Fınal blog

So I am back ın Turkey. In the cıty of Adana whıch ıs ın the mıddle south. About 40km from Tarsus I thınk. Yesterday I got a bus from Beırut to Damacus and then another bus to Atakya (Antıoch) and then another bus to Adana. Got here about 7:30 thıs mornıng. Not much to see here and I have to brıng my ruckack everywhere. But Adana ıs perfect for me now. Lots of bıg parks and nıce places to eat. My tıme here has went ın quıckly. Its a bıt cloudy so ıt ıs nıce to sıt out. Only 35 degres thıs afternoon apparently. After three weeks of eıther not seeıng any western eatıng places or just avoıdıng them I got pulled ınto a starbucks. Was nıce to have some famılar coffee. Though ıt was more expensıve than ıt would be at home. I thınk ıt was a member of staffşs bırthday. Someone brought me a bıg plate of cake whıch was very nıce of them.

Adana ıs a very modern cıty. I suppose ıts the only non-tourısty place ı have been ın Turkey. People dress just as at home. You wouldnşt thınk ıt was so close to Syrıa. People are frıendly but englısh ısnt very good.

Wıll be leavıng soon to walk to the aırport. Fly to istanbul at 8am tomorrow. Should be ın Belfast by 9pm.

Lebanon was cool. Beırut was very ınterestıng. Was totally surprısed by the western brand everywhere. They had a Dunkın Donauts at the border! Some buıldıngs ın Beırut have not been replaced sınce the war. The Holıday Inn ıs just rıddled wıth holes. Appart from the buıldıngs you would not suspect there has been so much trouble here though. It was cool seeıng the fırework celebratıng the new presıdent. I was scared they were gunshots at fırst! I seen the new presıdents fathers grave yesterday. He was assassınated 4 year ago.

On frıday I vısıted Sıdon and Tyre. Both south Lebanon. Tyre ıs about 12mıles from Israel ı thınk. Thıs was maybe a lıttle rısky. Just three years ago the Israelıes where there. Hızbollah strong hold. But they were nıce places. The people were nıce and seemed to apprecıate that I had made the effort to vısıt. Tourısts do vısıt theır but not many.

Has been quıte a trıp. It amazes me how some people are so scared of muslıms and the muslım world. I guess the governments and extremısts can be scary but they are dıfınıtely a mınorıty. Its such an amazıng place. That saıd however I thınk I wıll be happy to get back to my own bed tomorrow nıght. No more bed bugs!

Syria 2

Just a quick blog!

I have arrived in Beirut. Been here for about 3 hours. It is so different from Syria. There are western brands and english signs everywhere! Seen a mcdonalds for the first time since istanbul. Its very hot and sticky but places have air conditioning which is a relief.

So my last few days have been great. Just after I last blogged last a Japanese guy called Hiro checked into the hostel. We hung out the rest of the day. Got a taxi up to a citadel on a mountain in the evening where we watched the sun set. The ruins were very cool.

The next day we both traveled to Damascus. Hiro disappeared to some Japanese hostel. Met an english guy. He had just arrive the day before and was dying to speak to a native english speaker. We spent the rest of the day (mon) and tue just hanging out in Damascus. The old city is very nice. Lots of nice (but cheap) cafes and restaurants. Did some shopping in the souq. Quite realxing.

Yesterday was more busy. I met another couple of guys and we all went to some museams and stuff. In the evening we went to a Hammam (Turkish bath) Was quite an experience! We got the full works including a message and everything. Was all a bit strange but very relaxing.

This morning I headed to Lebanon. No problems getting here. Its all very exciting. Tonnes of soldiers and UN people. Hopefully heading down to Tyre tomorrow. Beirut is very smoggy!

Ok must go. Haven't got money properly yet so can't afford longer internet than this!

Syria

So I have been in Syria nearly four days. The difference between Syria and Turkey is much more obvious. For a start there are barely any backpackers about. There are a few but it is much quiter than I imagined. I am in a dorm room tonight. But I am the only person in the dorm.

Syrians are indeed very, very friendly. People ask where you are from without looking to sell something. They all love Ireland. I wonder why... I have had my photo taken with many random people. People go out of their way to show ne where to go. Including paying for my taxi! I have also been given free ice cream. And they all say 'Welcome to Syria'. Two people have now told me they are gay and asked if I was. One guy came out to me just after he had shown me into his house. Was a little scary! Quite impressive though for being in a country where you can go to prison for such things...

I spent much of thursday in a Syrian police station trying to get a report of my lost money for insurance. Reporting the loss was no problem. Getting the report required two more visits. I was despretely looking to get out of Aleppo that night. I didnt really like the hostel and had another one booked. I was a bit stressed about getting done with the police in time. Finally got the report i needed at 930 and arrived at my next destination, Hama, at about 12:15.

I did hear what I'm nearly certain were whips in the police station. And cries of pain. It was very loud and none of the other policemen paid any attention. Interesting.

Hama was very nice. I was there on a friday so it was peaceful. Just what i needed after the stress the day before. Met loads of people. Only met one other tourist. A french guy.

I arrived in Homs last night. It was nice enough place. A lot of christians live there. I.e. girls with no head or arm coverings! This morning i went to this castle about 45km out of homs. Its meant to be the best castle in the world. Well its certainly the best I've ever seen! It was huge. Very, very cool. This castle is one of Syrias top attractions. I was there about 3-4 hours and maybe seen 50 tourists. Where is everyone?

I arrived in Palmyra a few hours ago. This is a town in the middle of the dessert. The ruins of the old Palmyra are just out of town. The town is built around an oasis. I've never seen an oasis before. Its very cool. Lots of trees in the middle of desert. Going to expore tomorrow. Should be good. Planning to rise about 7 so i can miss the sun. Will head to Damascus on monday.

I ate dinner tonight in this large outside restaurant. Could probably seat 100 people. There was one other person when I arrive. He soon left. Its very strange. Palmyra is Syria's top attraction. There are tourists about. But very few. I guess 9/11 has not been good for Syria. I'm not lonely like. Its nice to get some peace. Just a little surprised after the hoards of tourists in Turkey.