We had heard that Syrian food is delicious and were hungry to confirm these rumours when we arrived in Damascus in time for supper. Al Kamals, with its Parisian-style dÈcor and a menu with many home-style dishes proved to be a fine choice. Although the sidewalks were dark and quiet at 9pm, the brightly lit restaurant was a beehive of activity with decked-out waiters serving the many clients. We sampled the mezze of olives and pickles that magically appeared and sat back to see what the locals were ordering. We ate well and devoured the scrumptious salads, which were the first in a long time that we were not worried about food poisoning.
The next morning we headed out early to explore the old walled city, hoping to find a quick bite for breakfast along the way. Nothing seemed to be open. Finally we came upon a small bakery and ordered four cheese pastries, then four more, then another two just because they were so good (10 cents each; Syrian food is also inexpensive). As we stood munching we noticed across
the laneway a doorway opening to a beautiful courtyard. We peeked in to find it was a restaurant complete with bubbling fountain that was just opening up for the day. It was beautifully decorated with an inner courtyard. We ordered coffee and sat back to enjoy the atmosphere and sip our coffee. Heaven!We wandered the maze of alleyways in the souk marveling at the variety of goods in the tiny shops and the crowds in the narrow alleys. We visited the Christian quarter and walked along the famous Straight Street to St. Paul’s Chapel, where St. Paul was baptized after losing his sight on the road to Damascus. Later, we came upon an atelier where we met three 60-year old brothers who showed us how they make intricate inlaid boxes, trays and furniture with very tiny pieces of wood and Mother-of- Pearl. We now have a much better understanding and appreciation of the dexterity of this work. We found another restaurant with an inner courtyard and ate more delicious food for lunch. At the table across the fountain was a scene with all the
contradictions of modern and traditional life in Syria: A group of women wearing head scarves, smoking the hubbly-bubbly, eating lunch, bouncing babies on their knees and talking on cell phones!The afternoon saw us tour the Azam Palace, built in 1749 by the then Governor of Damascus. The rooms of the palace are magnificently decorated with inlaid tile work and exquisitely painted ceilings. With time running out we headed for ice-cream at a Damascus institution, Bekdach’s. It only serves one flavour: pistachio-topped ice delight (what a marketer’s dream) but there were so many people lined up for a cone that Steve had to fight his way in while we waited outside. Delicious! We dashed to the bus station with full tummies and a firm commitment to return to this beautiful, exotic and enticing city.
The next morning we saw what T.E. Lawrence called "the finest castle in the world", the Crac des Chevaliers. Built largely by the Crusader knights during the 12th century, this remarkably well-preserved castle sits at the top of a hill. With its inner and outer walls separated by a moat and its strategic position, the castle was in fact never breached, which is the main reason why the fortress has survived more or les intact. We arrived early to explore the castle while empty of tourists. We climbed the exterior walls and the narrow spiral staircases up the 13 towers
checking out the views from all angles. We wandered around stables, a Gothic church, the water closets and a network of cellars capable of storing five years' worth of food. There were no guides, no lights, no fences and no restrictions, so the kids had a ball running along dark corridors with flashlights, causing their parents the odd heart attack as they climbed crumbling walls and dangled over openings onto 100-foot drops. Their imaginations were working overtime thinking of King Arthur and his knights.By two pm we were on a bus to Aleppo. If Damascus is the oldest capital city in the world, Aleppo is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited city on the planet. (Varanasi also claims this honour). We dropped our bags and walked to the Christian Quarter, the most charming part of Allepo with its beautifully maintained narrow stone-flagged alleyways and age-old houses. Many of the manors have been converted to restaurants and after peeking at a few we opted for the Sissi House. With all the inlaid wood, a grand piano and an host of waiters in black suits it was in one of the most beautiful restaurants we have ever seen. Everything was delicious, appetizers, main courses even local wine, and the most amazing thing was the cost-$25 Canadian for everything!
The next day we had time for a quick tour of the Old City. We strolled the famous covered Souqs, some of them dating to the 13th century, visited the citadel sitting atop a huge manmade earthen mound which dominates the city skyline, and wandered through the Great Mosque. At a street stall we gobbled a shwarma for lunch and dashed to the border by taxi so that we could cross into Turkey before our visas ran out.We loved Syria. Before, we had heard only of the Mahar Arar case and the Government of Syria from the media. We now know first hand more about the people of Syria. They are generous and welcoming. Everywhere we went we heard "Welcome". They love kids and would come up to Rob and Kathleen to talk to them. People asked us on the street if we needed any help finding places. We were not hassled to buy things. We also met numerous Iraquis who had come to Allepo to escape the troubles at home for a few days. On our last day, over shwarmas, we met an Iraqui couple who, with their minimal command of English, shared some of their thoughts on what it is like to live in Iraq these days, and about their tragic loss of family members. They hoped to immigrate to Canada in six months. We would have loved to talk to them longer but had to make our run for the border.
We would like to go back to Syria again for a longer period and we hope it will be sooner rather than later.
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