When I first spotted him in the Aleppo Souq (market) in Syria, I thought–he looks like a body builder. An Arnold Schwarzenegger lookalike, perhaps, but not exactly. See, he was built. Really built. And I’d never seen anyone quite like that in the Middle East. And I was taken aback by it. I Tried Not…
Last summer, when I traveled to the Middle East, I was not in the best frame of mind. After several stressful months, I seriously needed to relax—and to let go of some things that were bothering me. I hoped that traveling would help in some way. Sure enough, it did. And it was the Dead…
Ready to play the Trippy Travel Photo Game? It’s easy! Just… 1. Look at the Photo Study it carefully…notice the details! 2. Guess what/where! Try your best to answer these questions: What is it? Where was I traveling when I saw it? What was the purpose of this place or thing? (If you have no…
It’s a sort of pretty city that almost feels like a small town where time has possibly stood still. Its norias–ancient water wheels–are from the 13th century yet somehow they’re still spinning today. And grinding loudly, the way they do, almost sounding as if they’re groaning. Some are right there in the town center; others are…
Some are beautiful and have warm eyes that look but don’t quite stare. Others are eerie, with fixed expressions and penetrating eyes that seem to follow you.
Most are a hybrid: bizarre yet beautiful, surreal and striking.
During my many trips around the world, I’ve probably seen thousands of mannequins. None, however, caught my eye quite like the ones I saw in three cities in the Middle East:
* Mardin, Eastern Turkey
* Amman, Jordan
* Aleppo, Syria
Connected Somehow?
For some reason, I found ‘them’ a bit more peculiar than the typical ones. Certainly, they have a unique look. But there’s something else that’s intriguing–a bizarre connection ‘they’ seem to share.
This week’s “trippy travel photo” of mine represents a random moment in time that was definitely off the beaten path.
I don’t know anyone who’s ever been there. And that means it might be challenging (and fun) to figure out… You may guess what this is/these are, but not where/why, etc.
So…I hope you’ll give it a try. I think we can have some fun with this! You can focus your guessing on:
What/where the heck is it?
And what the heck was happening in that moment?
As you’ve seen in this series, it’s easy to fall in love with alleged ‘bad boy’ country Syria and have the time of your life there—whether you’re a man or a woman.
I did, after all, and I’m a SWF.
Before you go, though, there are a few things you should know that will help make your first trip a great one.
As awesome as Syria is to visit (cool video here), he does have a few issues you should know about in advance.
Most of these tips are unisex; some are specific to women.
As you read in Part 1 and Part 2 of this series, within just a few days of arriving in Syria, I was pretty smitten with Damascus and then, torn between two…husbands.
I was also torn between staying with there and checking out his slightly conservative brother Aleppo and the rest of the country.
Moving On
I made the tough decision and moved on from the great city—as wonderful as he was—and began my date with Aleppo and all the other great places I could squeeze in.
I was told that he (Aleppo) was “wonderful,” but also “a bit conservative.” I didn’t care. If it didn’t work out, I could just….move on.
Sure I was a SWF in Syria, but I wasn’t there to meet men. In fact, that was the last thing on my mind.
So how’d I end up with with 2 husbands…in 1 day?
Well, it began quite innocently in Damascus, a city I fell for rather quickly.
I was lingering over breakfast in the hotel courtyard, enjoying the quiet and the cool morning air and reflecting on how much I loved the city and almost wanted to commit to him (it) and to stay longer, perhaps enrolling in Arabic course.
But I was feeling a bit torn….between him and his more conservative brother Aleppo (and the rest of the country).
In some ways, traveling to Syria was like going on a blind date…with someone who looks like a bad boy on the outside, but is actually a great guy on the inside.
Of course, I didn’t know that when I met him for the first time.
People Warned Me
I’d been warned that he was a cousin or nephew of the Axis of Evil brothers and so, when I met him and his family at the border, I did hesitate for a moment. First of all, it wasn’t a very romantic setting for a first date. He–the bad boy father–looked a little intimidating–especially in the family photos.
Second, he (daddy) made me pay for the date–$130 for the visa. And then the chaperone uncle, the border official, didn’t exactly give me the warm and fuzzies.
