Damascus

August 2, 2010 (excuse the late date - Syria censors blogs and facebook)

Damascus is thought to be the oldest city in the world. There's been stuff here continuously since 3000 BC, but what's 5000 years for a city? After all, Seattle is 200 years old.

I'm a bit of a bum when it comes to traveling these days. I want to sleep off the last two months mostly, but I do find the energy to examine the fine traditional architectural features in the coffee shops and restaurants. It's the least I can do. Damascus has amazing old streets that twist and turn into small dark alleyways then emerge into vine covered cobble stoned avenues filled with shops, juice bars and cafes. On one street is the church of St. George, and a few minutes later you are at the most important Mosque in the Arab World, the Umayyad Mosque. It's all stunning.

There are signs of quirkiness too. The war museum was co-created with the North Koreans to celebrate the October, 1973 war against Israel they supposedly won (it's debatable if there were any winners). Ahh, how nice to see pictures of Kim Jong Ill again. And the internet won't you use blogger or Facebook, and kicked me off all together when the guy at the wi-fi cafe next to me got to keep going. Who's watching and how can they do that?

But all in all, the people are amazing. Iraqi, Iranian, Turkish and Lebanese tourists fill the streets along with the locals. The Iraqi man I shared a ride with up from Jordan not only let me share his taxi to the hotel area (he continued on to meet his family), but left me with 500 Syrian Pounds, about $12, because I hadn't been to an ATM yet. And good he did since most ATM's don't take debit cards without the Visa logo. I have Mastercard. Locals walk me to the correct street when I am looking for a hotel. They greet you in the street, happy you are here.

I'm happy I'm here, too, though I do look forward to real sleep, a couch, and cable TV. Soon.