The Middle East through the cycle is too far away from this mortal world desert tribes

Bedouin women finished dishes, the girls took out to clean. At this time, the men of Arabia "Ta ta...... Almost finished, adults, children, the elderly, women are concentrated in the tent and watch tv. That day, accompanied by the diesel generator voice rumbling, I read Arabic subtitled version "prison break". So, the tie this secluded desert tribes and modern society, this kind of feeling wonderful.

Cycling through the Middle East

Author Liu Wen

Born in 1972, the first ride in Lhasa on 2000, the first foreign bike in 2003, spent 9 months. Riding second times in 2009, spent 6 months. This two trip covered Asia, Europe and africa. Leave America, plans completed in 5 years, his bike to travel around the world dream will be realized.

Ride through the Middle East is forced, but an adventure I don't regret.

A journey from Britain, after 3 months, cycling through Europe, intend to start the trip to asia. Results in Greece is stuck, pushing a bicycle across the Eurasian Continental Bridge seems to be no hope. Either give up travel, either across the Mediterranean, is around the Middle East, I can only choose the latter. Because the Middle East in Lebanon, Jordan, Syria of the Three Kingdoms holding Chinese passports are issued visa. So, my middle east adventure began.

The ancient city of Iran on the outskirts of the ancient site of Yazd is not enough to see the scenery journey

A custom painting

Recombinant good cargo has been chopped up the bike, ride from Beirut to Damascus, the scenery is like a huge studio, had just finished filming the war movie, is preparing the city film.

Tanks and the BMW 7 series together, H&M Fast China Road (fashion advertising and China's high-speed, is probably the Chinese built highway advertising or Chinese road company advertising) spreading. After years of political turmoil and war, but now people's life condition is good, full of vitality. I met a group of students, called out to me: I Love China! Someone has to show me his tattoo, the arm is the 4 Chinese people understand, but at least it is Chinese characters, in the distance.

Depart from Beirut. The first day of noon, rest on the roadside, people take the initiative to send Pepsi and Nang, and is free of charge. Unfamiliar passers-by attention, let people believe in this land: love, everywhere.

Now I like to return to the GTR in India many years ago (India highway) terror ride trip: from Beirut in the one breath to over 2628 m Jabel Sannine mountain, the relative elevation is roughly equivalent to the Qinghai-Tibet line over the Kunlun and Tanggula pass pass the difficulty. In fact, the road here is much steeper, I spent a day and a half, the very next day at noon before the The Nakhleh Summit, and continue to ride to the Baalbek (Baalbek), along the highway 4 back Aanjar - the Lebanese-Syrian port. The two places have the Romans left to the monuments, the temple of Barr Beck (Heliopolis) is the most complete, the momentum of the grand, no less than the Acropolis in athens. There is no Acropolis so many tourists, almost I a, can not happiness? Barr Beck town is the way I see the most classical Arabia atmosphere of the place, the hustle and bustle of the bazaar, shop, shop, flower shop, perfumery formed a vivid picture of the Middle East custom painting. Pass by a coffee cart, I was also the enthusiasm of local people to drink the Arabia coffee, one glass of wine, such as liquor, with cinnamon fragrance.

From Barr Beck to Aanjar is 50 km, is a narrow valley, wheel across the olive fields, wheat fields, roadside densely populated, a bit messy but full of angry. In the evening, echoed in Damascus minaret chanting, I arrived at the hotel in the old city. A fountain, a traditional Arabia courtyard, guests are colored glass wall smoking a hookah in the decoration, the time is.

Now, I went into a piece of history. Damascus certainly does not lack a long history on the hillside, you can easily identify the Christian civilization, Babylon culture and Muslim civilizations, bit by bit, the old city walls in Rome, called the walls (Roman Wall), two thousand years in Qing Dynasty still stands; the stone is the third Century product mosque door in Umayyad; Capitoline the white marble black color is not for the sake of weathering, but people touch, because the Umayyad mosque to worship the history of too many people.

Like all of the ancient city, the old city of Damascus is full of life, the whole city is composed of numerous bazaar, temples and living area of the maze, the unique style of architecture, black people in Ethiopia and the white skin of the Bedouin, interesting food - such as oven baked pizza with small fennel odor. All these make a living history. But the most interesting is the old bathhouse child: dome structure of the building, inlaid with colored glass, exquisite luxury facilities and the church. And hedonic functions such as music, the rest of the king, all kinds of tea beverage goods are available in all varieties. It is a classic version, bath center.