still life in the desert, a moment of peace in between group travel
I know I have been very critical about group travel, not my thing, etcetera. Earlier experiences were not necessarily a great success altogether. But for a trip to Syria, once again because of the uncertainties ahead of the trip, I had selected group travel once more. I am actually not sure whether you can travel on your own in Syria, you may well have to travel in a group, or at least through a recognised agency – so that you can be watched at all times, your movements controlled.
collective dinner on the first night
So I dreaded the prospect of group travel, ahead of my departure. The endless Whatsapps, the urge to sort out everything beforehand. And yet, I was wrong, this time. All twelve of us got on really well, there was nobody who didn’t fit in. The Syrian guides, the agency director and his family, that he took along on the trip (dangerous trip, anyone? Not if this guy brings his family!), they were all very nice, even though they not necessarily understood our hunger for information all the time. Actually, it was good fun. Except for the endless need to take group photos at every conceivable occasion (and there are many more….).
group picture in Bosra
group picture in the mosaics museum
group picture in front of the Aleppo citadel
group pictre at the Doom Cafe in Homs
and the final group picture, last morning at the hotel
oh, and I also added my own group picture, after one early morning bus departure
at the wedding, impeccably dressed women on a variety of heels
Of course there are limitations. I may have had to move quicker through the souk than I would have wanted to, didn’t have the time to talk to everybody who wanted to talk to me, take all the pictures I wanted to take. But then, I didn’t have to organise anything either, hotels were booked, transport was ready every morning again, food was on the table every evening. Comfortable. Who knows, I may be tempted once more, in the future. For a maximum of ten days, of course, let’s not overdo it.
the musicians in the hammam, doing their job however much annoying it was to me, the listener (admittedly, the rest of the group did enjoy it more)
and of the group, totally refreshed after a hammam treatment
the famous Old Extra Red Wine from 1993
imagine this: bags full of artichoke hearts, and I couldn’t bring them home!
Was there then really nothing that didn’t work out well? Hmmm. At the instigation of our agency director we attended a wedding where we obviously didn’t belong. We – well, the men in the group – we went to a traditional hammam in Damascus, where we got pestered by a few musicians; I know, it is their job, but their music was really unbearable. I already commented on the quality of most of the wine, but none was as bad as my proudest acquisition, a bottle of old extra red wine, according to the – rather newish – label from 1993. For which I paid the impressive sum of 2 US$, slightly more then I was asked to pay for a bag-full of artichoke hearts, which I almost bought, until I realised that they came in a bag of water, impossible to carry home. Regrets, regrets! A small price to pay, for an otherwise great trip, for the experience even more than for the tourist sights.
every morning another excellent breakfast, and we were not the only ones looking forward to that
more food pics: these are wonderful aubergines
a vegetarian dish, with aubergines and courgettes, and garlic, if I remember correctly
and some nicely decorated sheep’s brain, delicious
