Sign in with Facebook"Dimashq --or -- Al Sham -- it's Damascus!" Damascus by June.b
Damascus Travel Guide: 822 reviews and 2,215 photos
November 10, 2010 ---- So my passport is expiring in 4 months, can I travel? Did a lot of readings regarding passport validity requirements online and I called some consulates...well... not my luck, most of them requires 6 months validity. I'd like to go to Morocco but.... Yemen's airfare is so damn cheap, again but... Egypt says 2 months, but some say it's not a sure bet. No luck I guess. So am not flying this time...after all.
...and then an acquaintance saved the day - I mean last minute - I'll be flying! He happens to know someone from the consulate and in an hour I got my entry visa, bought my ticket in the evening, packed 4 shirts and 2 pants, my camera and my mp3 player -- am off to ..... Syria!
I want to tell story or history about the place but I would be just copying and pasting it here like most people do, so as I usually say - information are all over the net - and wikipedia's doing a good job in this respect, here's the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus
The captivating line that made me want to see Damascus is its reputation as "the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world" . That's enough to spark interest....ain't it? The old Damascus is realy interesting, getting lost and absorbed by the old charm of its labyrinthin' small streets and alleys.
Last minute research, where to stay, how to go to the city from the airport --- no time!
Nov. 12, 2010. Arrived past midnight at the Damascus International Airport. Immigration was fast, exit the arrival hall onto the right side where I'm supposed to take the hourly bus which is moe economical, but then, I just missed it and have to wait another hour and it's almost 1am. Two fellow traveler also missed the bus so they've suggested sharing a taxi and so we did - SYP1500 / 3 person, about US$11/head. Not bad.
No accommodation booking and supposed to search for the place I've seen online the day before, but agan I ended up staying at the place where the two have booked. It's already 2am anyways and tired so luckily there was one bed in a dorm-type accommodation at the hotel so I grabbed it. I just need to rest and maybe take a bus the following morning to Hama.
Careful not to disturb the 5 other people sleeping in the room, I creeped in direct to the bed, just took off my shoes. With at least 3 or 4 hours of sleep after arriving Damascus, I woke up took a shower, small breakfast at the hotel/hostel, and found my way to the Harasta bus station.
The plan is to go to Hama - a tour of Palmyra, then head down to see the Krak Des Chevalier, and backtrack Damascus later - perhaps a daytrip to Ma'aloula.
I have some arabic to get me by, the taxi dropped me at the bus station, a bit of a chaos inside the station but I was able to buy the bus ticket to Hama with moderate ease. It's not hard though as there's a number of the bus on the ticket and the buses also has sign hanging in front at least 15 minutes before departure time.
The plan was realized, spent almost a week around, and got back to Damascus to explore the (old) city.
Reviews (26)
Local craftsman
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Faces of Old Damascus 3
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Whenever I look at the photos I've taken, I'm feeling warmth inside right in the middle of my chest. Sounds corny... more travel advice
Faces of Old Damascus 2
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Whenever I looked at the photos I've taken, I'm feeling warmth inside right in the middle of my chest. Sounds corny... more travel advice
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Comments (4)
What an excellent page. I love "The faces of Old Damascus" tips.
have enjoyed your page thanks - you got some good people shots and im sure I would need a few days just in Old Damascus with my camera!
By the way Damascus is called Sham or Al Sham which can also refer to greater Syria (levantine)not shams. Shams means sun in Arabic.Looks like you enjoyed yourself on this trip.
Salam aleykum, sadyki! I like reading your travel pages! Greetings to the Great Brunei!