Posts tagged weeks

We arrived at Damascus airport on Saturday afternoon. Our adventure began
after arrival. One of my friends who will keep us at the airport is not promised. It also appeared that the Poles more access to the GSM mobile network is not Syria. We decided to take a bus and drive from downtown. At one stop we are in a Russian who lives in Syria knows very well and very long pushed Damascus. She showed us the location on the map where you could find some cheap hotels. We jumped off the bus together and Anastasia – our new friend showed us which path we follow to find decent housing. We thanked him for help fell asleep on a place to stay. The area was Faktoria “and it is next to the old city. In fact, there was a lot of cheap two-star hotels. jungle cheap price has created an exclusive five star” Semiramis. “hotel. But we chose the Alhambra, where we took a triple room. The receptionist told us we had to pay up to $ 60 per person, so we started to negotiate an Arab and we pushed the price to $ 40 per person. Our room was not spacious, the space between the beds was so close that we could not `t move freely. We had the bathroom, it was not the most appropriate and what is the bath, the water reflects on all that water shower local machine. We had to leave the door closed bathroom so you do not sleep in the pool. When he and a bath right before bed, we started planning the next day. We decided to go to Damascus to Amman – Jordan’s capital. We

Hit the Road after breakfast . We took a taxi and went to “Sumarije” international bus station. Once our driver stopped on the nearby public parking, a one-legged man greeted us and said: “Hi I am a f. .. – Ing America, where you want to go, sir.” We told him we wanted to go to Jordan. He asked us if we preferred to take a bus or a taxi. At first, we thought, wondering about the bus but the bus was leaving at four o’clock in the evening, so we had to wait two hours. Finally, we decided a taxi and our “F. .. yanki” as he called himself, when he appeared before, then with a guy that our taxi driver had gone further. legged dude imagined that his friend Muhammad, saying the trip “Sumarije” to “Abdelije” a bus station in Amman, the cost of 2000 MS than the Syrian pound. Fortunately, the Syrians, unlike the Egyptians are friendly and we managed to beat the price down to 1800 SP, and it is about $ 40. So, we packed our bags for a taxi and began our journey. After half an hour Muhammand asked to relax and not hear, our response, he stopped at the fuel station of the car. When he returned to custody, he asked us to pay him money, but we were less happy with such a proposal. Finally, we would have paid only half the agreed amount, and promised in the second half, when we pay to get to our destination. Two hours later we were at the border. before crossing the Syrian border, we were there for about two hours to devote to various forms of emigration filling. And after crossing the Syrian border, we spent several hours filling in forms other, but he went a little faster.

If we compare, in Syria and Jordan, we can see many differences.
In the hope that they are sufficient for one hundred U.S. dollars to the Jordanian border for three days we travel exchange. Unfortunately, prices in Jordan similar to those of the EU, one U.S. dollar is equal to 0. 7 Jordanian dinar. The tourism infrastructure is better a big plus. There are several hotels with a European standard. We

arrived in Amman for about six hours of the afternoon. Abdelije bus we took a taxi to pick us much more than in Syria costs. Thus, in the budget
70 dinars, we had to tough negotiations, the price. We went to Amman />
The night passed quietly , so we slept well and woke up full of energy. Just after breakfast, we decided to go to the Dead Sea. In the parking lot of the
our hotel, we met two taxi drivers, with which we started to negotiate.
The first pilot has proved to be a refugee from Palestine and was />
The Dead Sea is about 420 meters below sea level and depression is the largest in the world. Here we crossed the narrow and winding road. Changing the height I could feel the pressure in the ears. Finally, what if we, we believe that the air was heavy and the temperature was higher was reached. After paying the taxi driver for the course we went looking for a place to bathe. Not far from the car where we left it was a hotel on the beach ended and we went there. It turned out that the price of using these bathroom, dressing room and a shower was about $ 15 per person, so we decided to go for it. Shortly after, we were ready to go in the water and we know that The water looks like normal water in the sea, but if you go to sea, if you feel like the oil because of high salinity and density . They can be placed on the water without any effort. So you can not shoot. The only drawback is that you must pay attention to your eyes. Otherwise, the salt can get into your eyes, and it is a very experienced painful. According to biblical history, there were two cities on the site of today know the Dead Sea. These cities were Sodom and Gomorrah, where sinners live. But to see God as he really seemed It was decided, he sent two angels in the form of travelers. They found shelter under the umbrella
lot, they hid themselves from harassment by other residents.
YHWH (in From the Lord is God in Hebrew) found Lot and his family as good people, and decided to punish them, before destroying the cities and their rescue. woman Lot “woman” was a little curious and strange, so she could not follow God’s warning not to look back. When she again she was immediately changed in the column strips. From this moment on place is called, and it is actually the Dead Sea, and a pillar of salt is called “Lot’s Wife”. After a swim, we took a shower to wash the salt and was then dressed
. We did get a bit of salt from the coast as a souvenir. We learned

Guide waterfalls and hot springs in the mountains Hammamatmain. We have decided to go hitchhiking. Immediately after leaving the hotel, we met
Khaled, a driver for planning, Madaba where
We stayed the night before was. Unfortunately, our plan, and it was different going in the opposite direction was Hammamatmain. Fortunately, Khaled agreed to give us a lift for the hot springs. A short time later, we drove along the winding and narrow mountain roads. Our />
appeal could not be highways, it was a precipice on one side of the road. Khaled has not bothered much with the conditions of the road is busy with his whiskey and hold the wheel with his knees. When hands are occupied with making and smoking cigarettes. In his generosity he has offered us a cigarette and alcohol. Despite some concerns that we face, we had a good time Jolly Mountains,
wind and Arabic pop radio on full volume published. After about half-way
hour we reached the place. Khaled chose the place warm
Springs, where he remains in the rule. It was much cooler in

Hammamatmain then on the coast of the Dead Sea, which we felt after leaving the car. Then we went directly to the hot springs. Price per person />

The water was very hot, and if we then stone fountain pool, which cascades water began splashing over us from above somewhere. In addition to the pool fountain, there was also a kind of European saunas, where we could take a bath. Here we have really known the oriental steam, which is somewhat different from the typical European sauna. drops of hot water from the ceiling to keep you motivated to cross the room to avoid burning and to the pleasure of the experience of hot steam bath. We stayed in a resort Hammamatmain about two hours, if we place, we decided to hitch back Madaby left. It was a deafening silence and on the street. The fresh air of the mountain was refreshing, and we slowly started to walk. The car appeared so suddenly and the driver was driving so fast that we hardly notice. But we waved him to stop and he did. He voted to lift us a little about the path of Madaba. Before taking the place of our goal, we have received few such opportunities. The last day of our stay in Jordan, we visited three places:
Mount Nebo, where Moses, the land of Canaan, saw the church of St. George and
Gerash – these are the ruins of a Roman amphitheater. The same day, we returned
Damascus. next morning, we checked the hotel and went to
Semiramis Hotel, where an office of “Europcar” – Society for the leased vehicles were
. We rented Chevrolet with automatic transmission, the price of hiring
such a car was much lower than in Poland. The same car in Poland € 100 per day, while costs to Damascus, he was only 45 USD per day. My companions managed to cheap and easy to 43rd the price to $ Immediately after receiving the car, we have described. Our first stop was Maaloula village mainly by Christians who speak Aramaic inhabited. Maaloula is not so far from Damascus, about 50 km. and is bounded by mountains Alwit. You will find the holy places regularly visited by Christian pilgrims. We stopped at the monastery of St. Thecla’s Orthodox rite. Sisters are there, we asked if we were in Russia as a place regularly visited by pilgrims from Russia.

It is a cave with a spring where Saint Tecla is lived. Today is the water of the monastery. In the evening, we walked around a city that does not look like animated
Damascus. We were fortunate to hear a local group founded by the Sisters of the convent. The group was composed of orphans, to the holy city were laid. It was a nice mix of sounds produced by drums, trumpets and tympani. Jolly musicians played the hits of the eighties as Bony M “Rasputin. People like the fact that, regardless of age and religion. Before returning to the monastery to sleep, we stopped at the local shop to buy food. Bassam Hilal, who owned a store and a Syrian Christian who spoke Aramaic. He taught me the language that counts, it was not difficult for me because the names are Arabic numerals similar. breakfast the morning after the morning we went to
Vesper, to my disappointment were conducted in Arabic. After the prayer, we paid for housing and how we conduct Krak des Chevaliers was. Our next step Castle of the Knights “is that we Krakdeshewalie” ACE “. The castle atop a hill is a great medieval fortress. I must say that the monstrosity that was impressive architectural design.
When we grew up on the castle ramparts, one could feel the wind was so strong and pervasive that one could barely walk. Besides us there were lots of tourists from France in particular. At the exit, we met two poles: Paul and Emily, the /> as it turned out, planned, in the same direction to go

After one hour were all five of us – travelers Hamma, where we planned to stay a little longer. Homs Homs is the Hamma or province where the administrative capital of the province is also called Homs Homs or administered. Hamma located on the banks of the Asi River. The most interesting sites are called Norie – huge wooden water wheels of a diameter up to 20 m. “The water supply system water mains water supply to the city and the surrounding fields. The technical and architectural solutions to today survived. The city, which, unfortunately, met in the years 80, a curse from the beginning of the 1982 uprising against the government. General Hafiz al – Assad, who has served as president of Syria, sent heavily armed troops to subdue the city. After several weeks of fierce fighting in the city, the rebel was removed and the place was declared a restricted area. The result of artillery fire was the destruction of some historic sites. We spent a night in Hamma, the next day we went to Latakia the largest port in the Mediterranean in Syria.
Once again, we went into the mountains Alwit. The trip went well, until />
Latakia is known as a liberal city and the city. There you can drink more than women />
This wing of the Shiite Alawite collects, supporters of Ali, one of />
Muslims. Their religious practices are based on the prayers are different from other Muslim communities. You don `

forbid women to show their faces. There is not as strict restrictions on alcohol. Assad clan group, the presidents, past and present come from Syria. We spent a night in a hotel in Latakia, avoiding the cold wind of winter sea The city deserves a visit in the summer because the Mediterranean climate prevails here, as in Sicily and the Coast Azur. The next morning, we bid farewell to Emilia and Paul, our travel companions, who decided to travel to Lebanon. Unfortunately we could not join because Syrian law prohibits foreigners from their homes in a rented car to leave. Our next stop is in Aleppo or Halab Arabic. It is the second largest after the Syrian city of Damascus, about 50 km from the Turkish border. But first we went to Ugarit, the mother of the modern alphabet. Ugarit was a Phoenician city mall called “Factoria” from the previous supplier. There was room, people were traded and exchanged messages about their world, like Carthage in Tunisia, Tyre and Sidon in Lebanon. We don `t spend much time, but we bought in a local store the image with the history of development modern alphabets. Manufacturer of this activity was also determined to sell us tapes of local music, unfortunately the price is higher than for a good CD. To change the subject and avoid bands proposed purchase, we, with a little tea. In fact, the trick worked tea, after long and to my surprise, I received a cup of this drink. Then we talked a bit and make room, asked for a way to Aleppo. We went back into the mountains Alwit to find the right path
four times, as we have been asked on a path that gave us different directions, but that seemed to normal in this part of the world. The only person who finally gave us a good direction was a Turk who works in a local restaurant. After about one kilometer. we had a puncture, or rather, as two holes were passenger car tires flattened.

Next, our film has just begun. Once we got out of the car and walked to the side of the street, people seemed to vulcanizing shop from scratch. They went out of their car with tools and asked if we needed help. We’re obviously desperate to have the car repaired. For example, increased local artisans, the wheels with flat tires on his car and disappeared. If we believe that we now have a car without wheels began, it seemed well and charged for the service. We were pleased that we continue our journey. We arrived late at night in Aleppo, where we found a hotel and I slept very tired, we are one. the morning we went into town and ate breakfast in a traditional Arab local restaurant. Next, we asked young small business owners, clean with a person of his cleaning business shoes, our shoes. The boy seemed to be a Turk, who spoke Arabic would agree. We have paid well and he started to walk. We visited the fortress of Aleppo

, Here Józef Bem, who had adopted Mohammedanism, and under the name Murat Pasha, governor of Aleppo, in any place, at the risk of his life him, the Christian population against preserves are massacred by Muslims. He died September 6, 1850. The small, thin, sick body Bem was led by a heroic spirit. Few people are so courageous, and his influence was magnetic. Even rough Székely, although they did not understand the language of “Father”, looked with superstitious awe. (Source: Archives) We also visited the soap, where we purchased five bars. The plant has been quite impressive, but I should be careful, do not fall into a vat of boiling soap.

Then we went to escape the Arab market, where there are many
as often happens, in the East. You can buy spices, perfumes and sweets in Arabic of all kinds of stuff. Of course, as “Sir, it
a bargain, sir, look Sir is presented.” We spent two days in Aleppo. Our journey began when finishing

slowly have begun to approach e Damascus. Our next destination was Palmyra or Tadmur in Arabic. We spent a night there had to be honest there is nothing to do and nothing has really caught our attention. ” / P> We

returned to Damascus, where he spent the next day we
the last two days we stayed in the Levant – who continue with the countries bordering the eastern Mediterranean from Egypt Turkey. Our main task was to
in the old town and ask me to buy some souvenirs. But in fact it was an impressive moment, when we go to the baths Public called in Arabic Hammam, which means that the bathroom is gone. The place was in two parts, one for men and women divided. We left Syria 27 II 2010th
< , br /> Syria can be described as a highly recommended place to visit. visa costs € 25 entry, 40 € for an unlimited number of entries in the period of three months. If you are interested in visiting the neighbors, you must obtain a visa € 40. The only requirement is to apply for visas for the lack of stamps from Israel and the Palestinian autonomy. Greetings to all travelers in the Middle East