GO BY AT THE MOSQUE. FROM THIS WE UNDERSTOOD THAT WE CANNOT KNOW WHO HAS CHOSEN THE RIGHT GOD; WHAT IS CERTAIN IS THAT THE ONE THAT BEST LIVES UP TO THE NAME HOUSE OF GOD IS THE MOSQUE: ALWAYS OPEN, WELCOMING TO ALL, WHERE YOU GO TO PRAY, TO MEET, WHERE CHILDREN CAN PLAY AND RUN FREELY, WHERE PEOPLE SIT AROUND IN CIRCLES AND SHARE FOOD—IN SHORT, AT THE SAME TIME A PLACE OF PRAYER AND A PLACE OF GATHERING, WHERE NO ONE EVER LOOKED AT US WITH SUSPICION, IF ANYTHING WITH WARMTH, KINDNESS AND A DESIRE TO GET TO KNOW US.
WE PICKED UP THE RENTAL CAR, PAYING AN EXORBITANT SUM FOR THE CHILD SEAT, 13,500 S£ FOR THE CAR, 5,000 S£ FOR THE SEAT. WE SET OFF, GETTING OUT OF DAMASCUS EASILY, WHICH HAD WORRIED ME GIVEN THIS CITY'S TRAFFIC. FIRST STOP THE KRAK DES CHEVALIERS, A SPLENDID CRUSADER CASTLE THAT'S WELL WORTH SEEING, THEN ON TO HAMA, WHERE YOU SHOULD SEE THE BEAUTIFUL NORIAS AND NOT MUCH ELSE. HERE I RECOMMEND THE ORIENT HOUSE HOTEL, AN EXCELLENT HOTEL WITH AN EXCELLENT QUALITY-PRICE RATIO.
ANOTHER MOVE, THIS TIME TOWARD ALEPPO WHERE WE'LL STAY TWO DAYS. ALONG THE WAY WE STOPPED AT EBLA, WHICH YOU CAN EASILY SKIP, WHILE ALEPPO IS BEAUTIFUL AND FULL OF LIFE. DON'T LET YOURSELF BE Dazzled BY THE BEAUTIFUL BEIT WAKIL OR BEIT MARRASH, EXPENSIVE AND NOT VERY COMFORTABLE, WHILE IT'S PLEASANT TO DINE IN FRONT OF THE GATE OF THE CITADEL
A DAY DEVOTED TO THE SOUKS AND THE VARIOUS SIGHTS
WE LEFT ALEPPO HEADING TOWARD THE EUPHRATES, THEN TURNED BACK TO TAKE THE TURN-OFF, EXTREMELY HARD TO FIND SINCE IT'S POORLY SIGNposted, TO RASAFA, A CITY OF ANCIENT AND DIVERSE CIVILIZATIONS, NOT SO MUCH INTERESTING AS BEAUTIFUL FOR ITS LOCATION, OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT. FROM HERE, CONTINUING STRAIGHT, WE WERE SUPPOSED TO QUICKLY HIT THE ROAD TO PALMYRA, BUT A SERIES OF UNSIGNposted INTERSECTIONS MADE US GO ALMOST 300 KM OUT OF OUR WAY—BLESSED ANYWAY FOR THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY WE ENCOUNTERED. ONCE WE ARRIVED IN PALMYRA WE TOOK A PEEK AT THE ILLUMINATED RUINS AND SETTLED INTO THE HOTEL
VISIT TO THE CITY, THE CASTLE ETC. I RECOMMEND THE SPRING RESTAURANT, WHERE MOHAMMED WILL WELCOME YOU WONDERFULLY WITH HIS FRIENDLINESS AND EXCELLENT FOOD, HE SPEAKS ITALIAN AND CAN HELP YOU WITH ANY NEED TEL 031 5910307
RETURN TO DAMASCUS PASSING THROUGH MAALOULA—WORTH DOING ONLY IF YOU REALLY HAVE TIME TO SPARE—THEN ARRIVAL IN DAMASCUS, BACK AT THE MAJED HOTEL AND DINNER AT ELISSAR, NOT BEFORE HAVING BOOKED THE CAR THAT THE NEXT DAY WOULD TAKE US TO AMMAN
29 photographs · click to open them full screen
0 reader comments