"Syria" a Syria Travel Page by Sambawalk

I enjoy the scenery of this great country and the mysteries that we perceived about this country. I spent several days in Syria and had visited most of the key places.

Before I visited there, many travellers told me that Syrians are friendly and hospitable. However, I did encounter three instances which have changed my perception of this country.

Firstly, two boys in Borsa gave a piece of bread and voluntarily showed me around but later demanded for 100SP for "service".

Secondly, someone kindly showed me a small room in the east side of Umayyad Mosque in Damascus turned out to steal my shoes. I discovered timely and recovered the shoes from him inside the prayer hall of the Mosque.

Thirdly, while I was touring around in the Citadal of Hama during day time, a group of 4 Syrian youths approached me and grasp my arm which I subsequently managed to get rid of them.

Despite the above unpleasant experience, I did meet few great Syrians who did not have hidden agenda and had extended their help to me without seeking any return.

In particular, I managed to visit the Great Mosque in Aleppo which was still under renovation at time I visited. The Mosque watcher was nice enough to open the door and let me in at night. In addition, he showed me around, including the prayer hall. I took some exclusive great pics of what they were renovating inside the prayer hall. Please see the Aleppo page.

I hope my experience may help the fellow travellers to make a good sense and take necessary precautions in this nice country.

In addition to the prime ruins sites, some highlights of the trip were to do off-beaten trips to visit a Bedouin family, rasafa and Qasr al-heir Ash-Sharqi, Krak Des Chevaliers and Borsa. See the travelogue for details.

Enjoy the pics of Syria!

Plamyra or Apamea is the best?? For me, Apamea!

One of the highlights of the trip is to visit a Bedouin family. There is no better way to experience and learn more the culture of Syrians.

See the travelogue for details.