Day 154 - ? (going to have to open up my older notebook to find out the day-count)

And now, a brief recap of Syria.

Damascus: The walled old-town here is wonderful. Old stone buildings seems to lean towards each other blocking the sun from reaching the cobblestone alleyways that lay between. Formidable walls hem the area in from the modern capital of Syria and the remnants of what was once a very exotic hustle and bustle linger still. I'm sure that in the distant past there was a different way of life here - that people lived whole lives entirely within the walls.

The Damascus souk (market) is nice also... a sprawling mall of a marketplace.

Ate dinner twice at "Rosini" and nice fake Italian restaurant. Mia and I shared pasta and pizza way too often for my waistline to handle.

Qunetera: I visited this ghost town with Mia and one other Japanese fellow. It's a ghost town in the Golan Heights, originally captured by Israel in the six days war and liberated by Syria in the Yom Kippur war. Destroyed wholly by retreating Israeli forces in the latter conflict it now lies in ruins, abandoned and tainted by land-mines. Despite that danger, a few shepards graze their animals in the fields around teh city sight.

The Crac Des Chevallier: A few hours north of Damascus is this awesome crusader castle. One of the finest castles I have ever seen, it's a feast for the eyes and the imagination, with walls, towers, turrets, a moat.... well, all of that castle stuff. A true highlight of any trip to Syria.

Lattakia: Further north is this hip college town. Not much to see (just a few decent beaches and a middling museum) but it's neat to witness the presence of so many "hip" and "progressive" minded Syrians. Very few Burqas around here - mostly just revealing tops and skin tight jeans.

Aleppo: Further north... again. Much more conservative around Syria's second largest city. But it's a nice town, with a great old citadel and a decent museum. The Christian old town and the souk are similar to what is found in Damascus, but strangely enough they both seem a bit more touristy.

A note for travellers: the Spring Flower Hostel IS as horrible and creepy as the lonely planet suggests it is. Women travellers should avoid it at all costs. If you do stay, make sure to lock your doors: staff WILL come into your room at night for a peek. This warning goes double for Asian travellers.