The Oldest Capitol in the World.

Conservative me?
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Aleppo was a hard place to leave because it felt so genuine, but traveling first class by train was not a bad way to say goodbye.  The train to Damascus was a smooth four hours.  Unfortunately, we did not grab breakfast before getting on the train so we had to indulge in cookies and chips for sustenance while onboard.  The terrain was not extremely impressive, but it was interesting.  We covered long stretches of desert that made me realize how lucky we are to have rainfall in California.

Sleeping spot on the roof.
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Once in Damascus we went straight to the Al Rabie Hotel.  It came highly recommended by guide books and travelers alike.  When we arrived, we discovered that it was completely booked but that they did have three matresses on the roof for $7 a night each.  So we accepted and spent three nights sleeping on the roof.  Now before everyone panics, it is completely normal to sleep on the roof in Syria because of the cool nights.  We were not alone on the roof either, there were at least 20 other backpackers up there.  The facilities were nice enough and the hotel was just too beautiful to walk away from.  The hotel is owned by a 97 year old man who still visits with the guests everyday in the courtyard.  The building is a 600 year old house that has the most incredible indoor courtyard.  We spent many hours sipping tea and chatting with other travelers there.

So we accepted and spent three nights sleeping on the roof.

Ilias with the tea man.
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Now Damascus is the oldest capitol city in the world.  It is less conservative than Aleppo, but it still has a large Islamic community.  Unfortunately, the citadel is under renovation so there are not many ruins to see.  The best part about the city is walking through the large souqs, the Christian Quarter, and the the Old City Mosque.  Laura and I purchased authentic narghiles in the souqs to send home.  The Christian Quarter is the best place to go eat, especially since Ramadan started on Saturday. Ramadan lasts for one month and its followers are only allowed to eat/drink before sunrise and after sunset.  You can imagine how starved we were on Saturday.  The Mosque is amazing.  It is one of the most popular in the middle east.  Supposedly, John the Baptist's head is buried within the mosque (which was also once a Christian basilica).  The mosque also has three minarets (sort of like towers).  Tradition has it that Jesus is supposed to appear on the southeastern minaret on Judgment day.

The souqs were closed because of Ramadan.
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The mornings were early since we were awoken by the sun.  We tried making a tent with blankets and the clothes line.  This helped to keep out the direct sunshine, but it could not keep away the heat.  We also would wake up to the early morning calls to prayer, usually before sunrise.  On two of the nights, we heard loud explosions.  I was too sleepy to concern myself, but we later learned that they were in celebration of Ramadan.

Most of our time in Damascus was honestly spent walking around, eating, and socializing with new friends.  One of the hotel workers befriended me because I have an "Arabic face."  Because of this he consistently gave me free tea and coffee.  One of the best nights was spent eating dinner in the mountains overlooking the city.  It truly is a beautiful city.  Its not your classic resort getaway, but it is worth going to so that we can better understand what life in the middle east is like.  The way the old and the new mesh together makes you very aware of the beauty of time.  People in general are very helpful and nice.  All you have to do is walk around with a guide book and a confused expression and somebody is bound to come to your rescue.  Obviously, it was not the same vibe as Aleppo, but it gets an A in my book.