SYRIA - HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED.

By Robert Longhurst.Airframes.


The word Syria probably brings to mind refugees, bombs, persecution, devastation and generally a scene of horror.

Jane and I had a very different experience which leaves us very sad when we see and hear the daily round of killing and destruction. In autumn 2008, just before the onset of the present troubles, we heard a radio programme extolling the virtues of this exotic country and particularly Damascus. As a result we arranged to visit and arrived in May 2009. Damascus was said to be the 2nd safest city in the world behind Vienna, and so it was. The city is full of architectural treasures from the Romans, the Crusaders and the Ottomans. The 1st century temple of Jupiter has been converted into the massif Umayyad Mosque, which at one time was shared with the Christians for worship. Difficult to believe! In it is a mausoleum said to contain the head of John the Baptist, an important Christian saint. Something of an anomaly. There is a glass roofed ancient Souk, 500 metres long, which has shops selling everything you can imagine, including the famous Bakdash ice cream parlour, where families queued for their delicious treat of home-made ice cream covered in nuts. We saw many a happy family scene and loved the old city. The people were so welcoming and interested in us. Many times they would cross the street to speak to us as "Where are you from?". When we replied "From England" they said "You are welcome, this is your country now". We felt very much at home. After 5 days in the old city on our own, during which we were able to wander the city both day and night feeling totally safe, we then joined a small group and travelled north by mini coach to visit the Crusader Castles of Saladin and the mighty Crak des Chevaliers from the 12th century. We were travelling with a professor of archaeology from Damascus University who kept us informed of all aspects of Syrian history. We stayed in the Roman city of Palmyra which is a jewel in the desert. One morning at dawn we travelled the length of the city on camels. Magnificent does not do it justice - it was breath taking. The city of Ugarit, well north, claims to have produced the first alphabet in 1400 BC upon which all alphabets are based. In the 5th century AD there was a peculiar religious habit where penitents took on the habit of living on top of a pillar, relying on others to hoist up food and water. St Simeon Stylites seems to have started this behaviour. He died in 459 AD aged 69, having spent 36 years on top of a pillar! History does not record how waste products were dealt with! We saw the remains of his pillar, which is surrounded by a massive cathedral, now in ruins, which grew up around him. We travelled within 5 kms of the Iraqi border to the ancient ruins of Mari, dating from 3000 BC, said to be the oldest urban settlement in the world.

I have tried to show how only 5 years ago this beautiful country was functioning as a great and exciting place to visit. On each trip we take I have for some years created a pictorial diary with sketches and narrative, at the end of which I write an 'Epilogue' being my thoughts at the time. Here is what I wrote on the 1st of June 2009.

Syrian Epilogue:

"World media will certainly colour one's perception of Syria before arrival. It will be only hours before the scales of ignorance fall from your eyes. It is a gentle country with a truly hospitable people. The ancient sites and cities are second to none and the best of all is Old Damascus, which thrills at every turn. But the abiding memory of Syria will be of the people, charming, helpful, welcoming and far from the stereotype that arrives with you."

We had no inkling of what was to come. How things have changed!