Janet reporting. We have obviously been busy. My diary is only a précis for the last few days.
We have seen the most wonderful ruins at Jerash (Jordan) and then Palmyra. Incredible Crusader castles and forts at Krak de Chevalier and at Krak (Jordan), wonderful Mosques in Damascus and seen the terrain turn from desert to fertile land in the blink of an eye.
After Madaba we headed off to Damascus via Jerash- the site of some beautiful roman ruins. Everywhere we go the children want to talk. They are fascinated by my blonde hair and blue eyes and we spend a lot of time having pictures taken with young girls and boys who want to practice English. At Jerash, it was 1 of 2 days where the Government pays for the students to have a picnic day. This was the day for girls schools and the place was swarming. The girls are so beautiful and manage to be individuals as all young people are. The women we are travelling with likened the experience to being a filmstar, and it was.
In the afternoon we piled into Taxis and a mini bus to go through the border to Damascus. It was a tight fit with all vehicles very bedraggled and the minibus which some dubbed as the the pimpmobile. All it needed to add to it's red velvet interiors was a couple of mirror balls.
Many jokes were made and we headed off on the Road to Damascus. What an adventure. Not far down the road over the border the convoy came to a halt as the pink mobile ceased to be an independent traveller. After much sitting by the side of the road and much discussion and gesticulation and energy from the drivers we hitched the bus to our taxi and started to tow. For those of you who have towed vehicles we all know the safety issues. Not these boys. We were overtaking other vehicles and hooting along the highway until finally the passengers in the pimpmobile couldn't cope any longer and we needed a better solution.
As always the solution arrived.This time in the form of an amazingly battered mini bus which serendipitously appeared for us. Sadly we left our previous transport by the roadside and continued in much more cramped circumstance.
The road was a surprise package with the snow covered mountains of Lebanon, rising straight out of the desert on the left hand side of the road.
Damascus, the political capital, was a lovely city. We were in, as usual, an older style hotel reflecting past grandeur. Comfortable and clean with a little balcony overlooking the rooftops.
I have finally worked out the difference between Sunni and Shite moslem faith. We visited both mosques. It is strange to be garbed up. They were quite different. The Shiite mosque had the Mausoleum of the granddaughter of the prophet and the line the Shiites follow. We were blown away. The pilgrim women were praying, weeping, throwing gifts at the tomb. It was highly emotional. Michelle, our tallest traveler was asked to throw a doll onto the tomb for one of the women who couldn't get it high enough. The Mosque was incredibly decorated, much like a discotecheque. As always, when we can get in touch with the women, they are beautiful, generous, smiling and welcoming. A smile goes a long way.
We posted our 2nd box of extra stuff, (yes, you were all right, The souks are just too tempting).
They aren't entirely strangers to bombs or explosions at times here. Ash and I were walking home around 10pm when there was an explosion. Quick as a flash, we were pulled inside a building while the locals checked out the situation. Fortunately it was just an old car boiling and exploding.
The minibus trip to Palmyra the next day was 3.5 hours of full on desert. We missed the shot of the beautifully suited man by the side of the road, in the middle of nowhere, hitching a ride. We then changed to a public bus to go on to Palmyra. At a railway line an icecream seller jumped on, sold everyone icecream from an esky then jumped off when we got to the next railway crossing, ready to pick up a bus going in the opposite direction.
We had fun in Palmyra vying with a seller for a beautiful Bedouin jacket, which we finally got at the death knell as we left to move on to Krak de Chevalier.
Palymyra ruins are just the absolute best examples of Roman ruins. The silk road made this a very rich place and the oasis still looks as green and beautiful as ever. A sight for sore eyes.
Our trip to Krak de Chevalier was just a surprise package. We started in what looked like central Australia and 2 hours later hit the market gardens with fertile land, eucalyptus and wattle, fruit orchards. Then we climbed to the fort with scenery much like our own Neerim area but even more abrupt and stunning. The clouds rolled in and we awoke in mountain mist. Our accommodation was built at the top of the mountains, looking over the valley and straight onto the fort. Ash got some superb, quite surreal photos in the evening. We had the best feast for $15 each for dinner.
Our tour guide, Wahlid, was a great game player and heaps of fun. At the castle, where his grandparents had lived in one of the towers until the 1960's he knew every nook and cranny. He sent us down secret tunnels and sent others to scare them and had us hanging out of turrets for photo opportunities. I got Ash to video the Monty python fans performing the castle skit without the cow to throw over. Wahlid could also sing and he treated us to the Moslem call to prayer in the chapel of the fort. I sang Amazing grace for him and he was very pleased. I was amazed to feel the incredibly developed accoustics in a building so old. I barely had to raise my voice. We had a lovely time.
I am now in Aleppo, sitting on the hotel rooftop before we head off into Turkey This hotel was 3 old houses right in the centre of the Souk. The rooms all face onto a central courtyard and ours is on the rooftop with views of the sky, wrought iron fences and grape vine pergolas. Quite stunning.
PS. WHAT ARE THE FOXES DOING? WE FOUND THEM IN AN AMAZING SHOP NEAR THE DAMASCUS MARKET. THE SHOP WAS FULL OF STUFFED ANIMALS. BIZARRE!
