Syria and my love affair with the camel
I am glad I visited Syria before it was taken over by terrorists although I was not so keen at first. In hindsight, it was a unique, memorable and priceless experience. Right now, you cannot visit the country and come out alive
It was a different experience from the rest of my other travels abroad. One, places I've read in the Bible are there in Syria. In fact, they said the tomb of St. John the Baptist is in Umayyad Mosque, the fourth holiest mosque in Islam.
My first visit to a Suk, Arabian market, was in Aleppo. Well it was my first experience to be in a middle east country and everything was fascinating. Their houses were made of solid marble and the carpets were really gorgeous. It was fun shopping in a Suk, The carpet, silk table clothes, shawls, jewelries ...they were in fascinating design and colors.
But it was the visit to an ancient ruin in Palmyra which the terrorists are now trying to destroy that made my visit in Syria very memorable. Palmyra was an ancient Semitic city that dated back to the Neolithic period. It was for a while ruled by a woman, Queen Zenobia who rebelled against Romans and established the Palmyrene Empire.
The collanades and temple of Palmyra turned to golden orange when hit by morning light ... somehow expressing that there is hope and beauty in the midst of ruins. And yes, I experienced beauty and awe in the midst of those ruins.
I was also amazed by the presence of oasis in the desert. ..the trees and overflowing water in the midst of barrenness ..how can something like that exist in a dry barren land. I didn't intend it to be an spiritual journey nevertheless, it speaks of what is stated in the Bible... that hope can come from a barren life.
And how can I forgot my "love affair" with the camel. I watched it from a far, wanting to ride on it but at the same time I was gripped with fear. What if I would fall and I would never recover from that fall? ... but I know that this would be a once-in-lifetime experience. Fortunately, after prodding and encouraging from my boss, I finally had my ride on a camel.
It was fun and enjoyable riding on a camel with the ancient ruins at the backdrop... that is an experience not everyone can have
and funny this might sound but I really wrote a love letter to my camel ...
It was a different experience from the rest of my other travels abroad. One, places I've read in the Bible are there in Syria. In fact, they said the tomb of St. John the Baptist is in Umayyad Mosque, the fourth holiest mosque in Islam.
My first visit to a Suk, Arabian market, was in Aleppo. Well it was my first experience to be in a middle east country and everything was fascinating. Their houses were made of solid marble and the carpets were really gorgeous. It was fun shopping in a Suk, The carpet, silk table clothes, shawls, jewelries ...they were in fascinating design and colors.
But it was the visit to an ancient ruin in Palmyra which the terrorists are now trying to destroy that made my visit in Syria very memorable. Palmyra was an ancient Semitic city that dated back to the Neolithic period. It was for a while ruled by a woman, Queen Zenobia who rebelled against Romans and established the Palmyrene Empire.
The collanades and temple of Palmyra turned to golden orange when hit by morning light ... somehow expressing that there is hope and beauty in the midst of ruins. And yes, I experienced beauty and awe in the midst of those ruins.
I was also amazed by the presence of oasis in the desert. ..the trees and overflowing water in the midst of barrenness ..how can something like that exist in a dry barren land. I didn't intend it to be an spiritual journey nevertheless, it speaks of what is stated in the Bible... that hope can come from a barren life.
And how can I forgot my "love affair" with the camel. I watched it from a far, wanting to ride on it but at the same time I was gripped with fear. What if I would fall and I would never recover from that fall? ... but I know that this would be a once-in-lifetime experience. Fortunately, after prodding and encouraging from my boss, I finally had my ride on a camel.
It was fun and enjoyable riding on a camel with the ancient ruins at the backdrop... that is an experience not everyone can have
and funny this might sound but I really wrote a love letter to my camel ...
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