SYRIA 
        
$1 US     = about 48 Syrian pounds

Wednesday 1st to Saturday 4th October 1997
Hotel; Al Rabe Hotel (none)
Room Type: 3 beds (about 150 Syrian pounds)
Verdict: Fine. We did not actually end up staying here as we knew someone in Damascus but the courtyard seemed pleasant. We have been warned however about the bed bugs!

Damascus
Old Citadel
Visit the souqs in the old citadel for some browsing and fun. The gaudy clothes, especially the pink meringue wedding dresses are worth a try as well as the belly dancing costumes (for the girls that is). Check out the cerise pink padded bras if you feel a bit brash.
We enjoyed exploring and just taking time to get lost among the narrow windy backstreets with houses overhanging the lanes. It is a beautiful and intriguing wander. You come across craft industries, woodwork, intricate silver and gold metalwork and seamstresses who will all let you watch their prowess of skill. The spice and food stalls are also worth a browse.
Then get the map out to visit the Muslim and Christian places of interest; Al Azem palace, Oymmaad mosque and St Pauls church to name but a few. Old Damascus has a lot to offer and you will find new excitement every time you venture betwixt the ancient walls. Check out all the old American cars here they look so out of place! The ice-cream parlor where they churn home-made ice-cream is superb.

Transport
Taxis outside the walls will try to rip you off. Avoid rush hour as the demand for transport is high and you have no bargaining power to reduce their exhorbident asking prices.

The bus station to the north is about 3 km. north of the Citadel past the large stadium.

THE LEBANON
Beirut
Our friend in Damascus took us over by car to the Lebanon for day. Unfortunately I cannot advise the best method of transport if going independently. The visa into the country costs $17 and can be obtained at the border. It is quite expensive here but the change in buildings and way of life is astounding. Mansions, some bombed out, line the mountain roads from Syria to Beirut. The capital itself is a mixture of torn apart old blocks and plush new appartment blocks and buildings.

Jetti Caves
I highly recommend visiting Le Grotte de Jeite. Splendid stalagmites and stalactites cling to the huge mountain caverns in the upper caves. The lower caves are accessible by boat and the lighting is superb. A wonderful place, like a fantastic dream.

SYRIA AGAIN
Sunday 5th October 1997
Hotel; Zabat-Al-Kalish, Aleppo
Room Type: Bed sharing, no room (very cheap)
Verdict: Bearable. We were crammed into a bed that a couple kindly let us have. Accommodation is not easy to find nor cheap here. Beds are available but the price, cleanliness and location differ enormously. Leave aside time to wander to get the best.

Aleppo
A kitsch local bus the 300km north to Aleppo takes 5 hours and costs a mere 60SE.
While looking for a suitable hotel we found it difficult to find our way around Aleppo and got lost. After finding your feet walk through the old Souqs to The Citadel a majestic white stone affair. Inside some areas have been renewed but mostly debris and strewn stones scatter the spacious grounds. The view over the city is wonderful. Check out al the satellite dishes on rooftops below!
A guy at the hotel brought a group of us girls to the local women's' Syrian baths. Big mama washed our hair and body with local caustic soap and a large scrubbing mitten. It was rough as she tried to scrape off the mysterious freckles on our arms but we were clean and shinny afterwards and relaxed in the steam room. This option was quite cheap (about $1), but you can decide to go to the more plush Turkish baths which is neater, white tiled and probably much more 'proper'.

Monday 4th October 1997
Hotel; Al Nasser Rabid Hotel, Homs
Room Type: Two beds and a mattress (450 SP in total)
Verdict: Clean. Beware of extra charges for using the shower etc. Bargain hard. There is a great kitchen area in which you can make tea, eat buns from the bakery around the corner and relax in the spacious foyer area. The owner fancies himself as a shrewd business man but will kindly bring out a map and point out areas of note in Homs and all over Syria.

HAMA
Visit Hama on the way to Homs. We were in a hurry so did not have time.

HOMS
A walk through the bright town passed the clock tower is lovely. Beware of being ripped off in banks while exchanging money. The bus station towards the north is where you can get a minibus to Craic des Chevaliers. Purchase food stuffs from bakeries on the way to the bus station for the day ahead.

Craic des Chevaliers
60km west of Homs stands this impressive and intact stronghold of old. Castle of the Knights or Qala at al Hosn in Arabic was built in the 12th century by the Crusaders. Well worth a visit with its' spectacular view over surrounding countryside.

Tuesday 7th October 1997
Hotel; Omayaad Palace Hotel, Palmyra
Room Type: The floor in the reception area (arrived in late; 100 SP each)
Verdict: Clean, better and more comfortable if we had got a room

Palmyra The magnificent ruins of Palmyra make the impressive Jerash in Jordan look like a playground. Two days would be just enough time to explore. Unfortunately we only had one day here so we did not have the opportunity to climb 45 minutes up to the citadel which watches serenely over the deserted ruins from the pages of a fairytale. The citadel is a fantastic vantage point for sunrise or sunset. Be careful of getting locked in here as the gates are locked promptly at 7.30pm. and dogs roam the eerie lanes at night. The hire of a local knowledgeable guide to get to the tower-like tombs is advisable. Timetables of local buses out of here vary.

Thursday 9th October 1997
Hotel; Horrible backstreet kip (no name)
Room Type: 3 beds, loads of bedbugs.
Verdict: Horrendous, but we had no option getting in too late again as we are seriously stuck for time.

BOSRA
The black basalt town of Bosra is a sleepy quiet day break on the way back south to the border into Jordan. Bargain hard with the many minibus and taxi drivers you will have to get to get to the border. They search every millimeter of cars and baggage at the border. Foreigners are not scrutinized too much though.

BACK TO JORDAN

Thursday 9th to Saturday 11th October 1997
Hotel; Farah Hotel
Room Type: 4 bedded room (3.5JD each for a room - it was raining)
Verdict: BLISS Amman again. Yom Kippur in Israel and all is quiet.

ISRAEL

 $1US       = 3.42 Israeli Sheqel
  1 Sterling = 5.3 Israeli Sheqel

From Jordan to Israel
Buses leave in the mornings only to King Hussein bridge from Abdali bus station. Do not hire a taxi for yourself as it is very expensive (5JD). White service taxis will take you for JD1.5. though it is quite cramped. Get a coach from the Jordanian side to the Israeli side of the border. You will immediately notice the price difference.

Jerusalem
You will notice an immediate difference as you cross the border into Israel. Unfortunately prices go up too.

Eating and Entertainment
The centre of Jerusalem is extremely westernized offering all the fast food joints, bars and entertainment for the well groomed young Israelis. We sniffed out a fantastic shop offering baked potatoes with a innovative selection of toppings. Mmmmmm.

The Old City and the Mount of Olives
Jaffa gate is a great introduction to the old city. Breathing costs money in the Tourist Office. It is difficult to get your bearings strolling through the market stalls and narrow paths in the city. Go up to the ramparts for a birds eye view. The stairs are accessible at Damascus and Jaffa gates. Although we still could not decipher which building was which the 4 distinct quarters gave us a clue as we looked over the softly breathing city (Christian, Armenian, Jewish and Islamic). Some of the high walls were closed for repairs so we descended at Zion Gate near the Jewish Wailing Wall. Every time we ventured into the old city we discovered new things, it was fabulous and steeped in so much history. I would strongly advise those planning to visit the city to buy detailed guide to all the buildings and their significance to the various religions.

Walk up to the top of the Mount of Olives for sunset and a superb view of the Dome of the Rock. On the way you pass the City of David, the Kidron Valley, Garden of Gethsemane, Church of Mary Magdaline and of course the vast and horribly crushed Jewish Cemetery.

The Israel Museum
This museum is a rare treat. The Dead Sea Scrolls were on display when we visited and we got an educative tour around the Jewish section. The Sculpture Gardens include sculptures by Rodin, Picasso, Henry Moore and inside the gallery walls are adorned by Rubens, Rembrandt, Miro, Dali, Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh - the lot. The indigenous artists work is imaginative and spectacularly inspiring. The Ethnic Art and Archeological areas are superb also. There is almost too much great items in the Israeli museums which but for the cost is worth two days visit.
The Monastery of the Cross at the foot of the hill by the museum is a beautiful quaint building which you must pay to enter.

VISA BACK IN TO EGYPT
As we had not planned to go to Israel we had to get our visas for the border crossing into Egypt again in Tel Aviv. This proved difficult and expensive. At Mazada Tours near the Jaffa gate we organized the bundle of; bus ticket through Rafadh on the Sinai, departure tax, and Egyptian visa for a whopping $117. We boarded the bus at the Mazada Tours office at 7.30am. and it took the whole day to cross by the Gaza Strip, through Rafadh and over the Suez canal to Cairo.

BACK TO EYGPT Thursday 16th October 1997
Hotel; The Sultan Hotel
Verdict: A great Welcome back. Fine, but for the mossies.

Egyptian Museum
You cannot go to the Middle East and not go to view the unbeatable collection of artifacts in this world-famous museum. The culture is steeped in bizarre and beautiful history, the remnants of which are extremely intriguing.

Saqqara
The Pyramids at Saqqara are precursors to the more famous ones at Giza. These step pyramids, old tombs and temples can be accessed by jumping on two local buses from Tahir Square and asking lots of directions. They are less touristic and more rugged than the Giza pyramids across the desert on the horizon. The trip also involves quite a bit of walking while tourist coaches pass. On the better side you get to see the back villages of outer Cairo and observe men coming home from the fields with their produce on donkeys and camels backs. I would definitely advise a trip out there.

Memphis
We did not visit the pyramids further away at Memphis but hear it is a great trip.

A closing remark
The Middle East was beautiful, interesting and awe-inspiring The culture and the people were always extremely friendly and helpful. We contacted no deadly diseases or sicknesses. A 24-hour bug was the worst ill-health we endured. As girls we noticed no problems travelling except for the odd straying brush of hand. We respected local traditions and dress code and in return were treated with utmost respect.
However we do recognize that since we left there has been an increase in terrorist activity in Egypt, directed specifically at tourists which may be the limiting factor of ones decision to visit.

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© Catherine Wilson 97-99