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Damascus was a pretty happening place when we were there years ago even though you wouldn't have thunk it but a recent article by Andrew Lee Butters in Time Magazine really surprises. According to Andrew, the Damascus Gate Restaurant calls itself the world's largest, there is a rooftop nightclub at the Omayad Hotel called the Z Bar that provides a place to literally dance on the tables and contemporary art galleries. This certainly isn't Kansas anymore!
Now there are new reasons to visit Syria beside the ones given you in my series about Syria.
Continue reading "Damascus, Syria Update" »
People still look at me as if I have two heads when they hear we've visited Syria. I'd go back in a flash and revisit Damascus, Palmyra, Bosra and Hama, would kill to spend time on an Archaeological dig anywhere in Syria and jump at a chance to re-do the entire Adventure Center "Crusader Castles & Desert Cities" without eliminating anything or thinking twice about it.
What a shame more Americans aren't visiting this destination. If you don't want to take my word for it, read an article in Conde Nast's Traveler, May, 2008 issue. This article talked about the several countries in the Middle East and voiced my exact sentiments that the "rewards outweigh the risks." ex-Marine and I initially felt more comfortable visiting with a group but a group doesn't necessarily insure safety. The Syrian people are warm and welcoming, Damascus is perhaps the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and the ancient city of Palmyra is fabulous.
Continue reading "Fast and Easy Syria Information" »
A very brief history of Bosra.
- Bosra was first mentioned by Tuthmosis II (1470-25 BC).
- Was capital of the Nabatean Kingdom a thousand years later.
- Roman Emperor Trajan extended his rule south in 106 AD. Zenobia sacked it in 268 AD.
- Seat of an Archbishop
- Battleground during the 10th century, occupied by Crusaders, Druze and now Muslims.
The old city is laid out in a grid pattern, enclosed by walls and you can still see some remains at the 2nd century western gate.
It's what the Romans built in Bosra...View image...however, that makes the biggest impact. The penultimate and wonderfully restored Roman Amphitheater built out of hard black basalt. They sure knew how to built them in those days. An audience of 15,000 could all come in or go out in five minutes through the vomitoria on either side of the stage. For those of us (including me) that never took Latin, vomitoria comes from vomere - to discharge, and we've all "discharged" at one time or another.
Continue reading "Bosra in Southern Syria" »
In the Syrian desert, Dura Europos sits on the banks of the Euphrates River. "Dura" - fortress in old Semitic and "Europos," the birthplace of Seleucus I, a general who founded a colony here in about 300 BC. It came under the control of Palmyra as a link in the caravan trading route. This was a very interesting site because of the remains. A hodge podge of civilizations - Greek, Palmyrene, Roman, Byzantine, Persian and Islamic. Because of this, cosmopolitan Dura Europos also had Roman Temples, a Christian chapel, synagogue and pagan temples.
An interesting fact: the only reason paintings, synagogue and Christian chapel along the western wall survived was because the Sassanians (in 256) tried to strengthen the wall for defensive purposes and piled sand against the inner face. One archaeologist described this as "the Pompeii of the desert."
Continue reading "Dura Europas and Palmyra, Syria - Two of The Most Important Places to Visit" »
You can see "Beehive" houses in northern Syria, west and east of Aleppo and along the Euphrates River. Small houses made of mud brick and shaped like beehives. Tour leader, Deidre, always took photos of the villagers and brought them back for distribution. Talk about a welcome when they spotted our Explore group! Think about promises you may have made to a person in a third world country about "sending their picture to them." If you promised, send it! It may be the only photograph they'll ever have of themself or their family.
A small, true, photography story. Sue, Explore tour leader in Cambodia, was handing out photographs from her previous visit in this village when one woman burst into tears. Her child had died since Sue's last visit and now she had the one-and-only photograph to remember him. If that doesn't inspire you to send photographs, nothing will.
 Syrian children posing
Continue reading "Syria's Beehive Houses" »
Aleppo has much to see and deserves a full day. (St. Simeon's Monastery is close to Aleppo and can be done as a day trip.) Aleppo is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and was an important stop of the trading route since it sat at a crossroads. The site has been occupied since 5000 BC, but archaeologists are unable to excavate because modern Aleppo covers the area. Syria only has three big cities. Damascus, Aleppo (pop: 1,700,000) and Latakia with the rest of the country consisting of desert, ruins, mountains and villages. A very clean city, Aleppo has a history of being hospitable to minorities...Turks, Jews, Kurds and Armenians.
Main sights to see: The Archaeological Museum, Great Mosque (Umayyad Mosque), souks and the Great Citadel. The Syrians also refer to Aleppo (Halab) as Syria's most beautiful city.
Continue reading "Aleppo, Syria - An Important Stop on The Trading Route" »
The next important historical site, St. Simeon's Monastery, is unusual (a gross understatement), and it was necessary to hear the entire story before the group visited. Simeon the Stylite wanted to be closer to God. Instead of meditating in a cave, scourging himself daily, or roaming around the countryside in a hairshirt to preach, he picked a unique method.
First, Simeon had a circular enclosure built on a hilltop and had himself bound within it by an iron chain, 10m/32' long. Attached one end of the chain to a rock and the other to his right foot. Theodoret of Cyrrhus reported in his "Religious History" that people came from miles around to hear him preach, request health, etc. ...Since the visitors were beyond counting, and they all tried to touch him and reap some blessing from his garments of skin, and he could not abide the wearisomeness of it, he devised the standing on a pillar... (In modern language...get away and stop touching me!) Simeon's first pillar was 3m/10' high. The second 11m/36' and the final pillar erected was18m/50', a definite deterrent.
 Church of St. Simeon
Continue reading "St. Simeon's Monastery and Ebla, Syria" »
We had left Damascus early in the morning and the small village of Maaloula/Maalula was the only first stop. From there to Krak des Chevaliers Castle at an elevation of 750m/2,460'. These ruins are considered the best preserved medieval military Castle in the world. This trip to Syria took place in March and you definitely needed jackets in the morning and sometimes throughout the day. Beautiful, sunny and clear though.
The original fortress was built in 1031 for the Emir of Aleppo but the Knights Hospitallers rebuilt it during the crusades. Eventually, Krak des Chevaliers was expanded into the largest Crusader fortress in the Holy Land with a 3m/10' thick outer wall, seven guard towers and held up to 2,000 foot soldiers. The fortress was part of a defensive network on the Crusader state borders and controlled the road to the Mediterranean.
Continue reading "A Mishmosh of Syrian Sights: Krak des Chevaliers Castle, Hama, Sahyun/Saone" »
Time for the road trip and approximately 56 kms/34 miles north of Damascus is Maaloula/Maalula, an ancient town where the people still speak Aramaic (the same language of Jesus Christ). Aramaic is also spoken among other communities in northern Syria near the Iraqi border. Maalula is situated 1500m/4,921' above sea level and in a stunning location at the entrance to a rocky gorge.
At first sight, Maalula reminded me of the many villages nestled in the mountains of Yemen (especially Kawkaban). Small, different colored houses making their way up the steep mountain with narrow little streets. The driver parked the bus, and off the group went on a path through the village. Maalula is a predominantly Christian village (pop: 2,000) and there were two ancient Christian monasteries to visit, Mar Sarkis and Mar Taqla, but Maalula alone is worth seeing if only for this extremely scenic village and a chance to wander around.
 Maaloula welcome sign
Continue reading "Ancient Village of Maaloula/Maalula, Syria" »
A visit to the National Museum followed by the enormous Souk al-Hamidiyeh (a market in Arab countries). ex-Marine had made a point of repeating to me over and over again..."Sheila, don't tell anyone you are an American! Say you are Canadian or British." Yeah, yeah... In the very first bazaar shop visited, the shopkeeper politely inquired, "...and Madam, which country are you from?..." and I politely replied, "America." With that, he went into a long, effusive rhapsody of, "You are so welcome to my country. Please do not listen to what is said about Syria in the newspapers or television. All we want is peace and I am so glad you are here." This turned out to be the theme for the entire stay in Syria with Syrians always welcoming us with open arms, hearts and hospitality. After this first incident, ex-Marine proudly and without fear joined in answering, "We are Americans."
Continue reading "Damascus' Absorbing, Ancient Souk and Mosques, Syria" »
I admit it. I was more than a little nervous about visiting Syria but the Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Damascus was filled with European tourists and that was a big surprise. A 7:00 pm arrival in Damascus and immigration took forever as the agents scrutinized every single page in the passport looking for an Israeli stamp and we have very thick passports. They were polite but thorough.
Through customs with no money exchange offices open, we had to take a taxi to Hotel Al Alaa Tower where the Explore group was staying. None of the taxi drivers spoke English and we only had one word of Arabic - shukran (thank you)! Nothing for it but to get in a taxi. Showed the address to the driver, hoping he knew how to read, and set off into Damascus to find the hotel, supposedly five minutes from the city center.
Continue reading "The Trip Began in Damascus, Syria" »
Air? We flew Chicago to Frankfurt on United and then Frankfurt to Damascus, Syria on Lufthansa. Check Kayak's Cheap Flights , Save up to 40% on Last Minute Fares with Hotwire Limited Rates! for some air prices.
Visas? Visas are required for all visitors to Syria. Visit the Ministry of Syria site for detailed visa and tourist information. One thing hasn't changed over the years. It is still not possible to enter Syria via Israel or with an Israeli stamp in your passport UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Visit the Jordan Embassy site for U.S. and West European visa information.
Travel Insurance? Most definitely. Explore requires travel insurance and we'd buy it even if they didn't. These trips are too expensive to risk losing everything if any problems arise. Contact Travel Guard for insurance needs. Don't take a chance...TRAVEL INSURANCE.
Continue reading "Planning a Trip to Syria and Jordan" »
When I mention that ex-Marine (husband, Steve) and I have visited Syria, you'd think I either murdered someone or jumped off a cliff without a parachute. That's how extreme the reaction is to the word "Syria." ex-Marine also thought that when I first suggested, "Why don't we visit Syria? There are supposed to be fantastic sights in this country." He spent the next few weeks running around the house screaming that I was insane, nobody in their right mind visits Syria, terrorists were just waiting for Americans to behead, and every other statement to show Syria is not a nice place for tourists.
Since American tour operators that visited Syria were few and far between in 1996, I consulted one of my favorite tour operators, Adventure Center (listed in the side bar). They most certainly did have trips to Syria. Over 15 different trips run by some of their many United Kingdom operators (the Brits are fearless!). "Crusader Castles & Desert Cities" run by Explore U.K. seemed right up my alley and chances were that we would probably be the token Americans in the group. When ex-Marine saw that I was determined and would go without him if necessary, he grudgingly gave in figuring that if we affected a British accent and didn't tell anyone in Syria that we were American, there was a chance for survival.
Continue reading "Why Should You Travel to Syria?" »
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