We dreaded going to Damascus. Our guidebook was lukewarm on it, saying that it is a "Paradise Lost." Reviews from other travelers were equally mixed with some saying they liked it and others giving it a pass. We didn't look forward to another big, noisy, smoggy metropolis attacking the senses. We gritted our teeth and bought a ticket.
....Or tried to buy a ticket. Every bus from Palmyra to the capital was full and we couldn't reserve a ticket because the buses were coming full from somewhere else after a long weekend. After an hour and a half of scrambling to find something we secured two seats on a bus because of the kindness of one bus company employee who Gaby had scolded for telling us that seats would be available earlier in the day.
After breaking down a couple of times on the way we finally arrived in Damascus. As we came in the city looked stately and elegant. It was much cleaner than Aleppo and seemed to have more money invested in it. The capital looked old and didn't have many new, tall buildings and the way it was laid out was easy for walking or taking cheap taxis. The surrounding area was dry semi-desert.
We stayed in one of the hundreds of local hotels in the Al-Merjeh (Martyrs Square) neighborhood, very close to the old city. Our hotel room was new and spotlessly clean. The only downside being that the room was hot and noisy with honking horns at all hours of the day and night.
Much of our time in Damascus was spent walking around the city's gorgeous old city. The highlights were the old souqs (markets) which twist and turn for miles and the Umayyad Mosque, which is considered one of the great buildings of Islam. Beyond these things we just put away our guidebook and spent days getting lost in the alleys and back streets of the old town. One side of the old city was Muslim and the other was Christian and it was interesting seeing the difference between the two areas.
One morning we went early to the US embassy to vote for the upcoming Presidential eleccions. Located in a nice neighborhood climbing up the mountains it was full of armed solders and heavily fortified. While waiting we overheard the locals plead their case for visas and and the joyous approvals and cruel rejections.
Damascus for us was a special city. Much less touristy than a city with its historic treasures should be, we recommend it highly.
....Or tried to buy a ticket. Every bus from Palmyra to the capital was full and we couldn't reserve a ticket because the buses were coming full from somewhere else after a long weekend. After an hour and a half of scrambling to find something we secured two seats on a bus because of the kindness of one bus company employee who Gaby had scolded for telling us that seats would be available earlier in the day.
After breaking down a couple of times on the way we finally arrived in Damascus. As we came in the city looked stately and elegant. It was much cleaner than Aleppo and seemed to have more money invested in it. The capital looked old and didn't have many new, tall buildings and the way it was laid out was easy for walking or taking cheap taxis. The surrounding area was dry semi-desert.
We stayed in one of the hundreds of local hotels in the Al-Merjeh (Martyrs Square) neighborhood, very close to the old city. Our hotel room was new and spotlessly clean. The only downside being that the room was hot and noisy with honking horns at all hours of the day and night.
Much of our time in Damascus was spent walking around the city's gorgeous old city. The highlights were the old souqs (markets) which twist and turn for miles and the Umayyad Mosque, which is considered one of the great buildings of Islam. Beyond these things we just put away our guidebook and spent days getting lost in the alleys and back streets of the old town. One side of the old city was Muslim and the other was Christian and it was interesting seeing the difference between the two areas.
One morning we went early to the US embassy to vote for the upcoming Presidential eleccions. Located in a nice neighborhood climbing up the mountains it was full of armed solders and heavily fortified. While waiting we overheard the locals plead their case for visas and and the joyous approvals and cruel rejections.
Damascus for us was a special city. Much less touristy than a city with its historic treasures should be, we recommend it highly.
Steve
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