Syria....

On to Syria then....Aleppo was a bustling place but we had been advised that there wasn’t a lot to see so we headed straight to the old town, found a restaurant to eat and where the manager kindly allowed us to leave our bags while we explored the amazing traditional souq, nearby citadel, and environmental photo exhibition, before we collected them again and caught an onward bus to Hama.

Hama is small city most well known for the huge wooden noria, or water wheels in the Orontes River. The wheels are still used for irrigation and the like, when they turn during the summer months. Hama was a place of discovery – the most notable one being that the most recent Lonely Planet guide to Syria and Lebanon is riddled with inaccuracies! From the location of the bus stops to the price of accommodation, to the names of eating establishments, LP had it wrong. Despite this, we managed to view the water wheels, have a day out to visit the impressive Crusader Castle at Qalat al-Hosn or Krak des Chevaliers, and spend Christmas day, sharing a picnic in the park and visiting Al-Azem Palace. Daniel also gave Susanna the entrance fee to the local Hamam (bathhouse) as a Christmas present, and wow, what an experience. Definitely a huge highlight of the whole trip for Susanna. From Hama, it was South and East to Palmyra, an amazing small town built adjacent to the ancient Roman City of the same name. The ruins of Palmyra are amazing. There is no entrance fee except to the Temple of Bel, and we were free to wander the old Roman Road, past the theatre, the Agora, across crumbling buildings and past urns, and faded facades. We then got to see the most amazing sunset as well! On then, the next day, to Damascus. Damascus is a huge city but is reportedly the most continuously inhabited city throughout history (although other places like Jericho and Bethlehem contest this title)! We loved exploring the walled old town, walking down Straight Street (where the recently converted apostle Paul fled from the Jewish priests after being lowered from the house of Ananias), visiting the church near Ananias’ house, and seeing how politics influences everyday life – when we went to use an internet cafe, we had to register and give passport details as it was a legal requirement to do so and certain websites would be banned, we imagined.