Geddo [I] was pretty poorly (marid [bedevilled]). Set off early – tea and cake in cafe (tea deliberately [strongly] made to make Ged throw up.
Abdel sure knew what he was doing to make my indisposition short, far from sweet but also far from debilitating. My guess is that I got my upset stomach the day before, not from eating at Abdel’s house, but from foolishly munching at nuts before washing my hands after buying them for cash in the Aleppo souk.
The women in this household said I looked like their favourite Syrian soap opera star.We didn’t stay to eat but naturally these Shezar people offered us food.
Then long drive to Palmyra– Hama, Homs, countryside and then desert. Visited Bedouin family 40km west of Palmyra…
Yoghurt making was their thing. The young woman on the right complained of pains in her gut. Contrary to the text book, Janie gave her some paracetamols and suggested that she only seek medical help if those didn’t relieve the pain.Better to have me inside the tent…
…before arriving at Palmyra at dusk. Early supper in hotel and early night.
A truly memorable and enjoyable day, despite the fact that I was feeling wobbly throughout and that long journey days are not normally the most memorable/enjoyable.
Daisy dressed for the occasion…Ged not so well prepared for being mobbed by local kids
We tended to be mobbed (by which I mean warmly greeted) by local people almost everywhere we went in Syria (Damascus perhaps the exception). They seemed so pleased to see Western travellers and I proved especially popular with the middle-aged women, as apparently I bore more than a passing resemblance to one of their favourite soap opera stars!
…and then we shopped in the souks etc.
I bought a couple of thobes in the Aleppo souk
I want to write a few general words about our wonderful guide, Abdel. Janie and I have been fortunate to have had many extremely good guides with us for our travels. Abdel, who toured Syria with us for a week or so, was exceptional in every way. He knew his stuff as a guide, judged with great professionalism how much detail we wanted (and didn’t want) in various places and made our touring lots of fun as well as informative. He was a great one for breaking from the itinerary to show us an element of real Syrian life, e.g. to treat us to some snacks in a local place and/or introduce us to the many people he knew all around the country. Abdel also had a wicked sense of humour, teaching me some gutter Arabic and then warning me not to use it in edgy situations.
Abdel and his family lived in Aleppo; Janie and I have often wondered what became of them in the war there. He was a very intelligent fellow – let’s hope he and his family found a way to escape the worst excesses of the devastation there.
Back in 1997, when we were in his home town, he isnisted that we visit his home for dinner that evening.
Dinner at Abdel’s place – spartan surroundings but good food including mulukhiyah and boiled fowl.
