A bit about Syria

I loved Syria. I loved being there by myself. I was expecting an excess of harassment but since I was able to ignore the cat calls and kissing sounds when I walked by groups of guys (most of the time) I just enjoyed being told I am beautiful (which is what they say to all the foreign girls). I met some fun guys who work at the souks in the old city in Damascus and they took me out dancing and out to dinner almost every night. One of them is from Aleppo in the north and I took the bus up there with him. It was convenient- he booked my hotel for me, made sure I got back safely and showed me the best places to drink strawberry juice and eat felafel. Needless to say our love of food (and everything I ate in Syria was fresh) made us good friends.

Syria is more traditional than other countries I have visited in the Middle East. Not much in the way of fast food or chains, which is particularly refreshing after Kuwait where there is nothing but. The sites, like the Roman ruins of Palmyra, were awesome. The countryside is great- Damascus and surrounding area is essentially desert and heading up to Aleppo, the landscape becomes more green and fertile. It was beautiful. My friend/tour guide took me to the Basilica of St. Simeon, where the eccentric St. Simeon in around 400AD sat atop pillars of various heights. It was a gorgeous site, the view from the top of the hill was spectacular.