The Middle East has long held a certain fascination for me. Post visits to Israel and Egypt , for both business and pleasure, have left me curious to explore further afield in this area, rich in culture and history. That said, I set my sights on a trip including Lebanon , Syria and Jordan . Unfortunately, in the West, these three countries tend to only hit the news when the latest terrorist bombing, political assassination or missile air strike occurs. It's all too easy to conjure an image, reinforced by the media, of this being a lawless and religiously extreme area. But this trip left me with a quite different impression, which runs counter to a number of those media-infused stereotypes. Allow me to share these new insights with you.
Lebanon
My Middle Eastern adventure began in Beirut , Lebanon . I have long admired Lebanese cuisine, and was curious to visit its country of origin. As my Air France flight descended towards Beirut , I was reminded of the TWA flight which had been hijacked and its passengers held hostage on the tarmac at the airport in 1985. Upon arrival, however, I was pleasantly surprised to see Beirut International Airport 's modern facilities. Downtown Beirut was a short 10-15 minute ride to the north. Though Beirut is now a unified city, the battle scars of years of conflict between Muslim-inhabited West Beirut and Christian-inhabited East Beirut remain visibly evident. Bombed out building facades and pock-marked, bullet-ridden structures are a constant and visible reminder of the country's internal struggles during the 1970s/1980s. However, a sort of renaissance has occurred, especially on Mono Street , which was once the dividing line between East and West Beirut . Stylist, chic restaurants and clubs line this street - interspersed between some of the war-torn facades. The contrast is both fascinating and bizarre. Nearby downtown Beirut, which had previously been a bombed out quarter of the city near the seaport, was completely renovated and refurbished to become a cultural and commercial magnet, where beautiful cafes, upscale shops and restaurants line finely manicured pedestrian streets and arcades. It's definitely a pleasant and inviting environment, lending credence to Beirut 's reputation as the " Paris of the Eastern Mediterranean ".
The Lebanese people are wonderfully warm and welcoming. There's a certain spirit of hospitality in these people that is refreshingly genuine and sincere. Lebanon has three strong linguistic influences, and Arabic, French and English are frequently mixed, as the common Lebanese greeting "Hi, Kifak, ca va?" (literal translation - "Hi, what's up, how's it going?") conveys.
Lebanese cuisine is amazing. The typical favorites of hummus, falafel and other mezze abound everywhere. I actually had the most fun exploring street-side shops and take-away counters, serving a delectable assortment of quick and cheap eats like chicken shawarma and za'atar (oblong-shaped flat bread topped with a delicious wild thyme seasoning, baked like a pizza). A couple other favorite discoveries included fattoosh (a Lebanese salad with greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, dried pita bread strips and a tangy sumac dressing) and rose water (a sweet rose-pedal infused carafe of water) which tastes, simply, like romance to the lips.
After four days in Beirut , I negotiated a $70 taxi ride to take me to Hama , Syria . Our 4-hour journey north along the Lebanese Mediterranean coast took us past the historic cities of Byblos and Tripoli .
Syria
Relations, both politically and socially, between Lebanon and Syria have been frosty at best, of late. This was especially true following the political assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in February 2005 by car bombing in West Beirut . All indications point to Syrian involvement in the murder, and the United Nations continues its investigation of the matter. However, I came to Syria to discover its people and rich history, not for political reasons. The formalities of crossing the border into Syria were surprisingly easy. I had already obtained my visitor's visa from the Syrian Embassy in Washington , DC (required), so the process was completed in a matter of minutes. I was particularly impressed when a border guard at the checkpoint surveyed my passport, looked at me, smiled, and said "Welcome to my country!" I think it's safe to assume that they don't get many American tourists at that border crossing these days. Still, the sentiment was sincere and appreciated.
I had pre-arranged with the taxi driver to stop at Krak des Chevaliers. It's a castle between Homs and Tartus which dates back to the times of the Crusades in the 11th/12th centuries. I enjoyed exploring the various sections of this well-intact mountaintop fortress. Its strategic location, overlooking the plains to the east, was clearly evident. We continued driving another hour northeast to Hama , where waterwheels line the Orontes river. These waterwheels, which have been in use for over 2,000 years, are an essential part of the necessary irrigation of this arid region. Stayed overnight in Hama , and continued my journey eastward the following day. We stopped at a small town near Qasr ibn Wardan to tour some beehive-shaped homes. These adobe-brick structures are effective for retaining heat in the winter and remaining cool in the summer. We drove a couple hours further over the desolate, Mars-like landscape which eventually gave way to the sandy desert oasis of Palmyra . The Roman ruins of this city are beautiful and impressive against their palm tree plantation backdrop. Enjoyed spending the afternoon meandering through the ruins, which date back to the 2nd century, AD.
The next morning, I bought a one-way bus ticket to Damascus . I was somewhat apprehensive about the condition of this public transport, but was pleasantly surprised to be riding in a modern, 50-seat Volvo coach, which proved to be comfortable, efficient and cheap ($2.25 fare) for the 220km, 2.5 hour journey southwest to Damascus. Once settled in my Sheraton hotel in Damascus , I ventured out to explore the walled city of Old Damascus on foot. Had a great time wandering through the narrow streets and alleys of Damascus ' Souq , the largest market of its kind in the region. Stopped by a Turkish hammam to enjoy a mid-afternoon massage and scrub-down before continuing on my way through the souq's shops.
The following day, I arranged a $45 one-way taxi ride for the 3-hour trip from Damascus south to Amman , Jordan .
Jordan
The highway from Damascus to Amman was modern, making for a comfortable trip between the two capitals. The border crossing was a bit slower, lasting some 45 minutes, due to a number of Turkish buses crossing at the same time, loaded with Haj pilgrims on their way to Mecca , Saudi Arabia .
After spending the previous few nights in a different hotel each night, it was wonderful to settle into the comforts of the Amman Marriott. Thankfully, this was not one of the three hotels which had been bombed in Amman in November 2005. Security was tight at the hotel, but once inside, I felt safe and comfortable. My friend, Christian, flew in from Dubai to meet me in Amman . We spent three days enjoying the sights of Jordan together. To be honest, I found Amman to be somewhat boring. There are lots of American restaurant chains - Friday's, McDonald's, etc. but from a cultural perspective, I found little that interested me. We arranged a rental car to drive ourselves to Petra . The 270km trip south to Petra along the Desert Highway took nearly 3 hours. We headed straight to Petra and embarked on our archaeological adventure. We spent the next 6 hours walking through Petra 's amazing ruins of temples, tombs and monasteries - all of which were carved into the rock. Petra is a World Heritage site, and its global reputation is well-deserved. The weather was perfect, with crystal-clear blue skies and comfortable temperatures for exploring. The interiors of the carved-out tombs were relatively barren (I had expected to see something similar to the intricate hieroglyphics I saw a few years ago in Luxor , Egypt ). However, the beautiful striations of the rock, and the artistic mastery of the carving design, is impressive. It's also fascinating to see the color of the rock change as the sun moves across the sky. Many views convey quite different impressions when seen in the afternoon versus morning light.
The next day, we drove from Petra along the King's Highway northward towards Amman . It was a long and windy 4-hour journey. We stopped briefly at Mt. Nebo - a high outcropping where the Bible says God showed 120-year old Moses the Promised Land just prior to his death and burial on the mountain. We then descended over 1,000 metres below to the lowest point on earth - the Dead Sea (400 metres below sea level). Enjoyed a seaside lunch at the Movenpick resort, and strolled along the beach before heading back to Amman for New Year's Eve. Flew home the on New Year's Day via Paris on Air France .
This trip provided a wonderful insight into the rich and complex world of the Middle East . I was encouraged by the positive interactions I had with local residents in all three countries. The region has endured centuries of war and conflict, but I was most impressed by the warmth and hospitality of the people. Personal connections outweigh political disputes, and understanding conquers ignorance and prejudice. It's a shame that these countries, especially Lebanon and Syria , politics aside, aren't portrayed in a more positive light in western media. I hope this changes for the better in the future.
Happy Travels!
Mark
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