Syria, Damascus: Kingdom of king and stay quiet life

Chinese used to describe the beauty of heaven, such as "there is heaven, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth." In the Middle East, also some people use it to describe Syria Millennium ancient city of Damascus, who was a saint Mohamed, the founder of islam. Reportedly, Mohamed once far overlooking the city of Damascus, but refused to enter, he told his men: "Damascus is beautiful kingdom of heaven, just in time, so I can only choose to enter here after death."

Syria

For thousands of years, no one doubted Damascus paradise beauty. In 2008, when I walk in the ancient town of Damascus, the ancient scene memory "one thousand one night" described Pumianerlai: narrow streets, jewelry shops and bronze store beat time on the street, people are hurrying to and fro., roast mutton fragrance floating in the air. Don't say the magnificent temples, churches and castles...... Only these living life in Syria old house, bath, bazaar shops, teahouses, in everybody heart was heavy and mysterious Arabia color.

Amber and the prince

2011 day in October, I received an email from the Mar Musa monastery of Mr. Paul, he invited me to the monastery organized Christmas mass prayer. The Mar Musa monastery, 40 kilometers away from Damascus, Syria is located in the hinterland of the desert, where I had spent a brief but pleasant retreat time. Perhaps, Paul dean to all guests to stay in the monastery are the important letter.

The car slowly from the Damascus Airport to the city, at first glance, the ancient city of Enron as old, is a stone in the bakery next to the open warm baked nang. Because there is no skyscrapers, street view is great. The city is in good order, the old people sitting in a coffee shop chatting pumping smoke, the man in the car waiting for the light to the patient, people face calm and peaceful, but they saw a face to smile speed, almost can be synchronized with your eyes.

Magical land

The last century 60's, a travel writer went to Damascus, he recorded later in the journey: "when the Damascus people crowded the narrow streets covered, there are still people wearing knickerbockers and pointed and red leather shoes, wearing big wrapped around the head, and you squeeze to squeeze. We can also see the rich Damascus aristocracy, ride a horse, wearing a white silk cloak, with a sword. There are a few passing girls, all wearing the veil. At the same time, some women in their homes, people from small lattice window and peeped and the market square. The Bedouin face the sun tanned, wearing baggy long coat, wearing a turban and a headband. Selling fruit and candy vendors, selling the highest voice along the street, the city's air, all kinds of odor filled you can smell."

You can find all kinds of taste

Over the past half a century, in my opinion, in addition to the use of automobiles replaced horses, with more women on the street, as far as the eye can see, roughly the same. Since the year seventh Century, Damascus become the Umayyad human capital to now, it is like an ancient piece of amber, has not been time sharp blade incision. Damascus ancient city of the Millennium unchanged. This is a sentenceTravelingHome to hear, but for thousands of years has been living in Damascus for the people, they are willing to?

Arabic in Syria, from Yu GuGreeceWord, is the East. Yes, in the eyes of Westerners, Syria is the east. This sort of a tiny area, experienced the Hittite, Assyria, Babylon,Egypt, persian,RomeAnd OsmanTurkeyThe Empire, ancient Egyptians, Romans, Persians, Turks andFrancePeople here for hundreds of years of colonial rule. The last century 50's, the Syria government had to transformation of the old city of Aleppo, but settle a matter by leaving it unsettled with strong against a group of elite led by architect Adli Qudsi. Now, as the United Nations cultural heritage of Aleppo castle and other human landscape, Syria became the modern national symbol.

The monastery sent messages, asked whether I arrived safely in Syria, and when I go to the monastery. The summer of 2008, after a long journey, when I and a fewGermanyThe girl with 70 liter backpack on a piece of red desert to see the mountain majestic temples, that saw a mirage. According to theThe United States of AmericaNew YorkMuseum of contemporary art information published by the MOMA and Mar fragments, Musa is the most complete preservation of the eastern Mediterranean region murals of religious sites.LondonBritish Museum records in the past ten centuries shepherds and some members of the clergy from the temple in a tank for storing water to quench their thirst, chat, also witnessed the Syria this piece of land on the change of dynasties and numerous small war, disaster. Until the last century 70's, a man named PaulItalyThe missionaries came to turn it into a monastery, a desert place in meditation retreat.

In fact, Mar Musa from Syria famous monasteryTravelingAttractions - Ancient Rome business town Pamela site is not far away. In the ancient Silk Road, a caravan of transfer station, from the Chinese silk and porcelainIndiaJewelry perfume; one is religious hot, blow reed priests and thirst-quenching rains. Many Syria businessmen all shuttle between these two points, the depletion of life on the road Laughton. Queen Pamela had a yellow crane, tall walls stones have collapsed, while the body is still great, but after all, give a person with desolation everywhere Cang yi. It is said that because of the tourism industry in nearby Pamela has gathered more than 4 people, not tourists back to the Pamela, whether by mining the lonely before?

Fortunately there is the Aleppo fair! At least I can go to have a look the market, to buy some local perfume master configuration Dior brand poison perfume for my friend! In order to save time, perhaps to avoid ground stray bullet, we direct flights from Damascus to Aleppo, the majestic Castle Crusade and the Middle East is the oldest market. In my impression, that in fifteenth Century the market, you can see the medieval classical transaction way, that you can see the beautiful scene in the movie: day daybreak, the old dome under a lamp glass lamp burning yellow light, hair comb smooth shoemaker, smiling, hand artists, sell, sell clusters pistachio women gold jewelry merchants, Aleppo sell soap to small business owners, the old donkey car, stop you smelling the perfume in the doorway of the children, they jostle one another on the way, neither fast nor slow, with sheep bells rhythm into the set, occasionally also can smell the smell of sandalwood fragrance thick, oh, that is a Ladies smoked incense from the skirt distributed out of taste.