Syria

[divadalliaa]

went with the lowest expectations and left singing its praises to anyone who’d care to listen.
seriously one of the best places i’ve travelled to

forget what the media says, there is so much to see, do, visit, taste..it’s incredible. most middle easterners tend to hop over to beirut simply because the lebanese have a reputation of enjoying life to the fullest, the best party scene, best looking girls (even tho most are surgically enhanced – one bank even offers loans so u can get a nip and tuck if you so desire) etc etc. if you can only go to one destination in the Sham area (Levant) i’d say forget Lebanon and opt for Syria.

damascus is so well preserved esp the old city where the Ummayyed Mosque is located and so well kept. you can spend a whole day just gazing at the intricate, finely detailed workmanship. discovering the old city needs more than a day, it’s all cobbled streets with each bazaar shop different from the other yet very much alike. a must try is the hammam experience – allegedly. didnt have the time to try one out but according to all accounts its an excellent treat to indulge in. there’s the ummayyed islamic restaurant completely furnished from the owners personal collection and a sufi band preform daily. think it’s the only touristy spot that doesnt serve alcohol. yes syria is an islamic country but they have some of the best wine – courtesy of the lebanese vineyards…red or white they go perfect with the food.

palmyia (aka by its Hebrew name Tadmor, the name all syrians know it by) is where the queen zenobia ruled, it’s a day trip and if you’re a party of 3 or 4, best option is to rent a taxi (we paid 3500 lira which came to about less than $100). greco-roman, persian and islamic ruins that are so well preserved, impressive in size and still standing after all this time takes one’s breath away.
the earlier you leave damascus the longer you have to enjoy palmyra as it’s a good 3-4 hour drive and though the roads are very good they’re not that well lit, so you don’t want to get stuck being driven back when it’s dark.

we also took the train to allepo (halab in arabic)…only way to get there is by train, which runs on time and is actually more comfortable than even some of the trains in europe. buy a first class ticket (around 250 lira)..the journey takes you thru some of the other famous syrian towns like Homs and Bosra but you’ll need to spend the night in Aleppp. the pple of homs aren’t as friendly as those in damascus or tadmor, supposedly because of the Turks invading and conquering this area the pple are as cold as the turks. but cuisine wise – the food is nothing less than orgasmic. a must try dish is the kofta (meat balls) made with wild cherries, washed down with what else but a good bottle of Lebanese red. we stayed at the Martini which is in the heart of the old city and it’s a lovely hotel. very boutique style but the beds are more than comfortable, the rooms are obsessively clean and the staff are helpful – to a certain extent. if you’re gg to buy anything while visiting stock up on their olive oil products – soaps, creams, oils…they have a remedy for anything. the spice market area in the old town is also a good stop.

syrian food is hands down one of the best in the middle east. gives moroccan a good run for its money in my personal opinion. we had the best kunafa nabulsia (semolina with a cheese filling, pistachio nuts and a rose water sugar syrup) from this corner shop next to the train station in damascus. you eat standing in the street mingling with the real damascians and than walk into the old town and have a coffee at Nawfara – one of the oldest cafe’s in the city. syrians love food and a meal is not smthg you eat in 5 min, it’s smthg to be enjoyed for a good few hours. the sheesha (narghila, hubbly bubbly) is a must at all tables and in any/all restaurant dessert and tea/coffee is complementary – wat syrians call deyafa (hospitality). across from nawfara (fountain in arabic) is the best meat shawerma place in damascus…a sandwich is like 50 lira and washed down with a cold drink you’ll think you’re eating a 5 star meal.

there’s an excellent nightlife, a good bar to head to is mar mar (old town, excellent dj, good bar) – if u ask a local they’d help as does lonely planet/rough guides…while a ride up to Kassioun Mountain for a great view of the city is worthwhile for a wind down…

shopping: you’ll arrive with one bag and leave with 2 (probably more applicable to the females_ whether its picking up bargains in the old town, hitting any of the upscale boutiques or heading to the fashion emporium that is villa moda (top end designer gear at mind boggling prices) – syrians love to dress and they make the effort to look good.

really cant explain how great syria was…even thinking of going on a gastronomical tour of the country with my friend…we’re both avid cooks and the food alone is worth paying the country another visit.

[Stiv]

I didn’t drink much of the wine but the Arak was very good and cheap. Damascus had lots of good food Ful (fava)beans for breakfast is a staple and they LOVE vanilla pudding and ice cream.

Nice report DD one day I’ll actually write mine up and include Hama, Lattakia, Alleppo, a few of Sahaladin’s citadels and castles and crusade sites. I did lots of shopping for Damasene silk, Knives and inlay furniture that I had shipped back.

John the Baptists body is in the Umayyid mosque and Sahaladin’s tomb is around the corner from the mosque also.

Thanks again for the post and welcom to the site DD!

Best,
Stiv

[ROB]

Awesome writeup DD – thanks for taking the time.

[divadalliaa]

stiv,
didnt try the arak as we have something similar in sudan called araki and it’s foul..if you want to die a slow painful death and then somehow survive and tell your story the next day you drink araki. it was concocted by the sudanese southerners and became the firm country favourite esp as the old favourite, mr johhny walker, was banned and close to being extinct…

rob,
any time :) i didnt do it justice tho, seriously an amazing country…regretted tht i only stayed for 10 days

[ROB]

Blast from the past. Topical.

[Author]

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