Syria 2005

JS-05 - Trip to Jordan and Syria and short stops in Germany and Lebanon Date of travel: Mar 14 - Apr 6, 2005 ITINERARY: Early on Mar 14 in a rented car from Vista to Los Angeles airport. Flight to Chicago (where several hours visit with friends). Late that evening flight to Frankfurt, GERMANY where at noon Mar 15 (few hours visit of downtown Frankfurt). Late evening flight to Amman, JORDAN where very early on Mar 16. Here I join a group of travelers with which I spent 7 days exploring Jordan. In a day trip from Amman we visit ruins of Roman city Jerash and so called Desert Castles. The following day to Madaba, Mt.Nebo and on the King’s Highway south to Crusaders’ Karak Castle and to the famous Petra. Two days sightseeing of this Nabataean capital with its heyday from 200 BC to 200 AD. Then to Wadi Rum (one time in WWI headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia) and to Aqaba (Jordan port on Red Sea). After a night here back north with stops at Shobak Castle (also built by Crusaders), at Dead Sea (10x saltier than oceans), seeing the black tents of Bedouins and back to Jordan capital Amman for its sightseeing. On Mar 23 we enter SYRIA at Bosra, one time a capital of Roman Province Arabia having many relics of its long history. That way we started a 13 day trip through this second country of our journey. We continue to capital of Syria Damascus spending two days sightseeing the 4 million people city with its souqs (markets), Uwayyad mosque, tomb of Saladine etc. On Mar 26 we drive north visiting Maalula, one of the villages still speaking Aramaic, the language of Christ. Then continuing to the ruins of Roman city of Apamea, from there to Hama with its gigantic waterwheels and to Homs for overnight. From Homs eastward into the center of the Syrian Desert to a treasure among the Middle Eastern ancient cities to Palmyra with roots going to the 2 millennium BC. Day and half is devoted to its exploration. From Palmyra we drive farther east to Deir ez-Zur on Euphrates River and south of it, close to Iraqi border, we visit excavations of Mari dating back 5000 years and Seleucids Dura Europos from 280 BC. After that we drive through Raqqa to Lake Assad and the second largest city of Syria Aleppo. Full two days we are sightseeing this exceptional city with its citadel, mosques and probably the most interesting old souq (market) I have ever seen. By now it is clear to us that there is no city or town in Syria without a statue of Hafez Assad, father of the present president Bashir Assad. On Apr 2 we are leaving Aleppo in southwestern direction over the mountains to visit Saladin Castle (built by Crusaders), the port of Lattakia and excavation of Ugarit (the first alphabet came from there). Driving south along the Mediterranean Sea we enter Tartus and spend night in Safita. After visiting probably the most famous Crusaders Castle “Krak de Chevaliers,” we return to Damascus. Though it was not on the original itinerary we decided to make a day trip from Damascus to Baalbek in Lebanon. On Apr 4 we entered LEBANON west of Damascus. Our minibus drove against the flow of some 15 thousands of Syrian soldiers which were just leaving Lebanon after number of years stay. But as we continued through Bekaa Valley north to Baalbek the flow of Syrian soldiers change to a trickle. Nothing distracted us while sightseeing the gigantic temple ruins built by Romans. It was more than one earthquake which destroyed this place. Before the day was over we were back in Damascus. The following evening I flew from Damascus via Cairo and Frankfurt to Los Angeles and in a rented car drove home to Vista where Apr 6 in the afternoon. Travel office: Adventures Abroad – a Canadian travel company Who took part: In Jordan there were 13 travelers and a leader / guide. In Syria and Lebanon there were 7 travelers and the same leader / guide (Syrian).