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Archive for the 'Syria' Category

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A taste of Syrian hospitality in Aleppo

Friday, July 21st, 2006

View of the city from the Citadel Ummayad Mosque

There are over 2 million people who live in Aleppo, Syria (just south of the border with Turkey) but you would never think this unless someone told you. Aleppo was our last stop in Syria and we were rewarded with an incredible ancient yet still bustling souq and a special evening of traditional Syrian hospitality.

[read on]

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Travel | 1 Comment »

Homs, Syria: 5 Americans + 1 WILD Syria v Iran soccer game

Tuesday, July 11th, 2006

Homs fans rushing the field

We arrived in Homs from Hama a few hours before the Syria v Iran soccer game to try to find a way to buy tickets as we had been told it was a very important match and tickets were probably sold out. We were a bit shocked when our taxi arrived a few blocks from the stadium and several guys approached us with handfulls of tickets asking for $2 per ticket. Our taxi driver assured us the tickets were not fake so we each bought one and proceeded to follow the throngs of people dressed in the local team colors and waving flags as they walked to the stadium.

[read on]

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Travel | 2 Comments »

Krak des Chevaliers – 5 Americans + 1 crusader castle

Monday, July 10th, 2006

 Krak des Chevaliers Krak des Chevaliers

As we prepared to leave Palmyra we met 3 other Americans with a similar itinerary so together we hired a driver and mini-bus to take us from Palmyra to Krak des Chevaliers, one of the most famous Crusader castles in the world, and then to Hama to stay a couple nights there.  More importantly, we were all on a mission to attend Asia Champions League soccer match between the local Homs teamand Saba from Iran (but you’ll have to read the next blog entry for that)….

[read on]

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Travel | No Comments »

Palmyra and Mohammed, the “Mountain of Mirth”

Monday, July 10th, 2006

Palmyra Palmyra 

We visited the ancient city of Palmyra, which used to be a commercial center in Syria hundreds of years ago, a place where travelers and traders who were crossing the desert would stop to rest their weary feet and trade and sell their goods. For us, it was truly an oasis in the middle of the desert with the best milkshakes in Middle East and home to one of the craziest characters we’ve met on our trip thus far.

[read on]

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Travel | 1 Comment »

Damascus and Bosra – Our first stops in Syria

Monday, July 10th, 2006

Museum courtyard Paintings for sale in the Old City

We didn´t know quite what to expect as we took a taxi with our American travel friend from the Lebanon-Syria border into Damascus. On one hand, you expect something dark and sinister and lawless as Syria is part of the “axis of evil, state sponsor of terrorism, etc, etc”; and their government sure makes it a big pain in the rump for Americans to get a visa to enter. On the other hand, we were expecting an oasis of calm, hospitality, friendliness, and surviving traditions as compared to other more modern and hectic parts of the Middle East because we had heard so many wonderful stories from fellow travelers who said Syria was their favorite country in the Middle East. [read on]

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Travel | 1 Comment »

Syria – our forbidden fruit brought about a few changes in plans

Saturday, May 13th, 2006

Between the numerous stories other travelers have shared about how difficult it is to get a visa to get in, particularly for Americans right now, and getting denied a few times ourselves, we had embraced the idea that we wouldn’t be able to make it to Syria on this trip….Surprise!
[read on]

Posted in Middle East, Syria, Travel | 1 Comment »