Many blog entries, particularly photo posts, are designed to inspire others to visit a particular place. This one is a definite exception. No tourist is likely to being visiting Aleppo anytime soon. As I heard the depressing news from Syria I looked back at my photos of our trip there in 2009. Our happy memories are now tinged with sadness and fear for the city and its people.

At the time of writing Aleppo stands on the brink. The destruction of the city and the massacre of its civilian population is widely predicted. It may be a long time before tourists can ever visit Aleppo again and when they do, it may look very different to how it does in these photos. No-one can say what will happen to Aleppo but it’s reasonable to fear the worst.

Recent visits to Sarajevo and Cambodia remind me that places do emerge from the other side of hell and people eventually become neighbours again with their recent mortal enemies. The tragedy is that the lessons of these horrors are not learned and the cycle of bloodbaths around the world continue.

So I give you a selection of pictures from the city of Aleppo, taken in happier times. I hope the city’s inhabitants are soon again able to offer tourists the warm welcome we enjoyed and for which we remain grateful.

Aleppo Citadel after a fierce spring storm

16th century gateway to the Citadel busy with tourists

Entrance to the Citadel

Enjoying the view from the Citadel. The hill has been inhabited since the 3rd century BC

Theatre within the Citadel

Elaborate interior rooms in the Citadel

Stunning ceilings of the Ayyubid Palace within the Citadel

The domes of the Hammam

Aleppo Citadel by night

Satellite dishes in Aleppo

Shopping in the souk in the old town of Aleppo

Syrian Catholic Church in Aleppo

Dinner (cherry kebabs) in the courtyard of a beautiful 17th century Aleppo house

Postcards from Aleppo in happier times is a post from: 501 Places

Easter Celebrations, Damascus

It might not be the most obvious place to celebrate Easter, but the chances are that this most important date in the Christian calendar has been marked in Damascus for more years than in almost any other city. Syria has a large Christian minority and as we happened to be in Damascus last year over the Easter weekend we were able to observe a part of the celebrations, albeit by chance.

The Eastern Orthodox church, to which the majority of Syrian Christians belong, celebrates Easter one week after the feast is marked in western Europe. As a result we had arrived in Damascus unaware of the significance of the date. We had spent Easter Sunday in Beirut and had seen no suggestion of any religious celebrations. On the following day we chose to wander through the old Damascene streets, enjoying the sounds, sights and above all the wonderful aromas that tempt from every corner.

Syrian Scouts' parade, Damascus

Having wandered through the Christian quarter and being almost ready for lunch, we were making our way towards the central area when we heard the heavy beating of drums and the chanting of crowds in the distance. With the words of all government advisories about steering clear of any public demonstrations ringing in our ears, we set off to investigate.

It took a while to find the source of all this noise, but as we approached a large church in the centre of the old city we saw thousands of people observing and taking part in a large parade. Leading the parade were what appeared to be a troop of scouts, carrying the national flag alongside other unrecognisable standards. The atmosphere was one of boisterous celebration, and it was a noisy but enjoyable spectacle to step into. We watched the parade for several minutes as they filed in a haphazard way into the church.

Al Khawali, Damascus

By that time we were more than ready for lunch, and stumbled across an old Damascene house that had been converted into a superb restaurant.

Syria was full of such surprises for us, and the easy mingling of its Christian and Muslim populations is somewhat at odds with the poor reputation it suffers in the west. But then how often do we travel to a country that is considered risky by many, and find tolerance, open arms and warm hospitality?

Related post: Old Damascus – a place to lose yourself

Easter in Syria is a post from: 501 Places