Aleppo-Streets

Aleppo is the second biggest city in Syria. It's located on the north of the country. The city is very old and has a lot of historical houses in the old city and Al-Jdeida areas. I also went to a huge park near the train station where the local folks socialize with friends or family. It's always lot of fun to see something interesting, such as several men gathering around to play games with bottle' caps and stones.

Beehive Houses

Some villages near Hama have some interesting housing structure, called beehive house. The tour book that I have mentioned that some local people still live in this egg-shape clay houses. When I was in Hama, I managed to get to Sarouj to see them. It seems like most people live in modern houses now and use the beehive houses as storage or chicken coops. On the way back to Hama, we visited one Bedouin family. Even though they live in tents, they do have the satellite.

Hama-People

People in Hama, Syria, are very friendly. Several came to me, and some of them offered me tea. One boy wanted to follow me around in a park. And one high school girl bought me a lunch after approaching me. My brain couldn't come up enough words in Arabic to have a long conversation with them.

Hama-Street

Last week I went to Hama, which is located in central Syria. Being there three days, I wandered around the parks, markets and streets and visited a few norias (used for irrigation) along the Orontes River. It's a lovely city to hang around. The water wheels, norias, are very impressive.

Streets 1-Damascus

In the past two months, I've often walked through old alleys in Souk Saroujah and Old City. The streets in these old neighborhoods in Damascus are narrow but beautiful with old Syrian houses built around. However, there are too many cars on streets. Normally they don't stop for pedestrians, so crossing streets here is quite challenging.

Markets-Damascus

People cool breads soon after they bought them.

A flee market near the downtown area in Damascus

Modern dresses attract the local women no matter who they are.

Western style clothes are on sale everywhere in the city.

Friday Market is an old open market at the north of Damascus. The images of the country's leaders can been seen everywhere.

There are numerous markets in Damascus. Most of them are run in an old traditional way. Small shops focus on the sale of one or two types of goods. People here shop in many stores to get for their daily needs.

I did miss the convenience of shopping at supermarkets and groceries in the States during the first month in Damascus. Now I know my way around after being here six weeks. Doing shopping in Damascus has become very enjoyable.

Mar Musa

Visitors have to go through this tiny entrance to the inside of the Monastery of Mar Musa.

The frescoes inside the ancient church

Visitors attended the Mass in this small beautiful church inside the monastery.

The shadows of Linda and me on the road toward the top of the mountains around the monastery

The view of sunrise from the monastery

A simple dinner inside a tent

Father Paolo talked to a group of students at the courtyard.

Without classes on Friday and Saturday, I invited Linda, who is from Kentucky, to visit Monastery of Mar Musa. After a microbus dropped us off, we followed steep and long stone steps to the monastery. Many visitors, including backpackers and the locales, come to spend one or two nights here.

Visitors help clean the tables, prepare the food, and attend the meditation and mass in its ancient church, in which there are frescoes on the walls. For me, it’s an unforgettable experience to listen to Father Paolo’s preach in Arabic and sit on the floor sharing food with more than 70 people.