Syria

Day 13 - Sun 10 Dec 06

Skipped breakfast and walked up to the Baron Hotel to meet up with Mr Walid. he took me out to St. Simeon. 150SYP to get in, and an interesting place, there's not much left of the pillar that St. Simeon used to live on top of - it's been hacked away to a big boulder by pilgrims over the years. Saw a couple of ruins on the way back, and even some Roman Tombs with some great carving.

On my way I saw a modern day St. Simeon he was perched high on a large collection of grain sacks in the back of a truck - sound asleep. If the truck would have accelerated quickly he would have found himself on the road - but I doubt there was much chance of that.

Mr Walid has to be the most cautious driver in Syria, he even stops at red traffic lights! He drives a big battered old American gas guzzler, most of which appears to be authentic, unlike the Pontiac in Hama! When we get back to Aleppo I write up a glowing account of the trip in his book, (with is filled with other glowing reports from other tourists!) and pay him the $30.

Then it's back to the Souq to check into my next hotel (so that's three hotels in one stay in Aleppo!) after that it was another look around the Souq, and in the evening I popped my head into the Baron, but there was no one there, so ate on my own at the place I tried last night.

I need to do some food shopping for my train journey.

I read in the "hotel book" a complaint from a previous visitor about noise from the factory next door - so when at 21:30 a motor started up next to my room I did the very un-British thing, and asked them if I could move room. I've been given a room upstairs and away from the courtyard!