The impression of Syria has always been about war, and the scene of wild bombing is thrilling, and I always feel that this is a place that people dare not go near. Even after I confirmed my trip to Syria, my family, friends, and colleagues told me not to rush there, and it is undeniable that this is perhaps the most kind persuasion of many people to a traveler who is about to go to Syria.
But under my long explanation, plus I have fully prepared all kinds of strategies to ensure safety, I still insist on going to this long-awaited travel place, until the end of the trip I have not forgotten the bits and pieces in Syria.
Pony real photographs artifacts in the Syrian Museum
Perhaps the pale text still does not fully express the vicissitudes of Syria and my love for it, but among the syrian cities I walked, my personal favorite is Damascus.
Since ancient times, Damascus has become a famous city with its superior address and location, and has also become a paradise on earth with various monuments. However, this sense of superiority brought many troubles to Damascus, which was occupied by Alexander and Rome earlier, and then from 661 to 750, Damascus became the capital of the Arab Empire for a hundred years, becoming one of the most prosperous cities in the world at that time, with an extremely large territory.
Map of Damascus in ancient times
Of course, in the long course of history, Damascus has also been colonized by Assyria, Babylon, Egypt, Persia, etc., which shows that almost all the empires once had a yearning attitude towards this place and will occupy it for themselves.
When Muhammad looked at the city of Damascus once, he refused to enter it, after all, in his opinion, "Damascus is a beautiful heavenly kingdom, and he can only enter it once in a lifetime, so he can only choose to enter here after death." "There is a mausoleum in the ancient city of Umayyad in Damascus today, and it is still worshipped by many believers and travelers, so there are countless beautiful stories about Syria.
But Damascus has long been stable and prosperous, and for more than 4,000 years it has been a source of turmoil, and in recent years Europe and the United States have been eyeing its resources and wanting to participate in the Syrian civil war.
Damascus is another devastated city after Aleppo and Homs, even if it is the capital, even if it has always been hailed as the earth and the heavens, even if it was once indestructible. However, under the rain of modern guns and bullets, the entire Damascus city is almost in ruins, mosques, commercial streets, and houses have been recruited, and it is heart-wrenching to look back at the pictures taken by people at that time.
The streets of Damascus today
Fortunately, Damascus, which has always been strong, has not fallen because of this, and after several years of reconstruction, it seems to have undergone earth-shaking changes. When I traveled to this place and walked in the streets and alleys of today, I was greeted by the breath of life, and I believe that more and more refugees have returned to their hometowns to start a new life.
Architecture of the ancient city of Damascus
I like to walk in the old town of Damascus to feel the glory of the past, this is an ancient city with a history of more than 2,000 years, the entire ancient city is densely packed with monuments, the ancient Roman period has a straight street, from east to west through the ancient city, walk this street, you will encounter the Omayyad Mosque, Saladin's Mausoleum, Damascus Castle, etc., you can witness the traces of the years here.
However, the ancient buildings look a little cold, many of which are mottled bullet holes, not to mention that because they have just recovered, these attractions can hardly see tourists, making people look less angry.
Damascus is the oldest bazaar
But fortunately, there is still a market in Damascus, at least I can go to the market to see, and by the way, I also buy some civilized perfumes and rose essential oils for my friends. So after finishing the trip to damascus's ancient city gate, we hurried to the oldest market in the Middle East.
Dome inside the bazaar
Much like I imagined a Middle Eastern market, a lamp under an ancient dome glowing dimly, rows of quaint and newly renovated storefronts alternating, smiling craftsmen, women selling pistachio-encrusted candies, gold jewelry merchants, old men selling Syrian soaps, children who keep you out of perfume, and so on, and so on, and they are doing business without hesitation. Occasionally you can smell the smell of meat, which is a delicious roast lamb made in the restaurant, accompanied by a local yogurt, which is also a delicate lunch.
Specialty yogurt in the bazaar
In the afternoon, the children I met in the market must pull me to the Umayyad Mosque in the center of the ancient city, even though I have no religious beliefs, but they still come here under their enthusiasm, not to mention that this is a model for the construction of mosques in many Arab countries, and I think it must be a place full of art.
The square "Mizaina" built of stone in many parts of Syria is the oldest building in islamic regions and has since been imitated in many places, such as North Africa and Spain, and the same is true of the Umayyad Mosque just mentioned.
In my opinion, architecture is perhaps the most tested way of artistic expression, often after the material needs of people, the enjoyment of the spiritual world, the Umayyad mosque is the Arab kings at that time in order to compare this with the local Christian church that has stood for a hundred years, which can be seen that all kinds of painstaking efforts have been injected.
These can be witnessed from the various monuments preserved in the mosque today, and I feel how exquisitely beautifully built minarets I see from the atrium, the gold-painted murals depicting the life of the ancient Damascus city in the cloister, and the colorful windows decorated with multicolored glass.
When I visited these buildings, I suddenly found the children next to me playing and playing, and I could not help but think that even after the war, they were still so cheerful and calm, perhaps because the people who lived in the paradise of Damascus on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea have been so poor and rich since ancient times, and have always maintained an indomitable state in the face of victory and disaster.