  Syria
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 4152 Syria Tips.8259 Syria Photos.0 Syria Videos. Syria Pages by coceng
| Page Views: 1,201 Last Visit to Syria: April, 2005 | Hidden Gems In The Middle East ! by coceng - last update: Jul 14, 2005 |
EURO TRIP 2001
EURO TRIP 2002
EURO TRIP 2003
EURO TRIP 2004
MIDDLE EAST TRIP 2005 :
LEBANON
SYRIA
JORDAN
EGYPT
April 2005 :
I adore Syria !
There's something about Syria that I like !
Easy to travel around if you know your way !
The people, some are open-minded, some are too conservative to a point they couldn't 'see' what other Islamic countries would be like !
Syria is CHEAP !
So many places to see, even in the eastern part, which is near the Iraqi border.
Communication could be a problem as not many people, especially in the rural areas could understand English but hey ! No need to learn Arabic just because you are going to Syria.
If you know your way, people would help you anyhow.
The best hospitality in Syria is going to a local's house, to eat or to drink.
See what they could offer you !
Do they care about America wants to invade them ?
NO, they don't !
President Assad's posters are everywhere especially in big towns & cities.
In the rural areas, not so...
Damascus has 2 parts, the Old & the Modern...The Old is nicer !
Palmyra is so beautiful at night !
You MUST stay the night in Palmyra, one night would do !
damascus & Palmyra have many tourists, so you would always have some people to talk to.
Aleppo is further north; The Citadel not to be missed !
All The SOUQS in Syria are not to be missed.
Whether you buy anything or just getting lost in the maze, it doesn't matter...
Transportation is cheap.
In some ruin sites, the locals would offer you to buy some 'artefacts'; My advice, if you want to buy, pay accordingly & make sure you can hide these in your luggage when you come out from Syria !
Getting into Syria is not easy but it also depends on some nationalities.
Read my experience here :My Bus Journey To Enter Syria
Do come to Syria if you have the chance; It's safe, oh yes definitely ! |
| My Itineraries Around Syria... |
MY ITINERARIES...
10th April (Sunday) : Arrived in Aleppo at about 4 AM ! Millions of taxi drivers 'attacked' me ! I said, "LA !" for the first time in this trip !
"La" means NO in Arabic...
Finding my hotel & was greeted by a drunk receptionist !
First day in Syria, so far was so good. Called up Mohammed. For a bout 30 minutes, he pathed the way around The Souqs & left me at The Citadel ! It was an amazing sight this citadel in Aleppo...We planned to meet again at 10 pm on the same day. After The Citadel in Aleppo, on the same day I took public transports & reached myself in the ruins of St. Simeon Basilica. Amazing ruins...Came back to Aleppo & met up with Mohammed again & he brought me 2 friends. They are all university students.
We talked. We talked & we argued & we had a debate ! I left telling them that I came to their country because I wanted to see their country but I urged them not to come to my country because they would never understand how people of different races & religions can live in harmony.
Lastly I said to them, "You were born here, you are living here & you might as well die here !".
I left with a sad feeling thinking that they are some bigots in this world !
11th April (Monday) : In the morning, went to The Dead Cities & I managed to cover 2 places : Serjilla & Al-Barah. Both going by public transport.
On the way back, a student guy sat next to me & he invited me to his place ! On that evening, I had one of the best hospitalities in my travel life !
12th April (Tuesday) : Morning bus to Hamah, only to be dropped off on the highway ! Had to take a taxi to the town centre. Checked in to the hotel & sharing the dormitory with Chris, a Swedish in a galabiya. Rushed to Apamea, again by public transport. Again, another amazing ruin on top of a hill !
Bought an Apamea 'artefact' by a trout there; Only cost me 1USD; Don't care they are genuine or not but it sure looks so nice to my eyes !
13th April (Wednesday) : Morning bus to Homs but caught a bus to Palmyra right away ! Homs is just a transport hub, not much to see or so I was told. Arrived in Palmyra, rushed here & there & everywhere ! The Most Touristy Place in Syria, me think as I met Americans, French, Germans etc etc.
14th April (Thursday) : Morning bus back to Homs & managed to put my luggage at the Luggage Office where people also put their TVs, their bicycles, maybe their pets as well in there ! Caught a service bus to Crac des Chevaliers ! Perched on top of a hill; The scenery is spectacular but of course by this time, I had seen too many ruins...back to Homs & collected my luggage & caught the early evening bus to Damascus ! The capital city of Syria.
Watching a semi-porn Arab movie on the bus...& arrived in Damascus at about 7 pm. Called Firas but couldn't get him at first...Managed to sip some teas in a place where many old people (all men) playing chess & smoking neglijeh.
15th April (Friday) : In the morning on my own, doing my own walk around The Old Damascus. Also checking the famous Umayyad Mosque.
Followed Firas' advice, went in the museum; Sort of glad that I bought 'the artefact' in Apamea. Met up with Firas again at 5 pm & went up the hill with him; Sipping drinks & watching the sunset over Damascus ! That was so amazing !
Thanks Firas for everything that you did to me ! |
16th April (Saturday) : Morning bus to De'ra. Managed to secure my luggage, thanks for being a Malaysian ! Caught the bus to Bosra. On that day, all the cholls in Syria organized the school trip to Bosra so I was 'bombarded' by billions of kids ! Good that they were not smelly but the noise they made could awaken all the warriors who died in the theater in Bosra !
Also, I laughed out loud when a kid kept on following me saying, "1 Dollar, No problem !"...he's trying to see this 10-postcards-in-1 thing. His name is Moustaffa...Met his brother, called Alaa who told me that they could earn good money during the peak tourist season; They also told me that they prefered Euros than US Dollars. So, my money was safe anyway...back to De'ra & negotiatiating a taxi to cross the border to Jordan, a town called Ramtha; From where I had to take another bus to Irbid & another bus to Um Qais ! This was the place where I saw part of Israel & Sea of Galilee...& of course the infamous Golan Heights !
Bye Syria; Bye Assad & all your family members; Bye Salam, please don't get drunk again ! Bye Hassan in Palmyra; Bye Firas & I hope your dream will come true 1 day my great host ! Bye Moustaffa & Alaa...I would love to come again ! I dunno when...my friends.
And lastly, Mohammed & your stupid friends, you guys just drop dead in Aleppo ! |
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| Pros: | "Amazing Historical Sites ! Amazing Towns Along The Way..." | | Cons: | "Not Easy To Enter ! Visa Regulations Differs From One Nationality To Another..." | | In A Nutshell: | "Syria Is What CHEAP-TRAVEL Is All About ! Great Country !" |
coceng's Syria Travel Tips
 Comments for coceng about Syria | | | | |
TheWanderingCamel Mon Nov 28, 2005 14:50 UTC
Always good to read and see stuff from people who've enjoyed Syria - what a fabulous country, Cheers -leyle |
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