Syria to Jordan

Christine:

Hello, just arrived in Amman, Jordan today via shared taxi from Damascus. Amman is a relatively modern city - first "American-style" fast food joints we've seen since a Macdonalds and a couple of Burger Kings in Turkey. We went to Popeye's Chicken and Biscuits this afternoon for our meal - we were craving western-style food. For those who don't know, Popeye's is an American chain that Barry's family raves about. It was really quite good!

After we last posted, we went down to St. Ananias' Church, which was very cool, and then wandered all over the Old City looking for St. Paul's Church, which we found eventually. After that, we dragged our weary carcasses back to the hotel and rested.

Our last day in Damascus was fantastic. We went to Stratic's office and chatted with Shaza, the Administrator, and Said, the General Manager, and then the Stratic driver, John, took us up to the Caission hill that Damascus is at the foot of and we got a lovely view of the city - very spread out and flat. He then dropped us off at a handicrafts souk, which we wandered around. It was lovely, but expensive. We bimbled around on our way to the Old City again, and I ended up getting a beautiful Punjabi-style tunic and pants suit. We went back to the Old City and wandered around the souks a bit more, and stumbled upon a great little restaurant when we were looking for a place to have tea. It was called Narcissus Palace, and was in a restored 18th century Ottoman house's courtyard. It was so great - all black and white stone that is popular from that period, with a fountain in the middle and plants. We had a snack and some tea and spent quite a bit of time there. Then we wandered around until we found our way out of the Old City and back to the hotel. We were getting ready to go out to dinner with Said later than night, when I suddenly discovered my debit card had disappeared! We looked everywhere and even went back to the restaurant (a lovely, kind man in the Old City helped us find it again!) but it was nowhere, so I spent some time on the phone cancelling it! At least Barry still has his. John and Said picked us up at 8 and Said took us to a great restaurant in the Old City called Neutron. As we walked in, a Whirling Dervish dancer was starting his dance. It was so cool, but I got nauseous just watching him spin and spin and spin. Said ordered everything for us and it was all wonderful. It was all very Syrian, with a Syrian liquer similar to Greek ouzo (but nicer). We were there almost 4 hours! What a lovely end to our time in Damascus!

This morning, John picked us up and brought us to the shared taxi place and we loaded our stuff into a car. Then we had to wait an hour until we got another two passengers to fill up the car. The two passengers were two ladies from Georgia! So, there we were, trundling down the highway from Damascus in a car driven by a Syrian who speaks only Arabic, a Canadian and an Englishman who speak only English, and two Georgian ladies who speak Georgian, some Arabic and a few words of English!! But, we all made it through the border ok and into Amman. It's so hot here!! We checked into our hotel, went and picked up the car and then went for Popeyes!

Tomorrow, we leave early in the morning for Petra, and we'll stay there tomorrow night. Then the next day we will drive back, stoppping at Kerack, the Archeological Museum in Amman and then up to Kerash, and enormous Roman city in ruins (similar to Palmyra). Then we fly at 3:30 am to Bangkok!

Barry:

I am very sorry to say goodbye to Damascus and Syria; I will miss it all very much and we shall have to come back. All is well generally, just that someone has replaced my sphicter with a garden hose sprinkler - oh what joy - A SYRIAN SQUAT TOILET!! At least they put a hose and a yard broom in there, so its swings and roundabouts really, but you get some funny looks when you leave the bathroom soaking wet from head to foot and join your friends back at the table.
The trip down to Amman was fine. I was the only person in the taxi that spoke actual English, the rest were Arab, Canadian or Georgian; as usual I talked to myself most of the way down. Well at least we are here and its Petra and stuff (historical) tomorrow.