Tag Archives: Aleppo
Monday Morning Blues – The Great Mosque, Aleppo, Syria.
Our hearts & prayers go out to the victims of the devastating earthquake in Syria & Turkey. The affected region in Syria has suffered so much for over a decade and now this. Heartbreaking.
Syria Before The Conflict Part 7, The People
Now I have come to the end of my posts on my 2009 tour of Syria it is time to consider the people who I came across. I have purposely concentrated on the Syria that I saw on the trip – fantastic history, fabulous architecture and wonderful people. As I now often reflect on what […]
Syria Before The Conflict Part Two, Castles & Monasteries
Aleppo had proved to be a superb host city, but this did not stop us from going on a couple of full on day trips by private taxi. First up was St Simeon’s Monastery, some 30km north. St Simeon is the guy who legend has it was driven up the pole! Simeon the Stylite lived […]
Syria Before The Conflict – Part One, Aleppo
After our long journey by land from Istanbul (see previous posts) our taxi dropped us off at the iconic Hotel Baron. The famous colonial style classic had been frequented by the likes of Agatha Christie, Charlie Chaplin and Winston Churchill in the past and with its marble staircase & floors and wood panels the hotel […]
Tuesday Train Journey – Aleppo to Latakia, in Syria
This year every Tuesday I will be recounting an overseas train journey. It could be a short hop or a long-distance overnighter. Every journey is special to me – the greatest way to travel by far. In 2009 I was extremely fortunate to visit Syria where first stop was Aleppo, which remains my favourite city […]
The Syrian Conflict – Ten Years of Misery for Millions of Innocent Children
UNICEF have just sent me an email to remind me that the conflict in Syria will now been tragically going on for precisely a decade as of Monday. This is what they have sent me: Powerful stuff. Ten years. TEN YEARS! Close your eyes and imagine yourself ten years ago and then think of your […]
My Top Ten Big Cities Outside Europe – #1, Aleppo, Syria
Aleppo, Syria – population 1.8 million (estimated) Vying with Damascus to be the oldest continually inhabited city in the world (6,000 years and still counting despite the recent devastation), Aleppo became my favourite from the moment that we met in May 2009. I had travelled by train from Istanbul to Adana in Turkey and then […]
My Favourite Travel Photos – 1 to 5
I am completing my favourite travel photos with my famous five, the quintet that I (currently) love the most. Hotel Baron, Aleppo, Syria This photo signifies so much. Hamish and I travelled to Syria overland from Istanbul by train, bus and taxi in May 2009. This was actually the third time of trying to get […]
A-Z April Challenge (Cities Visited) – A For Aleppo
As many of you may know, Aleppo is my favourite city I have ever visited. We all know the fate that befell this metropolis inhabited for the past 6,000 years that is situated on the ancient Silk Road. I won’t dwell on the horrendous occurrences of the last 9 years though, but will show things […]
