Baron Hotel Aleppo

Just arrived in Aleppo after an overnight bus ride from Goreme to Antakya and then a 4 hour bus across the border into Syria. The border crossingh was a simple affair and we got to try some very strong, bitter coffee that our new french travel buddies bought us (we managed to spend our last Lira on the bus tickets - right down to the penny!). Our french buddies then delivered us to our Hotel before disappearing into the crowds... We are staying at the Hotel Baron, a leftover from former Briti...

We crossed the Syrian border at about lunchtime, an experience that began with a great deal of trepidation traversing a mine field and ended with a couple of very polite and welcoming moustachioed Syrian customs officials making us tea and arranging someone's brother to give us a lift into Aleppo.

In Aleppo we opted to stay at the Baron Hotel. This place is legendary and deserves the highest reputation. Numerous persons of importance have stayed at this elegant, historical Armenian own...

I certainly believe people who say Qal'at at al Husn (also known as Crac de Chevaliers) is the best castle in the world. First, a historical perspective: This is a strategic location, controlling something called the "Homs Gap"; essentially, the only place to come though the mountains between, say, Turkey and Beirut. The first castle was built in 1031, but in 1110 the Crusaders took the fort. And by take the fort, I mean there wasn't a lot of fort left by the time they finished. So they built...

Well, we're in luck! Syria (at least Aleppo) is technologically with the times! (The whole computer thing is relatively new here.) Even an English keyboard! Yahoo! We arrived at the bus depot in Antakya just before 9 am; Phyllis and Marty were already there. They had still be unable to get tickets when Marty walked here in the pouring rain last night, but there was no problem this morning. I'm not sure why they had so much difficulty when we had none. While we waited for the bus to depart (it...

We spent a good part of a day crossing the border from Turkey to Syria. There were no actual problems, they just like to take their time. We camped the first night in someones big garden just over the border. It was also right by a mosque which was really not cool when we got the call to prayer at 3am. From there we headed to Aleppo and had a walking tour of the old part of town, including the amazing moated citadel on the hill. They have really interesting souks (markets) that aren't tourist...