It's been a cold winter in Oz I see - so much for global warming lol! Don't like what I see with the Stock Market whilst I've been away. Can't find OXR ... does it still exist? Jane will email me about OXR, I'm sure.
Well, I just arrived back to Jordan from Damascus after three wonderful, overwhelming days filled with Arabian history wherever I looked. People are more conservative so I behaved a little more...non of this 'I'm a good dancer' in Arabic for laughs...but I am! Nevertheless the Syrians are friendly as well but only 250,000 westerners visit their country each year compared to 1 million Iranians who come to worship at the Umayyad Mosque built in 705 AD. The head of John the Baptist is (supposedly) in a Shrine at this Mosque. To the Muslims, he is also the reincarnation of the Prophet Elias. Truly a magnificant mosque. Of course we had to wear a Abaya (long gown with hood) to enter.
I received a few handshakes and many 'welcome to our country.' Women including westerners are respected in public (as in Jordan) and I feel safer here than in Sydney. Many women are becoming more westernized and many women who wear the burka are not as repressed as the west think they are.
I loved the charm and ancient exotic character of the Old City, surrounded by the high Roman wall which has been rebuilt serval times over the last 2000 years. The restaurants are all in the Arabian theme with mosaics and sandstone walls. The colourful Souk Al-Hamidiyya is famous here along with the Azem Place, with different rooms depicting how well to do people lived in ancient times in this reputedly oldest inhabitated city on earth.
I also enjoyed a Hamam (turkish bath) in the Old City. A late middle aged woman dressed in what looked like a nightie and gold teeth answered the door with hair up just being dyed in henna with a cig in hand. When myself and a New Zealand girl entered, we didn't know what to expect. The Muslim women were naked and totally uninhibited all totally waxed. Even the Muslim men wax their public hair for cleanliness.
After all the sand and dirt, especially from Wadi Rum, we left the Hamam feeling very clean (great body scrub) and refreshed.
During time with the others in the tour group of Damascus, we travelled to Mt Qassioun that overlooks the city of Damascus and beyond. It is here where the lovers and people who are not married but having affairs park their cars. This stretch of road is called 'Lovers Street'. It was broad daylight and there were many cars parked...some had their windows completely covered with sheets.
By law, a Syrian male and female (this includes Egyptains and Jordanians in their own countries) have to show a marriage certificate to be able to share a Hotel room. A vehicle is considered private inside therefore a couple can make out, irrespective of whether they can be seen or not. Our tour guide told us that police officers give a blind eye. Syrians complain about the double standards, as tourists don't have to show proof of marriage when booking a hotel room. Our Syrian tour guide also told us that young Iraqi virgins visit Syria to give oral sex - many end up on this hill, to help financially support themselves and families.
It is further down along this road where one can visit nightclubs, called by locals 'casinos', even though gambling is illegal. These casinos are known for their Russian prostitutes.
I never knew about Sex and the Syrians, did you?
I'm off to the Dead Sea in Jordan tomorrow for two days before I leave for Abu Dhabi. It's been a fantastic holiday. I have taken lots of photos (not any of lovers street lol). Jane, you will love the architecture and mosaics. I have never seen so many columns as I did in Jerash - it took us 2 1/2 hrs to walk about in it. I think as much as 90% of Jerash is still buried. Petra was unreal!
40, Madaba is a great quite little sandstone town. It was fascinating seeing the 6th Century Holy land mosaic map in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. It truly is the mosaic town of Jordan! Glad you are enjoying yourself too. Those little towns you are visiting sound great.
Hope you are all well. I'm dreading coming back to cold Sydney.
