Bucureşti

(This is Bucarest in Romanian language)

One more day of going around the city. I had the feeling of missing arabic language, may be because I'm not having time seems a couple of month for writings and readings... I've got one book from Abdel Rahim Mounif, hope I'll finish it during this trip. Yesterday evening I was writing my diary in french as I used to do then I switched into arabic, feeling sad because I just realized that the first reason of my choice to live in Syria (as getting more and more closer to the language) is may be not anymore fulfil thanks to teaching french and speaking more in french than arabic. If I was writing this post only six month ago, I would say that learning arabic is hard and long but you will succeed... I'm not anymore convinced: Not of course for the daily life and any kind of talks in dialects but about classical arabic! Why? May be because my brains are already too old for memorizing all the words and language structures? Cause I feel that I'll never be on 'intimacy' with the language. May be it is because my culture is too far from the middle east culture and after going around the mediterranean regions for so many years*, I may finally found out that it is not possible to integrate all the cultures and be a member of each society? Not even if I am open-mind and enough adaptable to live among many different society? May this all life-long feeling of being always ready to listen and understand all human kind have been only a fantasy? Did I was only feeling what I wanted to think instead of really analyse what I was expecting to fulfil? Is all this was only confident autosuggestion to be straight right in a clear and realistic path? Is the use of foreign languages only acting in an other language instead of living on it as a native speaker? I feel a kind of vacuum, it is may be just because I let my minds going as far as my look is watching at this romanian capital through the filter of my missed arabic mindless feeling? Not sure, but this melancholic introspection is great to be instinctively done during this 'detachment from the daily life' trip even if it could be distructive, disrupting the path of my thoughts and ambitions? Arabic was not only a 'project', a language to speak in but also a new way of expression, a other kind of opportunity to understand the others and put myself into some contribution of the middle east social life? Is this impossible? Do I have to follow all the rules of the eastern life to be able of being a part of it? Do I have to marry somebody to feel I 'married the language' as I felt this intimacy in olther languages?

I had the feeling now of not loosing a religion I never had but may be loosing a bit of myself, I desire it but I'm not convinced that it is going to be productive. As usual, I would forget all of these thoughts when I'll return to my regular syrian life. It is may be just a kind of self brain-washing, a necessary reload into myself?

Let's see if I have more expectancy in the streets of Bucarest.

I'm walking to the north, I want to have a look on the lakes I saw on the city map.

*may be somthing like 7 years?

Bucarest

One more time hanging around middle east...this time in Romania, with the feeling that it is not so far away from all the surroundings already visited! One complete day walking around the city gave me a nice impression of the capital with a finest architecture and in the same time a urban map quite 'Russians' with huge large avenue. People seems to like talking with the foreigner even if they don't smile.
I liked the history museum with a piece of a huge roman pillar project that wanted to be a copy of the one in Rome but have been abandoned. So, I did not so anything about the revolution post-communist, only the square of the 26th December 1989.
Bad point: I guess we are still near to the M-E way of swindle about the prices...
Many french people visits this city and many Romanian speaks french.
Here the language seems to me a mix between Latin and Slavic sounds...

Slumfe صلمفة

A trekking so well-organized in the north of Syria next to a resort village of Slumfe صلمفة :
The rules was strictly respected : (And this is a point in which I say how proud am I that I've been walking in the nature land in middle east with a perfect respect for the natural reserve!!)
-Forbidden to through paper's and to smoke : everybody respected it during the 10 hours of the trekking and some people used our plastic bags to take of the rare papers we found out around the nature trail!
In the north of Lattaquieh, this natural reserve is a treasury: a whole Lebanese cedar forest with thousand types of birds, insects and flowers, worthy of note!

Deir Mar Musa

Deir Mar Musa is located in the middle of the desert, almost hidden within the mountains offering you a wonderful view on a semi-deserted valley (by night, you will see many lights from villages you won’t expected by the day!). Of course the atmosphere is pure as the billions of starlight attest it after the dawn. It is an Eastern Christian monastery in which the monk follows an ancestral syriac rite (they fell prostrate to the lord in a way that look like the Islamic rite and all the praying time is done sitting on carpets). It has an interesting well-furnished library about religions but also with history, philosophy, sciences and a bit of news. Deir means monastery in Arabic. This one has something special because it allows people to take part of the monastery life by providing them with food and place to sleep in return for a small contribution to the daily activities of the monastery : harvesting olives, almond; cleaning the rooms or the dishes; helping to cook, etc… This initiative include dialogue of religions as non-Christians peoples also join the community.The idea is nice but in fact it’s quite tricky for example during the eid-al-fth (3 days celebration by the end of Ramadan) many people came and disturb the monastic atmosphere, don’t respect the rules (no smoking, silence during the meditation and the prayer time, participating in the works on the morning). I’m curious to know the real Deir Mar Musa on winter…

Eastern culture in Europe?

If I was ethnologist I guess I would like to analyze 2 geographical areas: Mediterranean and Middle-East. Leaving for about one year in Syria, I had one month break time in Greece and I felt quite impressed by cultural similarities between the 2 countries. I’ve already been to Turkey in 2005 so I was not surprise by founding something similar with Syria, both countries being located at the ‘geographical east’ (beyond the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles straight) but I was not expecting it in Greece*. These details are first of all feelings that I tried to understand and I found some tangible examples: About the general behavior of the people, family is the central reference inside the society. For example, as the Muslims Syrian’s have their important family time during the Ramadan, the Greek orthodox have a strong family customs with the Easter. I saw also this typical ‘family company’ in which I recognize both Syrians and Greeks when I enter a shop and everybody working is from the same family.
Some more fine details like when I saw a complete family bringing her 20 years old son in the bus station and the mother cry (Greece, Turkey) or on the airport a complete family wait for some familiar and everybody cry when they arrive (Damascus).
- In the style of the food like with the Mezze**
- Then there's objects like the Komboloi (Greek), Misbaha (Arabic), Tespih (Turkish) that Armenians have also.

*I may also should not have forget that Greece was under the Ottoman empire! They may have interfered inside the societies rules, it is of course not only about ottoman red hat (Fez)…
**Many little dishes on the table at the diner time

Banyas-Hamidiye

It is always a pleasure to be on the seaside of a country, specially for fans of the Mediterranean Sea and when you live in a city like Damascus and you need a break from the desert weather...and it's 4O°C!

Tartous is not very beautiful on it's new part, I only like the old city build in a top of a ancient fortress.

In Banyas, fisherman are so friendly, they offer us to stay for 2 days for nothing. They are strong gays, with nice muscles, this is not a myth! I like the way they all wear black shirt that let you enjoy their strong athletic bodies until the shoulders... We had the chance to go fishing with them, taking up the fish to the surface after 15m diving.

Hamidiye is a little village on the sea side were all the people are from Greece. The thing is that they only know that they are from Crete and they live here since 120 years but they don't know more about their history. The 4th generation is still able to understand Greek but it's harder for them to speak. 4rd and 2nd generation speak fluently Greek but they don't know how to read. The Greek they speak is kind of old country side dialect but understandable from Greek inhabitants.

Beirut

We lovely days in Beirut after the new president came. We enjoy to have time with happy lebanese.

Click here to see the pix.

Cairo

Publishing pictures of Cairo... post will come soon!

Suez

31/04/08

- Suez -
This is a small city with a peaceful centre; Egypt is famous for its coffee place Suez is enjoyable for it.
If you look with attention the picture (on the picasa album) of the church you will notice that it is abandoned.

- Suez – Cairo -
The trip between Suez and Cairo is just in the middle of a sand desert with mountains.

Sinaï

30/04/08

- From Aqaba to Nuweibaa -

From Jordan (Aqaba) to Egypt (Nuweibaa), we took the boat after many time lost in Aqaba, changing money and asking for Visa in the Egyptian consulate. This day was only a long trip, so you know now that, with some chance, you can make Wadi Musa (Petra) to Suez (Egypt) from 6 a.m. until midnight by bus / boat / microbus… But don’t remember something that nobody will tell you: You have to stamp your passport for the Egyptian border entry at board!

- Sinaï -

From the east sea-side of Egypt to west cost of the Sinai, a bewitched and silent desert seems to be lived only by Egyptian army checkpoints, I strained my eyes but I did not see any animals! It’s a kind of black hole by night, you feel on the moon, losing human life from the last summer camp on the east sea-side: Suez city and border coast appear as the first human lights after all of this black out! I love Sinai by night. I was thinking a lot about all guys travelling in this little service, running as fast as it could to reach Cairo as soon as possible, on this Wednesday evening many of them was surely going back from their work – on the luxury summer camps or on the Nuweiba harbour – to their home…On that thoughts, I already figurate out that Egypt is third world…

PETRA in deep

29/04/08
- Al-Siq -
Al-Siq is 1207m long and 3 to 16m wide. It is a natural gorge of spectacular geological formation, which the Nabataeans widened in parts by carving out the rock. Paved in 1st century BC, the siq served as the Nabataeans religious processional passageway into Petra. Ancient remains in situ at the entrance signify that there once stood a monumental arch. Excavations have uncovered relief sculptures of a camel caravan and numerous niches with baetyls carved in relief and sculpted monolithic stones dedicated to Nabataeans gods, in particular al-Uzza, the goddess of fertility. The Nabataeans and Romans sustained their sophisticated civilisation through skilful water management that included advanced hydraulic systems to control the flow of water. On either side of the Siq are water channels with basins. The southern channel is hollowed out of the rock and was originally covered by sandstone and limestone slabs to prevent evaporation and contamination. The northern channel was made interlocking terracotta pipes, parts of which can still be seen in situ.

- Al-Khazna -
(Pharaoh's Treasury)
It is the most perfect façade in Petra. It is situated at the end of the Siq, with a height of 39.5m. The lower level is decorated with 6 Corinthian capitals that are spanned by a frieze of griffins and vases among scrolls. A vegetation goddess is carved in the central tympanum. The upper order consists of a central kiosk decorated with the relief of Isis and flanked by dancing Amazons and Victories. The kiosk is crowned by a capital supporting a funerary urn that was supposed to conceal Pharaoh's treasures according to local tradition. Although the original function is still a mystery, the Khazna is believed by many Archaeologists to be the mausoleum of King Aretas IV (9BC-AD40). Recently, three Nabataeans tombs were uncovered below the Khazna. They belong to the end of the first century BC. The original ground floor is under the present floor.

- Al-Dayr -
It is one the largest monuments in Petra, measuring 47m wide by 48,3m high. It was built on the model of Khazna but here the bas-reliefs are replaced by niches to house sculptures. A columned portico extends in front of the facade. The interior is occupied by two side benches and an altar against the rear wall. It was used as a biclinium for the meetings of religious associations, and dates to the early 2nd century AD, during the reign of King Rabel II. In the Byzantine period, the hall was reused as a Christian chapel and crosses were carved in the rear wall, thus the name "Monastery" (Dayr in Arabic).

- The Lion Biclinium -
It is located on the way to al-Dayr, and is so-called because of 2 lions carved on both sides of the entrance. The facade is decorated with a frieze of triglyphs and metopes, with the head of Medusa at each end. There are 2 benches inside and a baetyl in a niche is carved to the left of the doorway.





Click Here for the complete album of Petra

Jordan

Only one objective for this first 2 days (29th and 30th of April 08) trip to Jordan: PETRA. This is a wonderful place but you have to get to the site at the opening time (6 a.m.) if you want to enjoy the real Petra, I mean without all the stupid tourists (the worst type I saw in my life: they did not have any respect for the beauty of the place, they don’t care about the country – I don’t understand when people walk half naked in the middle of a desert? Are we in a Mediterranean club? – and there are extremely noisy for a natural place like Petra).

What about Jordanians? so short time to make a point of view! But I felt a stronger ‘desert’ temperament, at least from the appearance. Accent is deeper and people seems to be more stressed (time is money; our taxi driver was kissing money when I gave him back some too much change by mistake). I had a different feeling with Bedouins, they seems to me quiet as the desert. About the language, I did not have any specific problem to understand Jordanians, the dialect is the ‘chamy*’ one with a deeper accent and some different expressions. Bedouins from Petra have a different dialect than people I met in Amman. I was just a bit sad when I notice that the Bedouins prefer to speak to me in English with a perfect American accent than listening to my Fushra**. But it is also true that they speak a hardly understandable Arabic for a novice in dialects like me…

In 1985, Petra was inscribed on the World Heritage List of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Inscription on this list confirms the exceptional universal value of a cultural or natural site that deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity. Petra, as the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, thrived as an important trading post on the international Spice Route, serving a crossroad between Arabia, Egypt, Palestine, Syria-Phoenicia, India, China and the Mediterranean Basin. Nestled within intricate geological formations of mountains and gorges are the impressive tombs that the Nabataean carved out of the sandstone rock faces. Nabataean, Romans and Byzantines built the city of Petra from the 2nd century BC to the 5th century AD. Whilst the architectural façades of the tombs are a harmonious blend of ancient Assyrian, Egyptian, Hellenistic and Roman styles, archaeological excavations in Petra have brought to light that the city itself survived well into the Byzantine period.

*From Cham: approx. between Palestine and Iraq, with south Syria and north Jordan.
**classic Arabic

Click here to watch pictures

Masyaf

We visit Masiaf city and these mountains. This is a very different city from 'bilad aa-cham' (Damascus), you feel the long history of the Assassin Creed that had his main syrian place in Masyaf! People have a quite different culture from the capital.

See some of Angelica's pictures.

Links about Masyaf :
- In English
- In French

Wedding in Masyaf

After 2 wedding experiences in Damascus (See also old posts by clicking 2007), the countryside wedding was a pleasure. This wedding was with boy and girls. The wedding party is after the groom and the bride went to the cheirkh to be married following the religion rites. During the party, the groom and the bride sit on the center of the hall like a king and his queen. They enjoy their guest dancing in front of them and they participate sometimes. The most important thing is the Dabbke dance specially in the countryside....see the pictures HERE. In the middle of the party, there is a break in which the women of the family go next to the bride and the groom give her the jewels.
An other important thing is that there is no alcohol, so we went buy some and have to hide it under the table and mixing with some cola. The strange thing is that, after a while, all the guys wanted some of our forbidden whisky...

Access all the pictures.

Level 5

Sorry to everybody that was expecting news...
I am now in the 5th level of the University of Damascus and I have so much to study to keep my minds up to date with the Classic Arabic (Fusrah, like 'correct') that I left a bit the blog. I have been very sick for one week in end of december. I also had some problems with my flat. I moved to Mezze Jebel (Like 'mountain of Mezze') with Anaïs and Fadi.
After the 5th level, I'll make a break of 2 months with the University. I have to practice all the grammar and vocabulary we learn in a so short time. I am thinking in taking private classes. My mother will also visit me in April for 3 weeks to visit Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt. These are the 2 reasons for a smart break! The last exam of this level will be within one week.

PS: You can still check all the old post by clicking on 2007 in Blog Archive.

Armenia

This trip is a short escape from the Arabic world to the Caucasus. We travelled in 3, Marius (Netherlands), Pelle (Danish) and me. Armenia is an interesting country because its Christian Apostolic country hooked between Muslims countries as Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Iran and also because they had to fight during centuries to keep their lands as we still see with the Kharabagh conflict.

If you are looking for more information about Armenia, I advise you:

http://www.armeniapedia.org/index.php?title=Main_Page

(Click on the name of places to access my pictures)

17/11/07

-Yerevan-

We visit the unique mosque of Armenia (the blue mosque), housed by Iranian Shi’a and the most important spot of the city as:

• The Obelisk of the 50 years of the soviet Armenia;
• The Central theatre and opera;
• The republic square;
• The Central market and some churches.

All details on: Churches and monasteries of Armenia

18/11/07

-Edjmiatzin-

In the morning, we take a bus to the city of Edjmiatzin where the Armenian "Vatican" is located, the holy see of the Armenian Church. We had the chance to get inside the cathedral when the mass was beginning. Songs and music was wonderful with men and women choirs answering and replying. I strongly advice to go listen an Armenian mass in the Sunday morning!

We had a long time in this peaceful place with incredible autumn’s colours.

19/11/07

-Sevan, Dilijan-

The countryside of Armenia is so different from the capital: we find some remains of the soviet era with industrial plants and rectangular buildings…In Sevan we eat in the only restaurant we found, a kind of family bar where kids, adults and old persons were coming to buy food, alcohol or just to have a cup of coffee to smoke their cigarettes.

The Sevan Lake use to be a summer place with beaches and a president holiday house. We loved to stay in the top of a hill next to the lake where 2 old little chapels resist from ages (670a.c.).

We celebrate the 50 years of the European Union in the Armenian forest, drinking homemade vodka of pears, smoking Austrian cigarette made in Armenia and listening to the accordion of our host. To get into the ambiance, just imagine a retired painter loving getting drunk to play “Besame mucho”, Armenian folk, Classic soviet songs or Charles Aznavour in a wood house with a big room of Cactus and succulents in the middle of the Armenian Northern Mountains: a fairy tale!

20/11/07

- Haghartsin ~ Goshavank -

Haghartsin (XII century) and Goshavank (around XII century) monasteries are located near Dilijan. They were beautiful but I was more interested in the old men we meet on this trip: the 2 taxi drivers and the church keeper. I tried to observe them, looking for a feeling about their lives. I cannot say anything because they did not reveal anything, I think that their face hide many things.

-Vanadzor-

This is the saddest city we visited in Armenia, everything is grey. It is quite better during the night. After having a lunch in a very sad cafeteria called ‘999 café’ – the waiter is a old woman that seems crying behind her deep black eyes – in which the client can choose isolated table in single proper room, we took a walk through the city.

We found the university by accident just entering an abandoned area of 2 destroyed buildings then we met the director of the environmental centre. Armenia is trying to build citizen behaviour about the respect of the nature. There are 12 national parks in Armenia.

In the evening, we had a diner in a centre. The owner was an immigrated Lebanese Jew so we had chance to talk in Arabic! To make us warmer, we shared a bottle of 5 years old Ararat (Armenian cognac) watching videos of Armenian songs.

Tradition:

When young Armenian boys turn 15 years old, they get a bottle of a very good Cognac (15 years old). Then, when they go to ask the hand of the girl they want to married, they have to offer the bottle to the father.

21/11/07

-Sanahin-

Church is beautiful from inside. The graveyard is also interesting because it have engraved modern picture of the dead on the tomb stone. The landscape is also amazing because you have the view on the factory of Alaverdi and the entire canyon that the Sanahin village overlook on the top of the mountain from which you can also see the highest mountains that have snow.

-Haghpat-

Church is beautiful from outside. One room have also a very good echo. We had a cup coffee in the main square of the village with the oldest man of Armenia, so beautiful with his huge glasses that make his eyes very big.

The car driver was very funny guy, small with a prominent belay and a weekly beard, smoking constantly long tiny cigarettes. He was always trying to keep gas as much as he could let the car going in the downhill very fast listening to folk Armenian songs. I had to help him to repair the junction gear on the way back to Vanadzor!

-Vanadzor by night-

We went to a big restaurant around the city. It has these typical rooms with big table, sofas and TV. It was a bit sad to not share a common space with the other clients but it seems to be a habit in most of the restaurant of this part of Armenia. We had a delicious big rainbow trout cooked in a butter stock with spices and parsley. Back to the hotel, we had some Ararat and jazz…

22/11/07

-Aragatz – way back to Yerevan-

This trip is the most beautiful we had in Armenia, the road goes up to the mountains that have sensual shapes and there are covered by snow. In Yerevan, we visited the History national museum. It is good because it show many maps of the former Armenia draw by Latin’s, Persian, Armenian and French. There is one part about Urartu, bronze time and Hellenic empire but there is a significant problem, almost nothing is translated in English and the heating is about 40°C when the outside temperature is 0°C or less!

23/11/07

-Yerevan – Genocide Memorial-

We visit the genocide memorial and the museum with a freezing rain made of snow. A gallery of paintings with a collection of original text and photo from different countries show you the massacre with many details about places, facts, numbers, official letters and telegrams. The memorial has a permanent music and flame in a big circle of huge basalt oblique stones that symbolize the regions were the genocide happened. It is essential but you feel bad after the visit.

Mezze

Victory!
This is my first night at home! What an enjoyment to bring all my stuff to our house!
We going to live in 3 with Juan and Anaïs. Life in Mezze is little bit different : people living here are younger, there is not only ultra-conservative families.

-Click on the title link to look on google maps about mezze district in Damascus.-

Home, sweet home?

After one week of trying to find home, it seems that today is a success day?
Last Wednesday, I met a Syrian guy that would like to live with a foreigner. It is very difficult to meet arabic student to live with because mos of them live with their family or in the student residence. He is not a student, he is working as graphic designer (http://www.juanzero.com).
If everything works, after signing papers, will be home in 2 days, inch Allah!
Will live in Mezze so I will be nearer to the university than in Baramkeh!

Looking for a new home...

As I planned my coming in Syria, I am now looking for a new student house or residence to live in during this year. My current home was only for the first month because I am living with foreigners and I want to live only with arabs. I would like to experience the arabic way of life and had a cheaper bill than the Baramkeh fee. I am searching for about 2 weeks but I did not find any contacts that succeed. Here, it works diferent, they is not any board in the university where to look about it. I asked many Syrian, I know that there is a residence in Mezze.

Damascus University

Today was the First Day on the Damascus University. It give me the same feeling as last year: good rhythm in the schedule with a pause each hour to keep concentrated, nice teachers and classes with few students (8~12). I am in the 2nd level as I was expecting. In the language center, there are many Europeans and also Syrians because they teach also Russian, Japanese, French, etc. After Abdul* lessons during one year it is easier to learn the complete writing grammar because it sounds logic and only practical application of oral expression.
The language center schedule is organized by month sessions. But it follows the Arabic Muslim calendar (Moon calendar) as dates do not fit with Christian months: a session can begin and finish in some day during the Christian month. Between each session, we have an average of 10 days of holiday. In conclusion, the rhythm of the university is strong and we can not miss more than 4 days during a session.
Lessons are between 9am to 1pm. The week-end is on Friday and Saturday.

*Abdul was my teacher in Madrid, his method of teaching Arabic is based in listening and repeating daily use of Arabic. It introduces you to the complex grammar structure of the language without getting rid of it because you just use the forms you repeat in a context.