# Syria next May/June



## Purple (6 Jul 2009)

I am thinking of going to Syria for a week next year. It would just be Mrs Purple and me, no kids. Has anyone been?


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## spursman (6 Jul 2009)

why wud u go there


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## Mommah (6 Jul 2009)

A very good girl friend of mine and some of her female friends went last year and RAVED about it and the people. I remember her telling me about Damacus and ? the Blue Mosque.

The locals were soooo welcoming and delighted to have tourists in the region. 

Of course there are risks attached to going. but the rewards are great.
If I were you I would get Mrs Purple to wear a head scarf...so any head bangers (a tiny minority) assume you are muslim tourists.

Look up the thorn tree forum on http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=18&keywordid=81 , they'll have lots of relevant info for you...Good Luck.


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## Purple (7 Jul 2009)

spursman said:


> why wud u go there



History, sights, culture, people, resorts.


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## Purple (7 Jul 2009)

Mommah said:


> A very good girl friend of mine and some of her female friends went last year and RAVED about it and the people. I remember her telling me about Damacus and ? the Blue Mosque.
> 
> The locals were soooo welcoming and delighted to have tourists in the region.
> 
> ...



Thanks for that.
Flights from London start at £290 return; happy days!


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## stephen1381 (7 Jul 2009)

Well done on deciding to go somewhere a bit different, so much history in Syria.

No need for the lady to wear a head scarf she'll be grand. 

Be careful you don't get ripped off, for example insist the taxi driver turns the meter on.

Enjoy it.


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## Purple (9 Jul 2009)

stephen1381 said:


> Well done on deciding to go somewhere a bit different, so much history in Syria.
> 
> No need for the lady to wear a head scarf she'll be grand.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the tip, I wanted to go somewhere nice before the big trip to Botswana in 2011.


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## Curious81 (9 Jul 2009)

stephen1381 said:


> No need for the lady to wear a head scarf she'll be grand.



Agreed, once ladies dress appropriately there is no real issue. By appropriately I mean no plunging necklines / string tops /short skirts / general skimpy cloths! common sense really. 

Would highly recommend Syria, Damascus is one of the culturally richest cites in the world. Its absolutely beautiful and they locals are wonderful. Be prepared to bargain in the souk though!


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## batty (9 Jul 2009)

I worked in Syria for 2 years & as a woman would suggest that in certain areaa women need to wear very conservative clothes, no flesh showing, as in long sleeve teeshirts with high necks & trousers.  

Wore trousers & a shirt with elbow length sleeves & was shouted at, shoved & pushed in the street in Damas.  Obviously the sight of my very erotic wrists!!    Very interesting place though.


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## mooney76 (10 Jul 2009)

you need a visa for syria, just checked on www.migration.ie visa checker


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## Rois (10 Jul 2009)

My ex went on hols there recently.  PM me if you would like to have a chat to him about it in more detail, but he absolutely loved it.


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## Purple (13 Jul 2009)

Rois said:


> My ex went on hols there recently.  PM me if you would like to have a chat to him about it in more detail, but he absolutely loved it.



Thanks.


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## Shiraz (15 Jul 2009)

Hi,
sorry to hijack thread, but I'm going to Syria in a couple of weeks, and since I'm going alone, does anyone know any websites where you could hook up with other travellers, or websites which suggest things-to-do in different places?
Thanks


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## Lex Foutish (15 Jul 2009)

Sounds like a great place to go, Purple. Would love to immerse myself in the history and culture of Syria for a few weeks.

And it looks like Syria is about to become America's newest best friend!!! I saw President Assad's wife, Asma Akhras, being interviewed on Sky lately. A very impressive and confident young woman and capable of holding her own with anyone on the world stage, both intellectually and charmingly.







I wouldn't trust her husband as far as I'd throw him, though!!!!!!!!!


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## Shiraz (20 Aug 2009)

Hi Purple,
I'm just back from a couple of weeks in Syria, and definitely recommend it.
The people are so nice and friendly - every day walking down the street many pedestrians said "Welcome" as I passed. There were no issues atall about dress - I usually wore 3/4 length trousers and a t-shirt and received no negative comments or hisses.
In Damascus, the Umayyad mosque is very nice to visit. When I was there, many kids and women came up for a chat. I only have about 50 words of Arabic, but we managed to chat for about an hour! They were really interested to see photos on my camera of my life back home - e.g. house, nieces and nephews etc, so it's a good idea to have some photos on your camera. The Iranian mosque is also spectacular and a must-see. 
Other places worth going to are Aleppo for the mosque, souk and citadel; another town called Hama has a nice atmosphere and has famous water-wheels which feed the aquaduct; Krak de Chevaliers and the Dead Cities are also interesting, but my favourite place was Palmyra. The ruins are 2000 years old and just amazingly preserved.
Overall it was great, and felt very safe. It is a huge help to speak some arabic, so its a good idea to learn some useful phrases, though most people involved in the tourist industry will speak basic english. Its easy to get around too, and the roads are better than the roads at home!
If there are any specifics I could help with, drop me a PM.
Shiraz.


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## Purple (20 Aug 2009)

Thnaks Shiraz, I will do that closer to the time.


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## Sumatra (21 Aug 2009)

Purple, I wonder if it would be worth considering doing an open jaw in to Damascus and out of Amman that way you'd also get to see Petra.


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## khairabar (22 Feb 2010)

Spursman, "why wud you go there?"  What an extraordinary question! 
People, reputedly the friendliest in the world. History, which dates back to the beginning of civilisation. Culture, art and architecture, which testify to man's past achievements.  Oh and, Damascus, just the oldest inhabited city on earth. 
It has been said that "every learned man has two homes - his own, and Syria". Why wud you not go there?


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## khairabar (22 Feb 2010)

hi shiraz,
just saw your post #16 re trip to Syria. I have similar planned for April this year (2010), what you describe is exactly what I am expecting and looking forward to, based on what I know about the country. Reading your description, it is almost like being there already. 
Wonder have you (or any one else out there ?) any help with the issue of getting a visa? I am having some trouble with the application form (especially now that the Irish passport has been seriously compromised by that awful Israeli/Mossad business and the fake Irish passports) and I am anxious not to scupper my chances by making a wrong answer. Feel I may be in line for more questions than usual, as (a) I am going alone, (b) I have no "letter from current employer". Interested if you can help with this, and/or other advice/warnings based on your own experience. Ditto questions for Lebanon if you can help there either.

thx even if you can't help tho,
kb


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## igy (23 Feb 2010)

I spent 8 weeks there last year working, and would definitely recommend it for a visit, there didn't seem to be many Irish tourists, though I did see a few ex-pats, and there's a decent number of UK tourists in large-ish groups (and a few backpackers too). 
Definitely agree on the people being very friendly, and it's a very interesting place to visit that not many other people from Ireland are likely to see.

I didn't see very much outside Damascus though, as I was working most of the time, but I'd love to visit Palmyra someday. Damascus is also within easy travelling time of both Jordan and Lebanon if you want to visit those too, though I'm not sure about the visa situation


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## BCPK (23 Mar 2010)

Hey, 
this all sounds great but i want to ask a stupid question of sorts. I travel to the US frequently with work and was wondering if any of the people who have syria stamped on their passports were subject to additional questioning at immigration? Could do without the hassle. Cheers


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## EvilDoctorK (24 Mar 2010)

I strongly doubt it would be an issue - I've never had any more than a super cursory glance at my passport stamps entering the US (which I do pretty frequently) and I've got lots of weird stamps in it - though not Syria  ... In my experience the official is usually flicking through to find a blank page (annoying habit they have of using blank pages)


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## canicemcavoy (24 Mar 2010)

Great place to visit; Aleppo especially, but try to get out to see some of the old Roman cities, especially Palmyra. Not many tourists, but this makes the trip more specially - visiting the castle in Aleppo, the only other visitors were schoolkids on a day out; we got a neverending chorus of "Hello hello hello".


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## batty (24 Mar 2010)

BCPK said:


> Hey,
> this all sounds great but i want to ask a stupid question of sorts. I travel to the US frequently with work and was wondering if any of the people who have syria stamped on their passports were subject to additional questioning at immigration? Could do without the hassle. Cheers


 
I travelled often to  Syria (& Libya).  Never had a problem with hassle at US Immigration.  Was asked at immigration what I did for a living sooooo tempted to say international terrorist but desisted.


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## stephen1381 (3 Aug 2010)

Just wondering if anyone here has experience crossing into Syria from Jordan without getting a visa first, I heard its possible to do for Irish citizens.


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## canicemcavoy (3 Aug 2010)

stephen1381 said:


> Just wondering if anyone here has experience crossing into Syria from Jordan without getting a visa first, I heard its possible to do for Irish citizens.


 
Considering the five-hour wait we had at Syria when on a package tour with all visas already sorted, I'd be wary of not having a visa and turning up.


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## stephen1381 (4 Aug 2010)

Yeah I know its a risk but I'm in Jordan now and you have to be a permanent resident to get a visa from the Syrian embassy here in Amman


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## khairabar (8 Aug 2010)

I went to Syria/Lebanon earlier this year.  The official position is that you can get a visa at point f entry into Syria if (and only if) your country of residence as no Syrian embassy.  As this is the case with Ireland, officially you should get it.  I got a visa prior thru the embassy in UK and there was nearly an hour delay at Damascus, so you probably should go early in the day and if you are prepared to be patient Syria is more than worth whatever trouble it costs - just go there.  I took three weeks there and will never forget it.  There are (relatively) few tourists, so an attractive destination, and a huge welcome nearly everywhere - but beware your shoes may be stolen in the mosque, hold onto them unlike me!  The only hassle I found was at the exit point at the Lebanon border which was a huge delay what with all the paperwork and departure formalities, tax etc.
kb


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