"Ehlen wa Sehlen fii Dimashq!" a Damascus Travel Page by maykal

### Please be aware that this page was written soon after I joined VT in 2001...all the info below was up to date in 2000, but things have obviously changed a lot since then! I hear there are now ATMs in town, that bars abound in Bab Touma, and that there is even an escalator subway by the citadel! Use this page for ideas of what to visit, as much of the practical information will be out of date now :) ###

Many visitors dismiss Damascus as a hot, dusty, noisy, crowded and ugly city....well, yes, in many ways this is true, but there is a lot more to it than this. I spent a year living with a Syrian family while studying Arabic, and really enjoyed the experience. It was my first visit to a Middle Eastern country (not counting a beach holiday in Tunisia) so I really did not know what to expect.

Please see the travelogue "Tales from the house of Abu Ibrahim" for my impressions of living with a Syrian family. Be warned though that I am writing it in stages, some days I feel like writing, others I struggle, so that explains why some sections don't seem to run together! Once finished, it will be edited!

If you're interested in learning Arabic in Damascus, see my <a href="http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.133814/7/?s=Q">Middle East</a> page for details.
Going elsewhere in Syria? Click <a href="http://www.virtualtourist.com/m/.133814/207/?s=F">HERE!</a>

If you come to Damascus, you'll find it a fascinating place, but you'll soon realise it can be a very frustrating place to be. However, if you'd like to dream that Damascus is the ideal city, then you might find a trip to the <a href="http://www.syriatourism.org/">Syrian Ministry of Tourism</a> website worthwhile.

Oh, and my other write-up of Damascus can be read <a href="http://www.epinions.com/content_30565895812">HERE!</a>