Aleppo: the Islamic Cultural Capital

  Aleppo, Syria
Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Another of those exotic Middle Eastern locations you've heard about in the epics is Syria's northern city, Aleppo. I'd heard good reports from other travellers so it was with some enthusiasm that I headed off from Hama one sunny Monday in another great value $1.50 bus.


The enthusiasm was short-lived however as we cruised into town three hours later. A drizzly rain had swept in and was setting an ominous tone. I scampered through wet streets vainly in search of foreign exchange as half the shops were closed for no apparent reason. Finding a bank or even food was difficult. Boo.





Evening came and the rain lifted. Once again Syria's propensity for lighting things up prevailed and made the parks in the north west of the city centre very pleasant to wander. Compared to Damascus however this place had an underlying tension - stares from the locals were vaguely threatening and a little disconcerting. At least I found some food.



Aleppo's main attractions are the great covered Souqs, similar to those in Damascus but with ancient arched ceilings that give them a unique and homely feel. Many are extensions of the grand 'Khan' buildings - the fortified inn cum store room cum trading house used throughout the centuries by travelling caravans of salesmen and that have become permanent shopping malls, albeit very Arab in nature, in contemporary times.



Seeing as though I'm not a great shopper I moved on from these areas pretty quickly, past Assad at his monument and great hulking doors that have stoically defended their inhabitants throughout the ages. Another great Umayyid mosque, ten years the junior of its Damascene brother, beckoned as I made my way back eastwards but I didn't go inside as it didn't seem appropriate at the time - there was a bit of shrieking and wailing going on within.



The Citadel is certainly the most visible of Aleppo's attractions, a massive and widely moated stone hill which would have been extremely difficult to assail due to the 45 degree paved slopes that lead up to it. Huge wooden doors in the southern gate date back to the 12th century and ablaq style masonry again features prominently in the restored sections of outer wall and internal town.



Inside there is not much to see but the obscured remains of a palace, the maze of above and underground ruins that surrounded it, and a more recently built mosque. But it's the view you come to see and the extent of this second city is made obvious from such vantage points. Whilst surveying the domains a cute young lady called Jasmine passed by and told me how handsome I am, asking whether I am married and talking for a while about her studies in English Literature, which was a good stoke of the ego and a definite mood enhancer.



Plunging into the sprawl yet again I headed to my first Insane Asylum of the trip. Not as a patient mind you, just to tour the extremely narrow passageways and tiny barred cells that line small fountained courtyards. The two young self appointed 'guides' tailing me around the sanatorium almost robbed me of my sanity and due to their complete lack of knowledge or English, but I got the drift that it was built in the mid 14th century AD and housed both male and female patients who howled in their darkened cells in between water treatments. I doubt either would have helped their state of mind.



Hungering for more than a shewarma (shaved chicken roll) or felafel (pea based vege roll) I headed to the Christian Quarter to see if I could find a half decent restaurant. This is an interesting area of narrow laneways punctuated by rhombus shaped squares and the very occasional church. It's now the yuppie quarter of town, if there is such a thing in the Arab world.

All I wanted to do was spend $5-10 on a semi-healthy meal that actually filled me up, but it wasn't to be. There is some swanky boutique hotels in the district built in the old courtyard centred houses of a bygone era, but the French restaurants attached to these looked a shade above my budget. 'If you have to ask how much it is you probably can't afford it' and the steaks with French names on the menu fitted well and truly into that category. I left salivating and resorted to the street food once again.

Maybe I missed something but Aleppo was a little disappointing all told. This self proclaimed 'Centre of Islamic Culture' didn't really live up to its name and the facilities certainly don't make for an easy stay. Syria has been a great stop on my journey but the north of the country isn't a highlight, so on to Turkey I now venture.

Next entry -> ?

Great Brands of the World - Syria

Syria is a lot like Myanmar in this regard - the McDonalds and Coca Colas of this world are not welcome and there's a range of local substitutes that are locally produced to fill the void and satisfy Syria's highly nationalistic streak.

There's some interesting options in food and beverage but like most dictatorships the real money is invested in promoting the leadership's own brand. Here it is difficult to go more than five minutes without seeing the portraits of the Assads somewhere - be it a billboard, the posters in pretty well every shop window, or stickers on the back of almost every bus and car that pootles around the country.



Their swarthy likenesses cut an impressive figure indeed and I particularly like the macho one of Assad junior in full military attire defending the lingerie shop at the top of this entry. At a basic level though, the proliferation of these images certainly reminds locals and visitors alike who is boss and who means real business around here.