Syria

Visited: October 2004

Duration of visit: 8 days

Capital city: Damascus

Population: 17.8 million (2004)

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

• Problems with visa at the border, where I was stuck for a whole day.
• Aleppo souk, hospitality and hammam
• Sunrise at Palmyra – Pearl of the desert, where unique mix of Greek, Roman, Persian, and Islamic culture is preserved in temples, columns and arches.
• Hospitality of Syrians that was especially strengthened through Ramadan period.
• The Great Mosque of Damascus.

Syrian Arab Republic was finally born as an independent country in 1946, after being part of the Ottoman Empire for four centuries and under French rule (1923-1946).

Syria is known for its cultural diversity with all kind of ethnic groups within the population; predominantly Arabs, but also include Armenian, Ismaili, Levantine and many others. Rich culture and heritage are represented by some UNESCO World Heritage sites in Palmyra, Damascus, Bosra and Aleppo.

Syria was part of my overland trip from Europe, through the Middle East and East Africa – the African Big Tour. After travelling overland from Slovenia to Iran, I returned back to the eastern part of Turkey, before crossing the border to Syria.

I couldn’t get a tourist visa for Syria at consulates in Ankara or Teheran because they required a letter of recommendation from a Syrian resident and a return ticket, proving that I would leave Syria. They both directed me to any border land crossing where I could get a tourist visa on the spot without any additional requirements, straightforward and at minimum cost.

I arrived at the border in the early morning (9:00am) together with Singaporean friend Pack and Australian buddy Matthew. After they got stamps in their passports it was my turn.

The immigration officer looked at my passport, checked something in an official internal note, and told me to return to Ankara, where I could get entry visa for Syria. It is 20 hours driving to Ankara and I didn’t have any intention to drive back to the capital of Turkey, where I had been denied visa earlier.

“I am not going anywhere. You should check the rules and apply the option that every visitor can get visa at any Syrian border!” was my firm answer.

The migration official seemed very convinced and didn’t want to continue discussion with me.

I knew that patience was the only solution. I calmed down and prepared for a long wait until something good would happen. It was Ramadan time, people were tense. No food, neither drinks are allowed during the day, so they wake up at 4:00am for early breakfast and by midday they look completely exhausted. They change shifts at midday and I might manage to talk to the new boss.

In the early afternoon I had the chance to meet a new boss, who was in charge of the afternoon shift. After explaining him the situation, he informed me that he needs to get an approval from Damascus and that he was willing to help me. The afternoon was long, boring and humiliating, watching how absolutely everyone was allowed to pass the border.

At 4:30pm, after seven hours of waiting, I was called to the office to be informed that I would be getting a visa and an entry stamp.

Fifteen minutes later, I got my passport with the stamp. The immigration office was closed a minute later and everyone was desperate to go home for dinner.

There were no buses, taxis or any other transportation that would take me to Aleppo. I waved an immigration official to stop his car and he offered me a lift to the outskirts of Aleppo. Streets were empty, everybody was waiting for an evening prayer and dinner that can be eaten afterwards. I caught a taxi for the last part to downtown Aleppo.

As soon as I got out of the car, I heard a friendly voice and noticed Matthew from the window screaming my name, inviting me to join a group of locals who wanted to share a dinner with new buddies. A pleasant evening, after the burdensome experience at the border for most of the day.

Aleppo is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and the biggest in Syria, also reinforced by its strategic location at the end of the Silk Road. Aleppo has impressive souks (bazaars), hammams, madrasas (educational institution), mosques and churches; all in need of more care and preservation work.

The city is not particularly attractive due to lack of parks or trees, but the historical souk within the walled, ancient part of the city is more colorful than any I have seen in the whole Turkey. For the citizens of Aleppo, the souk was always a place of social and cultural exchange, as well as commerce.

In my guesthouse, I met Nido from Tajikistan and Ali from Iran.

We made an excellent group for the next two days and visited hammam, piano bar, traditional Syrian restaurant with excellent food, nightclub and pigeon owner on the top of his house.

Visiting a historical Hammam al-Nahhasin (traditional spa) is a great experience. There are usually men’s and women’s day so visitors are separated by sex. Men usually completely strip down and wear nothing underneath the bath-wrap.

First, I needed to relax and loosen up for a while, sweat and explore the architecture of a bath. The massage was very short and nothing special. Maybe just warming up for scrubbing, which seems to be the most important part of the process.

I must have been really dirty because the massager was scrubbing me hardly for more than half an hour. Soapy wash up was followed by a rinsing session with cold water. The whole process of scrubbing was repeated once again!

In the past, hammams were used instead of showers, which makes sense, since hot water and shower facilities were not widely available. I stayed another 15 minutes to recover, relax and come out as the cleanest person I have ever been in my life.

The day when I crossed the border to Syria was also the beginning of the Ramadan period.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, one of the holiest months, also known worldwide as a month of fasting, praying, reflection and community.

Fasting from sunrise to sunset is compulsory for all adult Muslims who are not acutely or chronically ill, travelling, elderly, diabetic, or menstruating and breastfeeding (for women). Smoking is also prohibited during the day.

I learned from first-hand what Ramadan means for Muslims and how it actually works. In my opinion, Ramadan can mean a big risk to human body. It can provoke serious health consequences on a long term through torture of the body, as it is forbidden to consume any drinks or food from the sunrise to the sunset. Even swallowing saliva is forbidden according to the most conservative interpretation!

For foreigners, Ramadan can be a challenge too, as most restaurants only open in the evening. I was carrying sandwiches with me all the time and ate secretly avoiding any troubles or misunderstanding.

I expected a lot of inconvenience to get food during the day while in Syria, Jordan and Egypt, but in the end, it was actually quite simple straightforward to get lunch in restaurants that operate on regular schedule. I noticed many times even Muslims sinners eating normally during the day.

Due to lack of energy and especially thirst in the late afternoon in the hot and dry environment, people were much more dissatisfied, gloomy and aggressive. Quarrels around the city of Aleppo and violence are more common during Ramadan.

Before dusk, I could see desperate taxi and bus drivers in a hurry to come home on time for the first bite, that was ready at the table immediately after praying. During the day, people were saving the energy and reducing the activities in order to survive until the sunset. They turn completely frothy and withered in the afternoon, start to quarrel at around 4:00pm, when violence and groping in the streets are escalating. At 5:00pm the sirens sound and everyone starts to cram down food.

As a result of not eating for an entire day, people’s stomachs contract, leading to a diminished appetite. In thirty minutes, the streets are filled with disorder again.

Everybody is full of energy again and cruising around seems to be the main activity late into the night.

The iconic ruins of a thriving city on the trade route between the Roman Empire and Persia, India, and China are regarded as the most notable landmark in Syria.

Palmyra, established in the 3^rd century BC, is recognized as one of the most popular tourist destinations in Syria.

The city came under Roman control in the 1^st century and blossomed into an important cultural center, filled with sumptuous architecture that connected Greco-Roman and Persian influences. This oasis of palm trees was located halfway between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean on the route linking the East and West – intermediary through which the Roman empire acquired exotic merchandise: gulf pearls, incense and indigo from Yemen, spices from India, and silk from China.

I planned a visit of the archeological zone for an early morning. I arrived to the entrance before sunrise. An oasis in the desert is not visited by caravans on a Silk Road any more, but there are still some camels around. They are available for tourists, who want to explore Palmyra from the back of this elegant animal or just take a wonderful photo with one of Palmyras monuments, columns or arches in the background.

Beside camels, there was nobody around when I arrived with my Australian mate Matthew. So, we had plenty of time to admire the Pearl of the desert. Unique blend of Greek, Roman, Persian and Islamic cultures reflects through The Monumental Arch and all structures in the background.

Damascus, the capital of Syria didn’t leave any special memories on me, even though it is the oldest known continuously inhabited city in the world. In the Middle Ages, Damascus was a major point on the silk road from Asia and gave the name to the woven fibers known as damask.

The most outstanding landmark in Damascus is the Great Mosque of Damascus, located in the old city, being one of the largest and oldest mosques in the world.

It is historically very important because Muslims believed it is the place where Jesus will return at the End of Days. It is also considered by many Muslims to be the 4^th holiest place in the world.

During the renovation in the 1990s, the mosque was modernized and therefore criticized for the approach that lost the originality. In 2001, Pope John Paul II visited the mosque, primarily for the relics of John the Baptist. It was the first time a pope paid a visit to a mosque.

There are many other mosques around the city, but they cannot compare to The Great Mosque in size, quality of materials or work.

Damascus Citadel from the 11^th century is particular for the location at the same level as the city, not being elevated as most citadels are.  After an earthquake in the 18^th century, it was rebuilt by the Ottomans, but with the time lost the strategic function and it started to fall apart. 13 large towers and several dilapidated gates are still standing today to receive seldom visitors.

Besides archeological zone of Palmyra, souk of Aleppo, the great mosque of Damascus and amphitheater in Bosra, Syria doesn’t offer many tourists attractions from historical or architectural standpoint. However, I enjoyed it mostly due to warm relationship I established with other backpackers and locals that were friendly, helpful and welcoming us.

Maybe this hospitality was stronger due to Ramadan period, when people open their homes, share food and drinks in the company of foreigners, who through long conversations bring new experience in their homes (lives). I will remember Syria for warm, friendly and welcoming people that made my stay extremely pleasant.