Damascus, Syria: Dust, Dates, and a Whole Lotta 'Huh?'
okay, so. damascus. where do i even begin? i’m elara, by the way, and i’m a botanist. usually, i’m knee-deep in ferns and moss, not… well, not this. but a grant, a weird obsession with ancient olive groves, and a frankly alarming amount of free time landed me here.
I just checked and it’s… a sort of hazy, beige afternoon. Like someone spilled a giant bag of flour over everything. The temperature’s stuck at 15.95°C, feels like 15.14, which is… fine, I guess. Pressure’s 1011, humidity’s 59%. Honestly, the numbers are less interesting than the feeling of the place. It’s… heavy. Not in a bad way, just… dense with history. You can practically taste it.
My main goal was the olive groves, obviously. Ancient ones. Apparently, some date back thousands of years. I spent a day wandering around near *Khan al-Zeit, which, by the way, is a must-see. It’s a caravanserai, a sort of ancient inn, and it’s absolutely stunning. I found a few promising specimens, but the paperwork involved in collecting samples… ugh. Bureaucracy is universal, apparently.
I’m staying in a tiny guesthouse near the Old City. It’s… rustic. Let’s go with rustic. The owner, a lovely woman named Fatima, keeps offering me endless cups of cardamom coffee. I’m pretty sure it’s laced with something. I’m not complaining.
“Don’t trust the taxi drivers near the Umayyad Mosque,” someone told me, leaning conspiratorially over a plate of hummus. “They’ll take you in circles just to run up the meter. Stick to the shared taxis - they’re cheaper, but be prepared for a lot of people.”
Speaking of the Umayyad Mosque… wow. Just… wow. The sheer scale of it is breathtaking. I spent hours wandering around, trying to absorb it all. It’s a living, breathing thing. You can feel the weight of centuries in every stone. Check out some reviews on TripAdvisor https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionReview-g297662-d167383-Reviews-Umayyad_Mosque-Damascus_Damascus_Province.html.
Food-wise… dates. So many dates. And olives, naturally. I had the most incredible falafel at a tiny stall near the Souq al-Hamidiya. Seriously, the best falafel I’ve ever had. I’m trying to track down the recipe, but the guy just shrugged and said, “It’s a secret.” Typical. I also stumbled upon a fantastic bakery - check out their Yelp page https://www.yelp.com/biz/al-bakaria-damascus - for some amazing pastries.
If you get bored, Homs and Aleppo are just a short drive away. Though, honestly, I’m not sure I’d recommend it right now. The situation is… complicated.
“The best shawarma in the city is at Abu Hassan,” a very drunk man slurred at me last night. “But go early. Like, really early. The line starts before sunrise.”
I’ve been trying to connect with some local botanists, but it’s been tricky. Language barrier, mostly. And the general… cautiousness. People are understandably wary of outsiders. I found a forum for local plant enthusiasts https://www.syriabotanicals.org/ - might try posting there.
Honestly, Damascus is… an experience. It’s not easy. It’s dusty, it’s chaotic, and it’s definitely not your typical tourist destination. But it’s also incredibly beautiful, deeply fascinating, and full of incredibly resilient people. I overheard someone saying that the National Museum of Damascus* is worth a visit, but I haven't made it there yet. I'm also looking for a good coffee shop - Yelp says there are a few decent options https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=coffee&find_loc=Damascus%2C+Syria.
I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be here, but I’m definitely glad I came. Just… pack your patience, and maybe a good face mask.
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