Comments on: Easter in Syria http://www.501places.com/2010/04/easter-in-syria/ Sharing the world with you Fri, 29 Oct 2010 18:15:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Andy Jarosz http://www.501places.com/2010/04/easter-in-syria/#comment-4176 Andy Jarosz Mon, 05 Apr 2010 07:04:49 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=2516#comment-4176 Gwen, thanks for the greetings and a Happy Easter to you too. Glad to hear you've not shied away from visiting some great places for the sake of a bit of bad press. So often when we've arrived in a place where a poor reputation precedes, it's hard to equate that negative perception with the reality. Laura, have a wonderful time in Jordan! Stephen, glad you liked Syria too and thanks for sharing the link. I was fascinated by your account of following St Paul's trail through Damascus. Gwen, thanks for the greetings and a Happy Easter to you too. Glad to hear you’ve not shied away from visiting some great places for the sake of a bit of bad press. So often when we’ve arrived in a place where a poor reputation precedes, it’s hard to equate that negative perception with the reality.

Laura, have a wonderful time in Jordan!

Stephen, glad you liked Syria too and thanks for sharing the link. I was fascinated by your account of following St Paul’s trail through Damascus.

]]> By: Stephen http://www.501places.com/2010/04/easter-in-syria/#comment-4162 Stephen Mon, 05 Apr 2010 00:02:21 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=2516#comment-4162 Great post. Thanks. Syria is such a wonderful place to travel. The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable. And it's a great destination for Christian pilgrims too. I wrote this article about St. Paul's journey to Damascus: http://gomadnomad.com/2009/11/15/on-the-road-to-damascus/ Great post. Thanks. Syria is such a wonderful place to travel. The people are incredibly friendly and hospitable. And it’s a great destination for Christian pilgrims too.

I wrote this article about St. Paul’s journey to Damascus: http://gomadnomad.com/2009/11/15/on-the-road-to-damascus/

]]> By: Laura http://www.501places.com/2010/04/easter-in-syria/#comment-4148 Laura Sun, 04 Apr 2010 11:51:24 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=2516#comment-4148 I'm in Madaba, Jordan today, where the majority of Christians are Greek Orthodox as well. Had no idea they celebrate Easter a week later, so thanks for the info! I’m in Madaba, Jordan today, where the majority of Christians are Greek Orthodox as well. Had no idea they celebrate Easter a week later, so thanks for the info!

]]> By: Gwen McCauley http://www.501places.com/2010/04/easter-in-syria/#comment-4144 Gwen McCauley Sun, 04 Apr 2010 10:48:21 +0000 http://www.501places.com/?p=2516#comment-4144 Ah, the call of a parade! Beyond the sound of drums and the noise of voices, don't you find that there's a curious energy generated by large groups of celebrating people ...there's a magnetic quality that draws you to it, travel advisories and warnings be damned! This sounds like a totally fun experience, Andy. Thanks for sharing. And you are right, often the experience 'on the ground' is different from what experts tell us it is. My first trip to Portugal was right between two revolutions. I saw only 1 soldier in the month I was there. Plus I made 2 trips to Belfast at the height of The Troubles in the late 70's. For certain it was clear that it was a dangerous place and you had to have your wits about you. But it was very interesting to see how people managed to get on with their lives in spite of all of the very real restrictions they needed to live with. Happy Easter however you are celebrating it this year. Gwen McCauley Ah, the call of a parade! Beyond the sound of drums and the noise of voices, don’t you find that there’s a curious energy generated by large groups of celebrating people …there’s a magnetic quality that draws you to it, travel advisories and warnings be damned!

This sounds like a totally fun experience, Andy. Thanks for sharing.

And you are right, often the experience ‘on the ground’ is different from what experts tell us it is. My first trip to Portugal was right between two revolutions. I saw only 1 soldier in the month I was there. Plus I made 2 trips to Belfast at the height of The Troubles in the late 70′s. For certain it was clear that it was a dangerous place and you had to have your wits about you.

But it was very interesting to see how people managed to get on with their lives in spite of all of the very real restrictions they needed to live with.

Happy Easter however you are celebrating it this year.

Gwen McCauley

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