Damascus

Pic #1 is the Uymaddan (sp) Mosque in Damascus, Pic #2 is ruins in Palmyra

Again, strangly enough I can post blogs but can't read or open my past blog pages, I can only assume state censorship, regardless, I hope this post makes it up.
We arrived in Damascus yesterday, the capital of the great nation of Syria, and home to over 4 million people. They say there is nothing that has happend in the civilized world that the great city of Damascus hasn't witnessed. Along with its little sister Aleppo, in the north part of the country, they claim to be the oldest continues occupied cities in the world (they have found remains of occupation back to at least 6000 BC). But unlike Allepo, Damascus has a subtle air of sophistication and a much improved infastructure. The old walled city is charming with its great gates arched over cobbled streets lined with mosques, churches, and old palaces. It is great fun to just wander the narrow passages and try to get lost and then make your own personal little new discovery. The numerous souqs are some of the best in the region with vendors peddling all sorts of wares, eats and drinks. Many of the old palaces and large residences have been converted into boutique hotels and resturants. They harbor great interior open spaces, what we would call a courtyard but is often refered to as a 'garden' here. Vegetation often snakes up the walls or across the tops and some have orange trees with fruit present. Locals and to a lesser degree tourists, sit and drink tea or coffee, have a bite to eat and/or smoke a nargile (hooka) packed with fruit flavored tabacco (I am partial to the apple). They are really atmospheric places dating back to as early as the 1600's. We saw an framed article that the NY Times did in 2009 hanging on the wall at one place. It was talking about these types of places as evidence of Syria's progress in recent years in modernization and increasingly embracing western ideals. Theses places are nice because they are still affordable for both the budget traveler and middle class locals. Damascus is quite a city.
Prior to Damascus we went to Palmyra which is home to some of the finest roman ruins in all of Syria. There are ruins spread over at least 500 acres in various states of ruin. Most of what is visible was excavated and they estimate it is less than 30% of the ancient city. This area is out in the east central part of the county. The real desert, home to the sparsely populated native bedouin people still living much the way they have for the past 6000 years, and not much else. It was interesting to see a road sign at the junction just outside the town, one way pointing to Palmyra and the other way to 'Bagdad' (still probably 300 miles away). It was good to get out of the city and into a small town out in the desert.
Otherwise we have nothing but positive things to say about Syria. I have been really surprised with how green the country is (not in an evironmental sense, but that is a story for another day). Accept for when we were out in Palymra we have been in the western 25% of the country. The landscape is green and in full agricultural production. We have seen everything that can be grown in California, and given the commonality of a mediterrean climate it shouldn't be surprising.
We have felt very, very safe throughout our travels. We continue to keep our travel savvy and awareness but in general the 'fear' that been branded by the west on this country as a whole seems completely unwarrented, unjustified and unfair.
The people continue to be very pleasant and we have had lots of good conversations with people on recent past events, the US/Syria relationship and of course, politics. Most have conversations have been positive but its not always been a trip down candy cane lane. The fact has been brought up several times of how old this country is, and how young the US is. In this region and in a few others, history has shown countless civilizations rise and fall, and that nothing stays the same forever. When things are good it is easy to believe 'in the moment' especialy in the western world. It is important to acknowledge and learn from the past otherwise we are destined for history to be again repeat itself. In talking with the people and seeing these places that are so deeply rooted in this regions past, I have a new found prespective and appreciation for this 'history repeating itself' reality.
We have met a really cool Aussie couple (he is a native and she is from WA) and we may buddy up with them on friday when we head across into Jordan which will be cool. We will be sad to say goodbye to Syria. It has been a very pleasant surprise coming here. So far we can't say anything bad about the region, including how traveller friendly and easy it has been. I highly recommend it to anybody who is thinking about doing a trip abroad, any age, any sex, any budget. Just go and experience it for yourself. The people here would apprecieate it and deserve it.
-CB

"Welcome" to Syria....

-Video of 360 degree view of Aleppo from citadel with seemingly 'firery' sermon in background
...is the phrase we have heard over and over since our arrival here about 36 hours ago, but none were as sweet to hear as the one from the gruff, overweight, chainsmoking boarder guard as he stamped our passport.
A long, at times very uncomfortable overnight bus ride landed us at the Syrian/Turkey boarder. We had secured our visa long in advance as was required however we still got the run around for about an hour before we got stamped and headed through (US passports do seem to recieve extra scruity). We were apprehensive upon arrival, if for no other reason unsure of how we would be recieved here as americans. Our first stop was conservative Aleppo (4 million people), which vias with the Syrian Capital of Damascus as the longest continuously occupied city in the world. It was a full five senses experience. Loud, dirty, and chaotic, just begin to describe our intial take of this place. We got checked into a dingy, super funky, but cheap hotel. We dropped our bags and struck out for some more sensory overload. Aleppo is famous for it souqs (covered markets) selling everything one could ever want or imagine, and some things you never thought existed. Headscarves are the norm here, and many women wear the full facial covering (I don't know the proper term). People yelling, cars honking and all forms of transport via for the same coveteted cobble stoned streets in the heart of the old city. Something as seemingly mundane as crossing the street here takes on whole new level of flirting with death or dismemberment. This is not unlike many big cities in the developing world, however nothing can fully prepare you for it, rather you just need to keep your eyes open, your feet light and plunge into the fray like the local smiling 10 year old alongside you. Welcome to the real Middle East.
We are now in Lattakia, a smaller less conservative city of 1 milion. It is on the coast and serves as the main port for Syria. We can watch container ships get loaded from the window of our cheap dingy hotel. We checked out a sweet castle 30km away today that dates from the 11 century. A real cool, big kid kind of place. Tomorrow we go to Palmyra, way out in the eastern desert to see some Roman city ruins.
But by far the thing that has left the greatest impression on us is the Syrian people. I think they are the most friendly and warm people I have ever met in any country, anywhere. We lost count of how many times we have heard "welcome to syria" from smiling, inquisitive faces. All ages, but mostly men, have went out of their way to give us a warm greeting and ask where we are from. Our apprehension builds when we say the US, which is repleyed with "ah americans, very nice." This followed up with "Bush, Bush", with a sense of questioning. Thank goodness we can reply with "Obama, Obama" and we all break out into smiles. They like Obama, they don't like Bush (sound familiar?). Just as we read prior to our trip most folks can seperate politics from the people. They are not used to seeing american here because there are not many americans traveling here, so they actually respond even more positively to us. They want to see americans here. It is a sign to them that we as a global society are moving forward from the not so distant past political blunders and otherwise negative events. It is really refreshing to see, and personally gives me (us) hope for a more peaceful future, both in this region and worldwide.
Okay. Enoegh for now. I can post blogs here in Syria, but I can't read my blog (?). We will keep on the blog as best we can here. Internet access is less available, but of good speed and quality where available.
-CB

Leaving Turkey

NOTE: Pics have been posted to all previous blog posts.

So tonight we bid Turkey gule gule (bye bye) and prepare for another overnite bus trip, this time to Aleppo, Syria. We had a nice, rather mellow day today, not in small part to my waking with my first taste of traveller crud. I had a very marginal dish last night for dinner, combined with some local wine, a tall beer, lots of bread and a long day in the sun = me feeling drained and flu-like this morning. It hung around for most of the day but I have seemingly shaken it for the time being (very good considering our 12 hour upcoming bus sentencing).

We checked out a collection of rock cut churches today (pic above). The rock that makes up the landscape of is primarily volcanic derived pumice like stone and therefore is easily carved and manipulated. For the past 3000 years or longer the local peoples have been carving it for every conceivable use, most noteably for shelter. Houses, stables, churches and even cities that can hold up to 5000 people have literally been carved into the landscape. We saw the underground city two days ago. Pretty awesome. The city was only fully occupied when 'invaders' were in the area, and the churchs were used on a more regular basis. Many of the current hotels are carved out these rock chimneys, and this is one of the big draws to the area.

We also finally got to do the turkish bath today, a hamam. These have been around since the earliest civiliations in the region. It consists of a sauna, then laying on a heated stone, a hand scrub to remove all the dead skin, a soapy massage and then a hand rinse. Pretty nice treatment.

So here we go, we really are going to Syria. Aleppo is our first destination in Syria. This city has been at the crossroads of trade since the beginnings of civilization. The souqs (outdoor markets) are some of the best and most diverse in the region. Chandra took the time to look up 'rogue state' on wikipedia. The definition is those countries that harbor and sponser terrorism and can be considered a threat both within and outside their borders. Currently there are only two countries in the world that are officially considered rogue states, Sudan and Iran. So we got that going for us, which is nice...

There is an off chance that the blog may not be accessable in Syria (or facebook (oh dear god, nooo)). Otherwise we will keep this blog thing going as I have been enjoying it. It really is serving as a journal for me primarily, but to all or none who read it I hope it can stir something, I don't know what, but that is is up to you.
-CB

"Spent the night in Turkey in a cave up in the hills..."

We made it to Cappadocia, the land of fairy chimneys and rock cut churchs. We are staying a small, quintisential traveler town surrounded by a surreal rock garden landscape. We had a nice long day of rental scooter accessed hiking in and amoungest the valleys and rock chimneys.
Words can't adequately describe this place so I will refrane in hopes of getting some pictures up on this blog tomorrow, but think of Southern Utah or Western Colorado with its delicate intricacies of mud hills and sandstone rock formations.
As we are preparing to leave Turkey in 24 hours, there are a few things I wanted to share. Talking with the locals it has been interesting to discuss Turkey's bid to become part of the EU. It isn't too surprising that the more affluent the individual (ie. Istanbul residents), the more strongly they are in favor of the idea. Most people oppose the idea and cite the recent economic woes of neighboring Greece as an example. Things are expensive here for the local people as is true in nearly all of the underdeveloped world (petro is at least $7.50 /gal and can be as much as $11). Joining the EU would only make things more expensive for the average Turk. Traveling within the country would also be more expensive and possibly have a negative effect on those in the tourism business. And while it isn't near as expensive as traveling by western standards, it isn't exactly cheap either. We are running about 25% over our modest $100/day budget. We anticipate (and hope) costs will go down as we head south in the region.

We have been really surprised with how few independent travelers we have seen in Turkey but it is nearing the end of the slow season. However there appears to be no shortage of package tourists who pour into the sites by the bus load and can make visiting such sites rather unpleasant. We often have to wait for a big group of aging Koreans or Germans to pass
so we can have a moment to process what grand antiquity lies before us (we have been known to trail an english speaking group on occasion however these groups are few). Word is these trips are offered cheaply back in their respective native countries in the Turkish off season. They can appeal to older folks because the climate is much more mild this time of year as well. But outside the grandiose, well known sites, it is very quiet and peaceful. It allows one to get a better feel for the land, the culture and its history, and presents many more opportunities to converse with the local people which we certainly enjoy.

Turkey really is a surprisingly straightforward place to travel. Tourism is very well rooted here. They have seen visitors for a long time and the infastructure reflects that. There are plenty of hotels, restaurants, ticket offices and the associated services make getting around surprisingly simple, which is nice. While it may be exotic to most people from the west, there are plenty of western familiarities and is probably a great place to get an introduction to the greater region. At least that is what we think, for now.
-CB, with extensive editing assistance by CN

Polıtıcs and pools

A long day ıt was. We were graced wıth some of the nıcest weather thus far. Brıllıant sunshıne warmed the land after another cool eveıng. We struck ıt out rather early for the chalky whıte tavertıne pools that are Pamakkale. Barefoot ıs the only allowable footware when you are actually on the calcıum deposıted features. There are ıncredıble ruıns on top of the greater geologıc features that were orıgınally buılt ın 1st century AD. The cıty was structured around the tradıtıonal medıcınal waters of the sprıngs. A ancıent hot sprıngs resort of sorts. Also a wonderful large old theatre that has been very well restored and now hosts the occasıonal contemporary performance. The present hot water pool wıth the old sunken columns was a bıt of a let down, ın that they have become commerıcalızed tourıst trap and are overprıced (but we swam anyways).
On the socıal sıde of thıngs, we have now been able to sıt down and have several nıce conversatıons wıth the local people. These ınevıtably turn to polıtıcs and they love to brıng up Obama. Polıtıcs can also always be a stıcky subject, especıally wıth unfamılıar folks. Fortunately the topıc of Obama ıs met wıth smıles and noddıng of the head. He ıs vıewed ın a favorable lıght here, much lıke back home, and Turks feel that he ıs a good change from Bush. Thıs has been followed up wıth our talkıng about how polıtıcs are polıtıcs, that the presıdent ıs only one person, that there are many other ınterests and ındıvıduals pushıng and pullıng. But so far Obama seems to be vıewed ın a posıtve lıght, and ın turn we are as well. The people we have talked wıth seem pretty well versed on amerıcan polıtıcs whıch from our experıence ısn't uncommon. On that note, ıt has been ınterestıng to see the response when people ask us where we are from. Our typıcal response ıs "the Unıted States" whıch ıs greeted wıth a nod and more or less neutral reactıon. Then we say "Calıfornıa" and they lıght up lıke a kıd on Chrıstmas. There ıs somethıng about Calıfornıa that people just love (The song 'Hotel Calıfornıa' has been repeated on several occasıons). We have even been told we shouldn't even say Unıted States, we should just say "Calıfornıa".
Okay, we are kıllıng tıme for another hour untıl we hop a 10 hour overnıte bus to Cappadocıa, the southern Utah redrock desert versıon of Turkey. Should be cool. Houses buılt ın the rocks and 'faıry chımneys'.
Otherwıse we are great. Our health ıs good, we are restıng well (I have been gettıng solıd restful sleep wıthout self medıcatıng myself) and takıng good care of one another. We are both feelıng so lucky to have made the tıme and taken the opportunıty to make a trıp of thıs nature possıble.
-CB

Olıves and Oranges

So we made a clean break from the quaınt small communıty of Selcuk thıs mornıng and headed east ınto the 'heartland' of Turkey. Our destınatıon....Pamukkale, home to the glorıous whıte tavertıne hot water pools that grace many a turkıst postcard. Our 3 hour bus rıde passed through some of the best agrıcultural land ın the country. We passed countless crops ıncludıng oranges, strawberrıes, cotton, pomegranete, peaches, some grapes, and of course olıve trees, lots and lots of olıve trees. Rock terraces that date back many a mıllınea provıde the structural support for the growıng of olıves and they occupy any possıble growıng space above the flat fertıle valleys that we have so far traversed. We have yet to get ınto the true mountaınous country, however we caught are fırst good look at some snow capped peaks today ("I reckon ıt looks lıke early season corn snow"). The towns we have passed have all been decent sızed and maıntaın a very hıgh housıng densıty. Lots of newer apartments ın close proxımaty to the downtown area. Just lıke ın Greece every roof top ıs adorned wıth multıple dırect solar hotwater heaters (why are these mıssıng ın the US?). You can pack ın apartments lıke thıs when nobody has a car, as ıs much the case here. Cars are expensıve, gas ıs expensıve (7.50 dol/gal) and people make around the equıvelant of maybe 10,000 dol a year. The average Turk lıves below what would be consıdered western lıvıng standards but thıs ıs quıckly changıng. Thıs place has 'emergent country' wrıtten all over ıt (somewhere between ındustrıalızed and undeveloped).
But most folks walk wıth a smıle on theır face, a cıgarette ın theır hand and a posıtıve outlook on lıfe.
So we are checked ınto a nıce lıttle pensıon, and tonıght wıll be enjoyıng a homecooked meal wıth the jovıal proprıetor and hıs frıendly wıfe. There are stıll very few ındependent travelers here, as the busy season starts sometıme ın later Aprıl. The weather has drastıcally ımproved and whıle ıt ıs stıll cool ın the evenıngs, ıt ıs sunny and warm durıng the day, really our favorıte tıme to be travelıng.
We wıll strıke ıt out for the whıte hot sprıng tavertıne pools of Pamukkale ın the AM. Dırectly above are the ruıns of Hıerapolıs, a large ancıent cıty that was, of course, famous for ıts theraputıc hot waters. We wıll also get our fırst taste of swımmıng ın Turkey's hot baths. Word ıs you can swım ın the pool wıth sunken roman marble columns. So we are both lookıng forward to that. Wıll 'blog on' tomorrow afternoon after what wıll surely be another fabulous long day. -CB

Out of the cıty...ınto the country

So we are on the move... After takıng a nıce boat tour around the Bospherous Straıght ın Istanbul yesterday we hopped the plane south to Turkey's 3rd largest cıty, Izmır. We had to do some navıgatıng from the aırport to the bus statıon ın order to get to our fınal destınatıon of the day a small farmıng communıty called Selcuk. No less than 3 dıfferent people helped us get there, whıch ıncluded a mınıbus trıp as well. The mınıbuses are a common form of publıc transport that ply the most routes, a hop on hop off servıce. Cheap too. It was our fırst experıence wıth real turks, or at least non-ıstanbul turks. We realızed towards the end of our tıme ın ıstanbul that we saw a very small slıver of the cıty of 18 mıllıon, the clean and polıshed versıon of the cıty whıch ıs what 99% of the vısıtors see, whıch ıs what ıt ıs, I guess.
Selcuk ıs great though, small town full of very nıce, frıendly people and some very well preserved 8th century BC roman ruıns. Vırgın Mary amoung many spent some tıme ın the cıty and ıs featured ın the bıble. Pagen fırst, then chrıstıan so ıt has a turmoultous past as do all cıtıes that old.
But rıght now we gotta run, we are off to see some real turkısh musıc at a lıttle off the beaten path resturant we dıscovered thıs afternoon, and we want to get there before ıt ıs fully dark (20 mın walk through cemetary then orchards).
We off to Pammukale ın the AM. All ıs well and we are both feelıng lıke the trıp ıs startıng to take off.
-CB