Travel in Syria

Yes, I've gone to Syria on vacation a couple of times.

Amazing history, and amazingly friendly people. I have never gone to a country where I was made to feel more welcome.

And safe? You bet. Nothing like a despotic dictatorship to keep things in order...

• Aleppo
• Hamas
• Palmyra
• Damascus
• Transport
• Arabic Numbers

Aleppo

Many classic U.S. automobiles are still on the road in Syria. I first entered Syria from the north, crossing the Turkish border south of Gaziantep. I was traveling with a couple of girls from New Zealand. The three of us got a ride from the border to Aleppo in what I think was a 1955 Chevrolet. Here comes another classic on a street near the citadel.
As for a place to stay in Aleppo, the Hotel Najem Akhdar, also known as the Hotel Najem Ilhadar, can't be beat. 400 SL (US$ 10) for a double with sink and shower, 250 SL (US$ 6.25) for a single with sink, shower, and toilet. It's at Hamman Al-Tal (in the Russian/Armenian bazaar), phone +963-21-239157. From the bus station, go down Al-Maari to the clock tower. Facing the clock tower, seen here, a Russian / Armenian bazaar district is ahead and to your right.
Go down the first alleyway right of the clock tower. About 30 meters past where it is partially roofed over, turn onto the first real alleyway to your right. About the third doorway on the right (behind the white truck in this picture) opens into a hallway. That leads to a staircase with an Armenian clothing store on the first floor up. The hotel is above that.
If the Najem Akhdar is full, they'll direct you to the Hotel el-Shark. It's a little dodgey, but it may be the only thing available if you show up late in the day. 200 SL (US$ 5) for a bed in a shared room. Avoid the places along Al-Maari between the bus station and Bab al-Faraj, as they're mostly brothels operated by ex-Soviets.
A view of Aleppo out my window at the Hotel Najem Akhdar.
For best meals I've had in the Middle East, and maybe the best meals I've ever had on the road, go to the Al-Andalib restaurant in Aleppo. It's on the rooftop at the south-east corner of the intersection just north of the Baron Hotel on Baron Street. Syrian cooking tends to be very good, particularly in comparison to what you get in some of the neighboring areas. And the Al-Andalib is outstanding even beyond Syrian high standards. Just go hungry, as the dinners are huge.
Aleppo has the best bazaars of the Middle East, in my opinion.
Better than either Istanbul or Cairo for that Indiana Jones feeling.

Hamas

In Hamas the Cairo Hotel is great. It's On Kouwatli Avenue just west of Jamal Abdel Nasser Street. Just 100 SL (US$ 2.50) for a bed in a shared room, or 400 SL (US$ 10) for a double.

Go left out the door to the end of the street and you find one of the best falafel stands anywhere, right next to the only place to buy alcohol in Hamas.

Krac des Chevaliers is a huge Crusader castle between Hamas and the coast, just north of the Lebanese border. It makes a nice day trip via minibus. The friendly folks at the Cairo can help you figure out transport there and back. You will probably be taking a minibus to Qala'at al-Hosn, the village at the base of the fortress.

OK, so why does so much of Hamas look like there was wide-spread demolition that never got cleaned up?

Back in 1982 there was an attempted uprising by a Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, something like Al-Jama'ah Al-Islamiyyah or Hizb Al-Ikhwan Al-Muslimoon. Hefez Assad had his own military — armored vehicles and artillery on the ground, and bombing by the air force — put down the uprising. The city still shows the effects in places. The government would not admit to having bombed large sections of its own major city to rubble, so they couldn't very well start a major renovation project. It's still being rebuilt in bits and pieces, very slowly. With the public fear of the ruthless government, the local attitude is "Destruction? What destruction?" as they clamber over piles of rubble.

Of course, that was the end of the Syrian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. The Egyptian branch of that organization went on to become al-Qaida — unfortunately Assad didn't get them all.

Palmyra

From Hamas you can go east into the desert (about 80 km from the Iraqi border), to Palmyra, an absolutely amazing ancient ruin.
It was run by Zenobia, the warrior queen. She was eventually defeated by Roman forces and taken back to Rome in chains.
The city was abandoned, and eventually was thought to be nothing more than legends for a thousand years or so, before someone rediscovered it. A fantastic place not to be missed, like something out of a story by H. Rider Haggard or Robert E. Howard.
To get there, take a minibus from Hamas. Check out the radar antennas right along the road as you transit the Syrian Air Force Base about half-way there. 8-over-8 arrays of 6-element Yagi antennas that look to me to be in the 100-140 MHz range. All pointing east — no surprise.
There's not a lot of choice on budget housing at Palmyra. Hotel Afqa behind the PTT isn't too bad, but be ready for serious haggling!
For something that makes "Midnight Express" look fairly pleasant, try to schedule a visit to the police station and jail in Palmyra. For details of my visit, see an extract from my Christmas letter.
There are the ancient ruins in the valley, and the crusades-era castle overlooking the site from the hill.
For the most part, you are free to wander around on your own.
Make sure to take plenty of water and dress for the desert!
One of the three-wheel vehicles common in Syria.
The Palmyran people built unusual square funerary towers.
The interior of a funerary tower.

Damascus

Damascus is a fascinating place to see and the people are fantastic. An ancient city, from before there was history.

Jericho and Babylon were settled earlier, but Damascus is the oldest city still occupied.

It's the most multi-cultural place I've been — walking down the street you see a mix of Bedouin just in from the desert; urban dwellers; Yemeni and Somali supermodel women in brightly colored robes; and Christian monks in coarse brown robes and sandals.
The picture above and this picture show the modern road paralleling the Roman-era wall around the Old City.
Here is the fortified part of the old city wall believed to be where the apostle Paul was lowered in a basket, to escape his angry former colleagues. After many days had gone by, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall. [Acts 9:22-25]
The Jupiter Gate at the east end of the covered bazaar. Named that for the Temple of Jupiter that stood there in Roman times.
The western entrance to the covered bazaar. For great meals in Damascus, go to the Al-Arabi just southeast of Martyrs' Square toward the covered bazaar.
You see a banner of Hefez Assad in the picture above, here is a better picture. I haven't been to Syria since he died and his son Bashar took over. Not to be too flippant, but he looks an awful lot like Maxwell Smart in many of these banners...
This begins a series of pictures of The Street Called Straight. Mark Twain has a funny passage in "The Innocents Abroad" where he says that the writer Luke was an unappreciated master of ironic humor for referring to it as "The Street That is Called Straight" as opposed to simply "The Straight Street" — the point being that it is called "straight" but it is not straight.
The Street Called Straight near the covered bazaar.
Looking east, away from the covered bazaar, on The Street Called Straight.
Continuing east on The Street Called Straight.
Bab Sharqi, or the Eastern Gate, where The Street Called Straight reaches the old city wall. Pronounced "Bob Sharkey", this sounds like the old Damascus used-car salesman.
The entrance to the Chapel of Ananias, built over the home where Paul was taken in when he was blind after his Road-to-Damascus experience.
In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on the street called Straight and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show him how much he must suffer for my name." Then Ananias went to the house and entered it Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord — Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here — has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. [Acts 9:10-19]
If you're looking to buy a carpet in Damascus, Babel's Shop has a good selection. They made a sale — this carpet is now in my living room. From Beluchistan, wool-on-wool, woven around 1950-1955. How does a Damascus dealer come to have a decades-old carpet from the Iran - Pakistan - Afghanistan triple border region? Shi'a Islam (e.g., Iran) emphasizes the hajj as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. But unlike in Sunni Islam, the Shi'ites venerate saints, positive examples, and often undertake pilgrimages to visit the tombs or birthplaces of especially holy figures. An Iranian family made a pilgrimage to Damascus, and brought along some of their carpets to sell while in Damascus to finance the trip.
The Omayyad Mosque, the main mosque in central Damascus, is dedicated to John the Baptist. It houses what is believed to be his tomb (or at least the tomb for his head, after that run-in with Herod and Salome). And, the main mosque in Aleppo is dedicated to Ananias, the father of John the Baptist. All the holy men of Christianity are holy men to Islam, although it's a bit confusing when you first run into this.
The large minaret, visible from the main courtyard, is the Jesus Minaret. Well, literally it's the Isa Minere, as that's how it's pronounced in Arabic, but you get the point... The Islamic belief is that Jesus will appear there on Judgement Day. Told you it was confusing.
Damascus includes one of the greatest budget hotels ever — the Al Haramain, a leftover of French mandate days. It's on Bahsa Street, a pedestrian-only street (it has a staircase!), phone +963-11-321-94-89.
From Martyrs' Square go one block north to Choukri Kouwatli, running NW-SE. Cross to the north side of Choukri Kouwatli, and turn right. About a hundred meters down the street a small alley covered with a lattice of vines leads down a few steps to the left — that's Bahsa. The Al Haramain is about five doors ahead, on the left. If they're full, there is a similar place or two further along Bahsa. A courtyard with marble fountain, leaded glass windows on the doors, and antique furniture in the rooms. About 150 SL (US$ 3 at black market rates) for a bed in a shared room, or 500 SL for a double.
When I stayed there in 1997, I noticed that they had a collection of postcards sent from home by people who had stayed there. When I got home, I sent them a card. I received a very nice card from them in October 2001. They had kept any envelopes in which they had received cards. After the al-Qaida attacks on the U.S., they had sent letters of condolence and support to their former American guests — even ones who had last stayed there four years before.
In their letter they first said that they hoped that none of my family or friends were harmed in the attacks. They then expressed shock and disgust over the attacks, and said that they hoped that the American public realized that the attacks were not an expression of true Islam. Well, that was in 2001, back before the U.S. threw away almost all available good will....
The second time I stayed there, the staff (largely one extended family) wanted me to meet a cousin who had not been there the first time. This was because he had been working as a contract laborer in Saudi Arabia. What he said really stuck with me — he was so glad to be home in Syria, where he had so much more freedom, and there was so much less oppression.
That's right — compared to Saudi Arabia, he saw Syria as the land of freedom. One of the more telling comments I have ever heard about the Magic Kingdom of Saudi Arabia...

Transport

Down at the Hamas bus station, looking for the right bus.
A colorful pair of minibuses.
Inside a minibus.
A long-haul bus takes a tea-and-toilet break.

On my first visit to Syria, I took Syrian Arab Airlines back to Istanbul. A fine Tu-154 with all metal bulkhead panels inside. Kind of like being in the Soviet Air Force.

Fairly cheap flights can be purchased from agencies around Martyr's Square in Damascus, if your travel plans are somewhat flexible.

Arabic Numbers

If you're going to travel in an Arabic-speaking country, learn how to read Arabic numerals!

Back to the Travel Recommendations

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