Trip to Syria and Lebanon~~

FIRST DAY

Our journey started on Monday morning.We took a cab to Syria,me hazim and munir in the same car with one Arab boy who happened to be going to Syria to spend his holidays with his cousins.The journey took about 3 hours,and when we arrived at Baramkeh station in Dimasyq,we didnt know what to do.So,I decided that we must have a map,and to get a map,we have to go to some kind of information booth.The problem was,Dimasyq is a big city,and the probability for us to find any information centers by chance is like 6.02x10^-23.So we walked and walked and with a stroke of luck I saw the Ministry of Tourism building,we went in,asked if there is any maps,and the guy there told us to go to a place where we can find what we want.He gave us the address,so we found our way by asking the locals the direction.

With a map in hand,we headed towards Souq Hamidiyeh,while Afiq and friends searched for a hotel.I brought Hazim and Munir to Umawi Mosque and all the tombs inside,tomb of Saladin,tomb of Zainab,all the places that i've went during my previous visit.When we finished,we asked Afiq which hotel they were at,and went there to check in with them.

In front of Saladins' Tomb

Tomb of Prophet Yahya

Reading the map in front of Saladins tomb

I dont know who the guy on the horse is

After a short rest,we went out again for lunch.This time we got Abg Isam as our tourist guide,and he brought us to Jabal sumthing i forgot the name which is the place where 40 walis are supposed to meet and do their stuffs.We climbed the rocky mountain because the pick up truck that supposed to bring us up dropped us at the wrong place. Also it is the place where the first murder in the history of mankind took place,between Habil and Qabil.We went into a cave where there is a mouth-like cavity on the rocks which is said caused by the reaction of the rocks when they saw the murder,and it is complete with tongue,teeth and even uvula,not to mention soft and hard palate.The same place also is said to be the place where Nabi Khidir and Nabi Ibrahim once prayed.Fuyoo so many things in the same place la.Unfortunately,cameras were prohibited,so no pictures were taken inside..

On the back of the pickup truck

Climbing the mountain~~

with Dimasyq as the background

We went back to our rooms very very tired.It was 9.30 and me,munir and hazim was already asleep.Thus our first day in Syria ended.

SECOND DAY

We woke up at around 6.30am.Afiqs groups was going to Halab,while we(me hazim and munir) headed towards Lebanon.We took a bus from Baramkeh,and after a journey of 2 1/2 hours,we arrived in Beirut.My eyesight was quickly fixed to destroyed buildings which were the result of 15 years of civil war.One of the guys in Syria told us that the bus station will be surrounded by hotels,but we were dropped by the bus in the middle of nowhere.So I decided that we should go to the hotel district,find a map,and change our money to Lebanese Lira.The taxi cost us 3000 liras,which is ok.I asked the driver to stop when I saw an exchange,and luckily again for us,the ministry of tourism is just in front of the exchange.To make a 3 hours long story short,we got the map,went in and out several hotels to find the best rate,took lunch at a seafood restaurant,went to the famous Rawsheh rocks,and finally checked in at Astra Hotel with the rate of 60000 liras a night.

Our first meal in Lebanese territory

Rawsheh rocks.Donno what is so special about 'em.

In the evening we walked to the newly built city center which is very very very beautiful.Went to the Roman bath,Amir Munzir mosque which is one of the earliest mosque in Lubnan,where we met the Syeikhul Qurra' of Lebanon,Syeikh Mahmud Muhammad A'kawi by accident,Najmeh Square and the surrounding places.After about 2 hours,we went back to watch Brazil vs I forgot who.

Hamra' Street

Roman bath and Public Garden in the background

Inside the Amir Munzir mosque

Umar Al-Kabiir Mosque

Downtown Beirut at night

THIRD DAY

We went to Ramlet El-Bayda beach in the morning but we didnt throw ourselves into the sea due to the lack of proper clothing,so we just sit down and relax.Armed with informations collected from locals,after checking out at 12 o'clock,we took a taxi to Jounieh,where there were cable cars that take you up a mountain to a church and a huge statue of Mary,plus you can see the whole Beirut from up there.Then we proceeded to Jaita Grotto,a super beautiful limerock cave.It is
divided into upper and lower cave,and you can ride a boat on a subterranean river inside the lower cave.But again,cameras were prohibited,so no pictures of the cave except one blur picture taken when I managed to smuggle my camera in.If you want to know how beautiful it is,search the internet or just go there for a vacation.After we finished touring the cave,we went back to Beirut and took a taxi to Syria,once again.

"I'll see you on teh beach"

In the cable car

The statue of Virgin Mary

Eyes fixed on Beirut

With Faisal,the driver that brought us to Jeita Grotto

At the entrance of upper cave

The only shot of Jeita Grotto worth posting,others are so bleak

With an Iraqi,who we toured the cave together with

Entrance of Umar Al-Kabiir mosque

Our taxi to Syria

In front of the Dimasyq railway station

Upon arrival in Dimasyq,we went to the same hotel again,and slept.

FOURTH DAY

Urm,nothing much happened.We just went to Souq Hamidiyyeh to shop for everything that we were told to buy hehe.In the evening,we paid a visit to the tomb of Abu Darda',and at night,we watched the match between England and Trinidad & Tobago which ended in Englands' favour.And then we slept again.

FIFTH DAY

Went out in the morning but virtually every shop was closed because Friday is a holiday.Munir bought his halawiyats(sweets) and after that we jet off to Irbid at about 11a.m.

Tired,
Shultze