July 23, 2001 Aleppo |
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Today is the
third day in Aleppo and I really like this place. I will do nothing but going
in the souks to hang around, by some soap, prepare my departure on Wednesday by
train for Lattaquia. I have also the intention t go to Lebanon, so I have to
make copies of the Italian guidebook. That is a good start for a Monday. At 10
am, Massimo passes by to tell me that Eugenia is at the hospital St Louis
that was recommended by the Italian consulate. The fever has dropped but it
is better to monitor her situation. So I
try to find somewhere to make copies of the guidebook (mainly the city maps
and transportation tips). I have to ask the help of the hotel manager because
I really dont know where to search. There is a shop near the hotel but it is
temporarily closed. I take advantage of the situation to find a shop where I
will buy some soap for the family and some friends. It is not too hard to
find these shops because there are many in town, Aleppo is well known for its
soap. Finally, I find one with a nice seller so I take 2 kilograms. With the
gifts and the soap my bag weights 5 more kg and I will have to spend the 4
last weeks with a heavier backpack, nice! Short come back to the hotel and
new departure for the train station to know the schedule to leave Aleppo on
Wednesday. In the guidebook, its mentioned that 2 trains are leaving every
day at 7:30 am and 3:30 pm but I am sure that there are other possibilities
in the morning, I heard about it. While going I go trough the green public
garden of Aleppo, in perfect condition for this summer time, and I relax a
while near the big fountains. Alep :
Le jardin public After this
break, I lost my way and walk trough the street along the park. I look at the
map but I cant understand where I am supposed to be. I ask people to
redirect mae in the good path. Finally here is the train station, the hall is
wonderful with big paintings on the wall, it sounds quiet and the ground is
unspoilt and brilliant. Nearly everybody knows the inside of the station
because it is the starting point of a world known novel: Murder in the Orient
Express by Agatha Christie. At the desks, I ask for the departure time, and
of course they are plenty of trains in the morning for Lattaquia: 4, 5, 6 and
7:30 am. I think will take the 6:00 am train in order to have a full day free
to visit Qalaat Al Saadin and reach Tartous on the coast for the night. After this
adventure episode to find the train station, another time a come back to the
hotel where Massimo is doing the bags because he will sleepat the hospital
near Eugenia. He gives me good news of her, thats good. The hospital is very
nice and clean, nurses are wonderful and one of them speaks Italian, like at
home for them. After having the lunch at the place than yesterday, I help him
to carry the bags towards the hospital where I visit Eugenia. I meet the
nurse who also speaks French, wonderful hospital!! She gives me advice if I
have the same problem in the next weeks: Drink Seven Up or a Coke. I leave
the two Italians and resume my visit of the town. On the
terrace of the hotel, I meet two French who arrive this morning. I remember
because one of the employee tried to open my door to show them the the room
but he didnt know that it was a single one and that I was in it at this
moment! But I am sure that I knew them before and they ell me that we met on
the terrace of the Al Harramain in Damascus. Thats right, so we make the
presentation, Julien and Sandrine tell me that they have a surprise for me:
Narcisse and Lydiane are in Aleppo and we should see them around 8 pm to have
dinner. Finally this trip in Syria enables me to see many people again and
again. To celebrate this new joining we go to
the Al Koumeh as usual.
Narcisse and Lydiane explain their journey since we last met in Damascus.
They went to Deir Ez Zor in the far east of the country where they met Julien
and Sandrine. Here in Aleppo, they slept at the Spring Flower but the place
is a dump and they will come to our hotel. We go to bed
at 1 in the morning but before we planned an excursion in Saint Simeon for
tomorrow. |
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D10 :
Aleppo San Simeon Aleppo D11 :
Aleppo Qalaat Al Saadin Tartous (1)
(2) D12 :
Tartous Krak des chevaliers Beirut (1) (2) D15 :
Damascus Maaloula Damascus D17 :
Damascus Bosra Damascus D18 :
Damascus Amman Dead Sea Amman |
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Last update : January 2002
Contact : pindavid@hotmail.com