Then and Now

The picture on the left is from 1961. The picture on the right is from 2003. Doesn't look like much of a difference from the picture, but from the stories I was told growing up, it's changed. Today, Syria has a female vice president (and she's not wearing the traditional Shawl or scarf around her head.) I always thought they were called babushka's.

It seems weird to me that Syria borders Iraq, yet we don't hear much about the country and if they are involved in the war. I have always wanted to go to Syria, but in this time of war, would the citizens welcome Americans?

From what I have read, Syrians are not against America, unlike Egypt is right now. You can't visit Egypt without being in danger. Even the tourist areas are dangerous. They don't want Americans in their country. But Syria welcomes tourists with open arms.

So why do so few tourists visit Syria. Honestly, I think it's because no one really knows that much about it. Yes it's an Arabic speaking country and they do where some of the traditional clothing. But visiting somewhere where you have family roots is special. Hopefully one day i'll get there.

Visiting Syria Myself

I have alway wondered what it would be like to take those pictures that I have of my family visiting Syria, and go there myself. Could I possibly find those landmarks that my aunt and uncle took pictures of? Obviously the men in the pictures would be extremely old or passed, but the buildings might still be there, right?

Being the tech-savy nation that we are, I googled it. The first thing that caught my eye was the sentence that Syria is not how the U.S. wants us to believe it is. It is not a terrorist populated nation. Syria has some of the most friendly citizens that visitors form a friendship with. I think that it would be amazing to go there and see a huge olive tree and old hotels. Check out this site:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/syria

Mediterranean Cruise Anyone?

With winter quickly approaching, I was day dreaming about the warmth of the sun and the beautiful site of white sanded beaches. Then I thought, "Hey why not look at cruises in the Mediterranean?"

I would love to start in Athens, Greece surrounded by four majestic mountains. The many sites of ancient Greece, and the many restaurants and museums fill me with a sense of history and pleasure. Just thinking about the architectural masterpieces like Acropolis and Parthenon make me want to jump on that ship tomorrow. Then there's the food that will keep me wanting more.

The next stop will be Cairo, Egypt. I have this fascination with the pyramids and how they are built. It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World for gosh sakes. How amazing would it be to walk through the local markets with the shops and vendors. It is such a diverse culture that I don't want to miss.

Then I'll stop in Italy, Spain, Jordan and Turkey, just to name a few. I want to indulged in the rich and exotic cultures that each country offers.

Let's explore these wonderous cultures together. Anyone visit any of these countries? Share!