We stayed in Damascus for 3 nights. The first day we visited the famous Umayyad mosque. Yes that is quite something. ALso the Souqh is worth visiting (if you want to buy things that is). We walked a lot but not with clear aims. Then at night we got into the main shopping street had a bite to eat and got lost. We ended up at a huge cemetery and turned down a road alongside it. There was a group of youngsters having happy slapping going on. They ignored us but one walked away from the group with a pistol in hand. I hope the victim is all right. I did not want to get involved and just a few hundred yards away was some security personal just ignoring the situation too soo nothing to look back too.THis was the first and only time so far that I felt I was in a place I should not be and we really get into places where no tourists go normally.
We came out at the Souqh and walked through it and again we were welcomed even though we were out of place in the Souqh at 10pm with most of the shops closing and no tourist crafts open. The next day we visited the national museum, the old trainstation and more suqh. Then it was time for us to catch the bus to Hama. The bikes stayed in Damascus so did most of our luggage. We were warned that it is the small EID celebrations and that taking buses will be complicated as everybody is travelling at that time of the year. But we were able to get to Hama all right.We imediatelybought tickets for the next morning to get to Palmyra or Tadmor as the syrians call it. Hama was both great and a disapointment. The oldest waterwheels are there, along the mighty Orontes river which we encountered pressed into a small chanel about 4 weeks earlier in the funny AL Ghab valley (one side very conservative the other side of the Valley very liberal if you remember) and of course in the Beka Valley where it is the main source of water and bringing it to live. Now in Hama you have those famous waterwheels. A lot of money goes into there maintenance and the creeking of them is stuff of legends in the Arabian world. Only there is no water left in the river. TO many Damms are keeping the river tiny and the polution and rubish is devastating it. What a pitty!!! We walked for about 8km along the river. The city is making a effort to keep it beautiful with its central park but the stench is not always maskable and the rubish is at best an eyesore. But the Norias are great!
On the way back we went through the Souqh and were invited into a seamstress workshop. We had a good laugh with them, nice Tea and then we took some pictures. We tried to explain to them that we would now like to get to a shop where we can develope them so they have a paper copy.This took some convincing and many misunderstandings but finaly we were able to find one. So they were able a few days later to picjk their fotos up.
In the evening we asked for where we can go and eat fish as we saw many fish stalls with hug trout and catfish and some varieties we don't know.
We were sent to Abu Abbas. Finding it was not easy but what an experience! In a small junction there was this grill set up, 2 tables and a freezer. They only served chicken or fish. Abu Abbas opend the freezer, we were able to chose our fish. When we did so the guy was surprised, that much for the two of you? Yes that 2kg trout has our names written on it! It was grilled and so so tasty, we filled our bellies.
On the way back we stumbled over an artist shop which invited us in. He served us tea and I ended up buying a little protrait of a Shoemaker in the Suqh. But I also got figs, Apricots, sweet pumpkin and some very special turkish goat cheese. And a great conversation with a painter and a poet!
The next morning we had an early start and went to Palmyra. The Bus ride was ok except that the bus was very full and our neighbours were a familly with 3 children and only two seats between the 5 of them. Unfortuantely one of the children was also sick and the smell was not very inviting but hey that's why we have normally our own transport.
Palmyra was everything you hear and less than what you expect. But maybe we should have stayed there for a few days and walked more? It is impressive, big and surounded by desert. The landscape is incredible, the colonaded street vast and the temples big, but the temple of Bal is a disapointment and I think arquitectonical we preferred Balbek. But Palmyra had a great setting! In Palmyra we had the worst lunch of our trip too. The restaurant owner was a nice man and trying very hard. But the food was awful and expensive. We were so disapointed that we were not even able to tell him that we did not like the food. THinking what he needed to do we came up with so many things that we decided he better just let it be. What a pitty but hey you need the good and the bad.
On the way to the bus we met Neo a South Korean guy travelling. He is a great guy and we really liked him. He shared the taxi with us to the bus, we were in the same bus to Damascus and then we took him along to our hotel in Damascus where he stayed a few nights. We went for dinner together and shared some really good moments. I hope to meet up with him again in the future.So Neo on your next trip come and visit us in Europe! Please!
We stayed 2 nights in Damascus as I wanted to sort out our Visa to Jordan and to visit the christian area of the souqh and also go to see the storyteller. Well we had the famous Icecream that was about it. The souqh was all closed as it was Eid. We did not see the killing of the sheeps in the streets but having Damascus so empty and all shops closed was amazing.
however I was not able to convince Carlos to go to one of the expensive restaurants so we ate a syrian burger + fruitjuice for less than a dollar instead!
The next morning we gave in to Carlos' itchy bum and started cycling towards Bosra. We wanted to stop and see some more sites along the way but after the St George church (second oldest church in Syria) and Marias church I decided I do not want to cycle up the hill and that we better find a spot to camp in the corn chamber of syria. Soon we were invited to tea by someone.
I was spirited away to the women.Where I had a nice conversation with Ausaf and her daughters. They invited me to stay the night and even though we stopped there at 2 pm I was nearly ready to say yes but I needed to discuss this with Carlos first.
He in the meantime got invited by Ali a guest at Ausafs house. We created some tension because I tought Ali is Ausafs husband so I said yes to her (after speaking to Carlos but none of us understood the problem at that moment). When Ausaf asked me if I would like to have a shower I said yes, just then ALi was like lets go. Hmmm go?, Where to? Well as we were welcomed in both houses we said we will stay at AUsaf. ALi then stormed off upset. We were embarrased and sorry. 30min later Ali showed up with a pick up. ASking us to load the bikes and to stay at his place. We had no choice. He took us to see his mechanical workshop and his parents (it was smelling delicious) then we went to his house where again I was wisked away to the Ladies. Luckily Ausaf showed up until this moment I am not sure who was Alis wife and what was her name. At least Carlos and I were allowed to sleep in the same room and the next morning we left early (no breakfast for us).
We reached Bosra at 8am and visited the famous black basalt amphiteather and city. It was very very interesting.
After Bosra we had to press on becaus we had to make it to the Jordanian border on Thursday as on Friday it is closed.
We pedaled hard and made it in time. Oue exit from Syria was regal as we had a police officer escorting us on his motorbike until the boarder. The crossing was ok, Jordan is trying to be a little more serious about all.SO more check points and eyscanning at the boarder.But very friendly nonetheless. our first impression of Jordan was great. Asking for direction we were invited to tea,coke and water and given a guide to find the right road out of the city. Very friendly. The only problem were the peoples driving and constant shoutinjg of Hello into our ears but hey that is their ways. That evening we reached Irbid another day of 120km and tired legs. In the hotel we met Sabine and Thomas again the couple who stopped us on our search for an hotel in Damascus.
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