The Queen of the East - ملكة الشرق

Golden River Restaurant - مطعم نهر الذهب - (Aleppo - حلب)

2010-10-21T12:12:00.001+01:00

I went with some friends to this restaurant for the first time. It was on the outskirts of Aleppo and I must admit it was a wonderful place to sit and eat. It is obvious how much has been spent on the Arabian and Roman style architecture and decorations.

Just like most of the big restaurants in Syria there is a big swimming pool in the middle of the seating areas. In the daytime when it is hot during the summer the pool is open whilst at night it is closed for the restaurant. The pool really adds to a relaxing experience.

Mogambo area - المكمبو - (Aleppo - حلب)

2010-10-14T18:51:00.003+01:00

The Mogambo area is located in the relatively new part of western Aleppo. It is known for its large shopping areas and a recently opened mall conveniently called the New Mall which is located across the main Mogambo roundabout. It is also a popular destination for leisure with a wide range of posh restaurants and cafes located near hotels. There is also an indoor ice rink and 5D cinema. Aleppo residents regularly visit Mogambo for shopping and leisure.
Mogambo properties are large and the residents are evidently wealthy and more liberal than other Aleppians.
The large neighbourhood has been growing fast with many businesses and lush properties springing up.

Some pictures taken in the morning. It is calm due to most people staying indoors to avoid the heat from the summer sun. It may look dead as a result but the chatter coming from the balconies is almost unavoidable and really adds to a nice environment. The area is really bustling at night;

And later on I enjoy an amazing lemon and mint drink at a cafe. Lemon and mint may not sound too appealing to many but this was really good;

Off home

2010-06-25T11:01:00.001+01:00

Well I'm off to Syria in a couple of days so drop by in late September for updated posts! Have a great summer.

Aleppo citadel (summer 2009) - (Aleppo - حلب)

2010-04-25T20:29:00.001+01:00

Here is a couple of pictures I took of the citadel last summer. It was in the early morning so there weren't many people around. Inside the citadel however it was full of tourists, mostly from Germany.

Here's some of the coaches that delivered the tourists :)

In the morning and early afternoon the citadel, and many areas around it, will have many tourists whilst the locals tend to come later when the temperatures cool down and the sun sets. Not surprising since tourists go after the sun!

A rainbow in Aleppo central park

2010-04-14T02:19:00.001+01:00

As I was taking a walk around Aleppo central park with my cousin we came across this beautiful site. The full rainbow from the sun glaring onto the water droplets produced by the fountains added to the beauty of the park's nature.

Shahbaa Mall - مول الشهباء - (Aleppo - حلب)

2010-04-11T15:46:00.001+01:00

Here are some pictures from the newly opened mall in Aleppo. It is a large mall with 4 floors and has it's own hotel. These pictures were taken before the 3rd and 4th floors were open to the public and as you can see the shops were just opening so there isn't many people.

The dynamics

2010-02-24T12:37:00.001Z

So let's start with the new things I noticed about Aleppo during my two month stay in the city last summer. Considering that I usually go once a year you wouldn't expect to see much more than new buildings springing up around the city and maybe a couple of new factories on the outskirts. Although that was the case before, this time the pace of growth grabbed my attention. I didn't manage to visit Syria in 2008 so it may be safe to say that's why I see things differently having not been in two years previous to my recent visit. Couple that with national economic growth exceeding expectations year on year and you will understand why the changes in the city caught my eye. There are 8 new malls planned to open soon with 3 or 4 already open to the public and nearing completion. Having visited 3 of the new malls I must say I'm impressed. You have everything you can ask for and the prices are decent too (watch out for pictures by me :) ). The streets are also notably clean now. Khaldieh is probably the only area that still needs a good clean. Besides the government spending more, private companies are more free now making such changes increasingly possible. While Syrians may see the driving chaotic in most places I think it is better than the other Eastern nations I've been to. Driving in neighbouring Lebanon is notably worse which I never expected considering how the two countries are very similar. Road rules have gone tough recently and hard measures have been introduced to get people into the habit of obeying them. Anyone who doesn't listen to orders by the traffic police will have their cars taken away and they have to pay a fine before claiming their cars back. Another convenient change which was easily noticeable was the fact that most people running businesses were claiming great success and unemployment was greatly reduced. With most Syrians being young it may be a challenge to keep this up but Syria has done more than enough year on year. With all this happening during the credit crunch you have Western nations and China investing more in Syria and I hear that there is a whole town for Chinese workers near Damascus contributing mainly towards communications and engineering nationwide. Whilst driving around Aleppo I also noticed the boom in the banking and insurance sectors, particularly Islamic banking which is also increasingly used in the West. The housing market is also very lively and new neighbourhoods are always being built despite the global economic downturn. There was an unofficial report stating that during the global recession, which started in the United States, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon will be the key nations having the most potential and the three countries did enjoy positive growth throughout.
Strikingly obvious, especially since Aleppo is very close to the Turkish border, is the recent strong Syrian-Turkish co-operation. A few years back Syria and Turkey have been signing economic agreements but it wasn't until two years back where relations became really strong. The two countries have signed a free trade agreement and no visa is required for nationals to travel between the countries. While I was in Aleppo I noticed how Turkish lorries have been filling the highways more than ever before delivering Turkish goods. More nations have been reaching out to Syria due to the high potential with it's highly educated workforce raised with an attitude of taking on any challenge independantly and logically. This Also explains the success of businesses in Syria with highly strategic thinking employed. Venezuela is another country signing agreements with Syria similar to Turkey. Although Saudi Arabia has been on gritty terms with Syria politically, the two countries last year have revived friendly co-operation which is important as the two countries have always had strong economic ties. Turkey, however, has been moving with Syria at a very fast pace since it has the advantage of sharing it's longest border with the country.
Overall Syria has been doing very well. Every year I see improvements and for a country bordering war torn Iraq to one side and an unpredictable Lebanon on the other this is an even bigger achievement.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

I'm back!

2010-02-17T14:26:00.000Z

I may have stopped posting for a long time but now I will be blogging once again!
I spent two months last summer in Aleppo and I will be sharing some new pictures and info!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Oum Attuyour - ام الطيور (Lattakia)

2007-07-07T11:11:00.001+01:00

Oum Attuyour is a small village located about halfway between the city of Lattakia and the Turkish border. As its beach is littered with pebbles it is quite painful when you run towards the sea. Therefore two large boulders are placed between a stretch where the pebbles have been removed. This beach is not for the tourist but mainly locals and it has been left at its natural state.

Ariha - اريحا (Idlib - ادلب)

2006-10-07T14:57:00.000+01:00

Located on the slopes of Arbaeen Mountain, 12 Km from the city of Idlib is the town of Ariha. This town is famous for its delicious cherries and is often used as a summer resort for the northern locals:

Kasab - كسب (Lattakia - الاذفية)

2006-10-07T14:30:00.000+01:00

Kasab is a village in the Lattakia province located 65 km north of the city of Lattakia near the Turkish border, located on the Aqra' mountain amongst woods and thickets, 800 m above sea-level. The road leading to it from Lattakia is one of the most beautiful in Syria. It runs through woods and meadows of wild flowers and groves of olive and pine, orchards of apple trees leading to the beautiful forest of Frulloq:

Here you can see new buildings being constructed in a picturesque location:

Behind the white van is a geyser providing a natural source of fresh, cleaned water for the local people. You can see the two people on the right taking away bottles of the water and the people in the white van have stopped by for some as well:

Tomato plantations in Kasab:

Idlib - ادلب

2006-10-07T14:26:00.000+01:00

Situated in the Northwest of Syria is the Governorate of Idlib. This governorate is the link between the coastal region and the inland steppe, as it was the Syrian gateway to Europe and the West through Bab Al Hawa, Door of the Wind.

The historical importance of Idlib is quite important. The area of Idlib holds over 190 man made tells (hills), the most famous of which is at Tell Mardikh, Ebla. The cuneiform tablets found at Ebla prove that this area has been settled since the 3rd millennium BC. Idlib also has an abundance of Dead Cities, some which are well preserved and others that have been forgotten.

The governorate of Idlib is known for its Olive and Olive Oil, its wheat, cotton and fruit, in particular cherries. The main city of the governorate is the city of Idlib, which lies 59 Km from Aleppo at a height of 500 meters above sea level. The city itself is also very ancient as the Roman and Pagan cemeteries indicate. The museum at Idlib is quite interesting and houses many of the artifacts and tablets excavated at Ebla.

Other ruins in the governorate of Idlib include the dead cities of Al Bara and Serjilla, and the church at Qalb Lozeh.

Aleppo the Capital of Islamic Culture

2006-10-07T13:17:00.000+01:00

In recognition of the historical, civilizational and cultural status of Aleppo, and in celebration of its historical and civilizational monuments which stand witness to an age-old past of which the roots spread to pre-historical times and stretch through Arab and Islamic eras, the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation -ISESCO- has dedicated its Internet website (http://www.isesco.org.ma/index.asp) to celebrate Aleppo as the Capital of Islamic Culture for the year 1427 A.H./2006 A.D. The aim of this initiative is to spread light on the most prominent features of the cultural heritage and the Islamic monuments of this city, boost the awareness of young generations about its importance, provide knowledge about the treasures of its prestigious past, and highlight its civilizational landmarks and cultural legacy.

Through this link, these civilizational landmarks and cultural heritage are brought to the fore by the Islamic Organisation in its drive to participate in reviving the city of Aleppo, preserve its historical landmarks, and document on the internet the most prominent milestones of Islamic civilization in this city. These landmarks still stand proudly today as a testimony to the contribution of Aleppo to the flourishing of Islamic civilization.

This link will remain open in order to be fed with regular updates considering the vastness and diversity of the subject at hand, and be supplied with new data on the civilizational, cultural and Islamic landmarks. This pulpit will serve to inform the whole world about the most important Islamic civilizational landmarks of the city of Aleppo, and endeavour to motivate coming generations into preserving this heritage and transferring it safely into the hands of future generations.

May Allah grant us success.

Dr. Abdulaziz Othman Altwaijri
Director general of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation

These landmarks in Aleppo are currently advertising it as being the Capital of Islamic Culture:

This square (Sa'ad Allah square - ساحة سعد الله) in the Aleppo City Centre is the meeting place for people like politicians who visit on behalf of Aleppo's new status as the Capital of Islamic Culture:

The Leramoon roundabout (دوار ليرامون) on the edge of Aleppo city has signs on its four faces to advertise Aleppo as being the Capital of Islamic Culture:

Al Muhafaza - المحافظة - (Aleppo - حلب)

2006-08-30T12:37:00.001+01:00

A semi-modern area with very high standards of living and experiencing a growth in its local economy with new shops and facilities opening. Al Muhafaza is where you will find the famous Al Itihaad Stadium and leisure centre which is the training grounds of the Al Itihaad sports teams particularly the football team which is Aleppo's strongest.

In this picture you can see a structure which appears to be a bridge. This in fact is going to be a shopping centre with new shops opening soon:

Dowar Al Basil - دوار الباسل (Aleppo - حلب)

2006-08-30T12:18:00.000+01:00

This is a beautiful new mosque located opposite the roundabout:

Bridge crossing the Euphrates River (Deir az-Zawr - دير الزور)

2006-06-08T14:23:00.000+01:00

Deir az-Zawr - دير الزور

2006-06-08T13:54:00.000+01:00

Deir az-Zawr is a city in North Eastern Syria on the Euphrates River and capital of Deir az-Zawr governorate. It has a population of 133,000 (1994 estimate). It is a prosperous farming area, with cattle breeding, cereals and cotton crops. Since the discovery of light crude oil in the Syrian desert it has become a centre for the country's oil extraction industry.
Dayr az Zawr situated 85 km to the north-west of the archeological remains of Dura-Europos and 120km North West of the remains of the ancient city of Mari. During Roman times it was an important trading post between the Roman Empire and India. Conquered by Zenobia, it became part of the kingdom of Palmyra.
The modern town was built by the Ottoman Empire in 1867.
It has a regional level museum, Arabian Cultural Center and has a some academic faculties as Agriculture, Science, Arts & Human Sciences, Education, Law and Medicine with many vocational high schools and professional institutes. Local daily newspaper Al Furat published there.

Roman Theatre (Bosra - بصرى)

2006-04-18T10:30:00.000+01:00

Bosra boasts one of the best preserved Roman amphitheatres of the Roman world where performances are still held today, including the internationally acclaimed annual arts festival.

Bosra - بصرى

2006-04-18T10:24:00.000+01:00

Situated 140 Km south of Damascus in the Horan plain, is the ancient city of Bosra. This city of Bosra, was first mentioned in the Hieroglyphics of Thutmos III and Akhnatoun in the 14th century BC, and 1000 years later was the capital of the Nabatean kingdom under the name of Bousra. Later in the Hellenistic era it bore the name of Boustra.
Bosra, grew the most under the Romans, who paid great attention to it and was named Niatrojana Bostra as the capital of the state of Djezire under the king Trojan. It was later attacked by Zenobia in 268 AD, however she only occupied it for a while and did not leave her mark. In the Byzantine period Bosra became the seat of an archbishop who was in charge of 33 bishops in the area.
In 632 AD, Bosra was the first Byzantine city to fall to the Arab Muslims, and it flourished greatly as a point on both the trade route and the pilgrimage route between Damascus and Mecca. The crusaders failed to take it over but it was their threat that pushed the Ayyubids into converting the theater into a fortress. Bosra survived the Mongol invasion, and later under the Mamelukes the main pilgrimage routes moved westwards and this left Bosra quite abandoned, until the Druze moved here from Lebanon in the 18th and19th centuries.
Bosra is most famous for its magnificent Roman amphitheater, which was later converted into a fortress by the Ayyubids. The original theater, which has been miraculously preserved, seats 15 000 and its stage is 45 meters in length and 8 meters in depth. It has been designed so that all the audience can hear the actors without the use of any special equipment. The theater has been renovated and restored, especially a lot of the columns. There is a large area in front of the stage that might've been used for circuses or gladiatorial matches.
Most of the Ayyubid fortress that envelops the theater remains. It was built by the Ayyubids except for a few towers built by the Seljuks. One of the Ayyubid towers on the outer arc has now been turned into a folkloric museum.
The rest of Bosra is a city resembling the nearby town of Shahba, and like most other Roman cities is built in a grid like pattern. Other vestiges include a monumental arch, the western gate called Bab Al Hawa, the Roman baths, the Mosque of Omar (one of the oldest surviving mosques), the Cathedral of Bosra, the Mameluke baths Hamam Manjak, a Nabatean arch and the basilica known as Church of Bahira. Bahira was a Nestorian Christian monk who met the Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم when Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم was 12 years of age, and noticed the seal of prophecy and claimed that he would have a great future.
Also found in the city of Bosra, are the Mosques of Fatima and Mabrak (Mabrak, is where it is said that Muhammad's camel knelt at the spot of the Mihrab). There is an enormous cistern which, at 120 meters by 150 meters is one of the largest the Romans ever built

The Azem Palace (Hama - حماه)

2006-04-17T21:43:00.000+01:00

The Azem palace, whcih today has been transformed into a museum, was built in 1740 by Assad Pasha Al-Azem, a powerful governor of Hama and Damascus. The painted ceilings of the rooms located on the higher floor are exceptional.

Traditional Arabian Housing (example in Hama - حماه)

2006-04-17T21:36:00.000+01:00

This is an example of traditional Arabic housing. This house is in Hama.

As these are some of the oldest housing they lack planning and therefore suffer some problems such as condensation which is why they have been redone. It is illegal to knock them down and rebuild so only renovation is allowed. They are upon the most expensive housing in Arabia and as you can see they are usually a large open space in the middle with plants, fountains and a seating area, and rooms all around.

Dhaher Al-Qsyer (Homs - حمص)

2006-04-17T14:43:00.000+01:00

Traditional Arabian Housing (example in Damascus)

2006-04-17T10:03:00.000+01:00

This is an example of traditional Arabic housing. This house is in Damascus and has been redone.

As these are some of the oldest housing they lack planning and therefore suffer some problems such as condensation which is why they have been redone. It is illegal to knock them down and rebuild so only renovation is allowed. They are upon the most expensive housing in Arabia and as you can see they are usually a large open space in the middle with plants, fountains and a seating area, and rooms all around. Upstairs there are balconies as you can see.

Kalamoun Mountains (Damascus - دمشق)

2006-04-16T15:51:00.000+01:00

Teshreen Road (Aleppo - حلب)

2006-04-15T18:14:00.000+01:00

Teshreen Road is linked to Nile Road making it very accessible. The housing is of the most common in Aleppo and for being in the Centre of the city it is surprisingly quiet.