Damascus, I came, I saw, I heard, I thought

Lily hu

Even since I was in the university, I had to listen to a lot of BBC, Voice of America, and other radio stations as an English major.  I often heard a lot about the Middle East Gulf War which was very deeply stored in my memory.  AT The same time, the seeds of curiosity to take an adventure of these Middle East countries were planted since then in my heart.  

    After graduation, by chance, I am in importing and exporting business.  I can often get very closed touch with clients from those countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, UAE, etc.  In the long-term business relationship and communications, I have grasped some understanding of their religious habits, ways of thinking, cultural background, food habit and so on.  The deeper I understand and the more I feel that although many countries are connected and just next to each other and religion is predominantly Muslim, the differences under ”the surface similar” are still very obvious.  So the seeds of curiosity keep sprouting as the times go by.  

    On August 28, 2019, with the most warm invitation of my Syrian client named A.K, I decided to start our adventure to Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, and Turkey (this trip was an extra add-on due to some coincidence) with my assistant Icey.   

Especially to Syria, due to the Syrian war, as far as I heard and saw in the news, a lot of information about how sad and bad life of the refugees and also the broken walls, ...... from time to time, the picture of the little boy lying on the beach, the poor baby girl drawing her mum body and sleeping in her mum belly, feeling that she was in her mum’s embrace came to my mind. 

Few years ago, I went to Istanbul, Turkey, I was also told that a large of refugees under the viaduct, (this was disagreed by A.K, when I discussed this matter with him later). In the world international affairs, the Diplomacy was represented by the sad and helpless figure of the Syrian diplomat, a post-war scene destroyed by artillery......Although I have traveled to many countries those were treated as not safe and peaceful places, such as Mexico City, São Paulo Brazil, Argentina, especially in Nov 2018, I and my girlfriend went to the Kashmir region which is on the border between India, Pakistan and China. After we got out from the airport, the mighty tanks and Soldiers dressed in camouflage uniforms were all armed with rifles, serious and nervous facial expression also scared us a lot and we were very afraid to take photos even if across the glass of the car. Very sadly recently, this place also became the firing mouth of the intense India-Pakistan relationship. My friend’s family who received us almost locked into this prison of Kashmir. After more than a week of isolated military control, they fled Kashmir. Although I did not personally experienced such armed control and disputes, but due to the people, the things, and the places were still very fresh in my memory, vivid in my eyes, like yesterday. It was inevitable to worry about them. 

Although my heart was still entangled with tension and anxiety, I was still determined to go to Syria. My young assistant who accompanied me was very calm. This was her first time to go abroad and it was Syria. I could say that her heart was really bigger than ever and I was very grateful to her family for their understanding and great support which made my jouney more interesting and meaningful. 

We departed from Hangzhou on the 28th and transferred to Istanbul, Turkey,via Beijing and then flew to Beirut, Lebanon. Due to the war, the airport in Damascus, Syria, was almost ineffective, so the nearest Beirut airport in Lebanon became the most popular airport to go to Damascus. The Turkish airline transferring time was extremely tight and we were running all the way to catch the jointed flight. At the last moment we got boarded in the plane out of breath. It was my fifth time to be landed in Istanbul, and I had some very good clients and took a photo of the airport and sent to my customers in Turkey. This caused my extra two days trip in Istanbul after some days later out of schedule. We arrived in Beiru at 8:40 am local time on the 29th. Landed at Beirut Airport, this small and rich country was very impressive, the modern and the arty corridors on both sides made us feel like we were walking in another country full of art taste. Lebanon was visa-free for Chinese citizens. The customs official we met said "ni hao" with a very friendly and smiling face. Our pride in our heart to being a Chinese suddenly made us straight up and fresh after the exhausted long-haul aircraft. I was also very happy to talk to him and answered some questions in a few minutes. It turned out that Chinese people ere not a minority here, and they welcome Chinese. Out of the airport, our handsome and hospitable A.K boss drove from Damascus to the Beirut airport to pick us up. We found him, then I was relaxed and let him to arrange our rest of the trip. Sitting in his BMW, we set off for Damascus. It was around 9 o'clock in the morning, so still was rush hour and too much traffic jam all the way. 

The bumping mountain road with the super driver’s driving skills, we got car sick and feeling very headache, specially Icey. Beirut coast was built on the mountain, our cars had to be always winding around with continous Ups and downs, bumping and squatting. Finally it took about two hours and we arrived at the border of Lebanon. We took our passport and got off from the car and went to the border to go through the customs clearance process. When we lined up, we attracted a lot of different eyes’ sight. I imagined that this situation was same as if we met foreigners about 20 years ago. Especially for the children, we were absolutely not normal. Their bright big eyes flashed the long and thick eyelashes that really made me feel particularly envious. The cute faces with a puzzled look kept watching and observing us. How lovely and I said to myself that I almost could not help myself to pick up the cute and little faces. ( be at the moment, feel the moment, enjoy the moment. This was my magic weapon which always company me when I traveled around for so many years and fully enjoyed each and every journey). 

Out of Lebanon, our car went to Damascus, the road became more spacious and flat. It was similar to our highway, but surprisinglay we found that both sides of the hills going though it’s our way were empty and yellow glare in the rays of the sun. 

 It was very similar like the hills in our northwest area.  I asked A.K why these hills were so barren and there almost could not see anything green, no trees and no grass.  He said because of poverty.  I was not sure whether he replied us truly or not but this made me feel very pity for this country.   Whether it was due to natural disasters or man-made disasters, the country was forgotten by God right now when it was in distress.  The ancient Arab wrote, :“if there is heaven in the world, Damascus will be in it. If heaven is in heaven, Damascus will be of the same name.”. Damascus, once called to be comparable to heaven, was now ruined so badly and appeared like an old, dirty, weak and helpless man in front of us.  After about 20 minutes, we came to the border station in Damascus.  Almost the same procedure, we queued up the forms and completed the immigration procedures. After we entered Damascus, soon we felt very big difference from Lebanon.  Many mitary checkpoints, large and small, every few kilometers there were.  The checkpoints were usually painted with the same colors as their national flag.  The soldiers were mostly fully bearded with serious and wild facial . 

They looked quite awkward by holding or carrying rifle in arm.  Sometimes they were very strict and serious, we were forced to open our car let them check the luggage and so on.  A.K seemed very experienced and quite calm to deal with them and we passed each and every checking point smoothly.  I can imagine that A.k must be very powerful and of very good connection and background.  He explained that he has a CIA type of card which shows that he was powerful and mysterious so the normal soldier should not have right to check him very much detailedly.   Actually as per my another clients informed me later, if without this card, then properly they would not pass us but check each and every piece of our luggage.  I really could not imagine if they touched my clothes.  More than nightmare I think.  No wonder we have been particularly successful  while passing through the checkpoint for so many times. 

On the way, AK was calling and pushing so much to finalize our hotel booking. Because we were very exhausted and also very uncomfortable due to more than 24 hours travel. We desperately needed to be fresh up. We did hope that we could get checked in once we reached the hotel. Actually as per my expectation, there should not be very busy for the hotel in Damascus. But surprisingly it was very full and really over occupied. A.K told us the reason because their president was holding a Middle East countries’ meeting, so a lot of Arabic vip were at this hotel, which was in Damascus's most luxurious and modern hotel named Four Seasons Hotel. (But there were more than ten years of no decoration due to the war, as there was hardly any construction going on). Comparing with outside’s appearance, which was run-down, unorganized and messy, we felt that once we got inside of the hotel seemed like we entered a totally different world magically. All five senses were fully satisfied. The air was filled with the cozy and pleasing aroma, the clean, spacious and luxuriously decorated lobby, what a great surprise and nice first impression! The cabinets and furniture with exotic flavor in the corners attracted me and also became my best love. I cannot name it very precisely so could only take their photos. (Photos) 

We didn't arrive at the check-in time, but with our request and their extremely humane service, we got the chance to their spa &fitness center to wash away our fatigue and dust due to the journey.  This was also my first time experience.  We started our trip in Damascus after fleshing up anxiously.  

   AK took us to a seafood restaurant in the downtown for our lunch.  The roads in the city were narrow and all the way was of some rubbish, dust on the ground.  Quite messy actually but we thought it was very normal and understood.  It seemed that there was no parking lot, all the cars were parking at both sides of the road.  Some even parked just next to other cars, I wondered how  the car inside could drive out.  AK told us that ever since the war started, the government did not allowed to import cars, totally stopped with a very strict law.  So the best imported car here should have more than 10 years.  The security guys in the parking lot and the ones at the entrance of the hotel were all armed with all kinds of rifles. (Photos)  

In our Chinese eyes, they were quite uncommon. A.K parked the car with the guy’s suggestion, and then we walked to the restaurant. The restaurant was very quaint and historical. By chance, it met my taste and I like this kind of style, inside looks like the castle(Photo). 

Dietary habits in Mideast countries I found are quite similar. The main foods are always cooked in barbecues and roasted or gilled and served together with freshly roasted bread. I like this kind of bread much more than the western style of bread. Especially when they are freshly baked. So they are hot and very fluffy, a bit like a hat top. The various special sauces are very suitable for our appetite as we are really hungry. At our request, we ordered seafood soup which is rarely supplied in the summer season. But they made it very nicely and soup with bread quite calmed down our stomach and made us very much satisfied with this meal. After the waiter brought the bill, we saw our AK boss took a pile of cash from his handbag and started to count under the table hiding from us. Even if I was curious to know how much was our bill, but I felt embarrassed and shy to do so. But he took some, handed to me and asked me to keep in case we needed to pay tips and mini one piece which was 500 Syrian pound valued about one usd. Very rich to pay tips in 500 every time we laughed with each other. 

After great lunch, Ak took us to his office located in the Free zone. On the way he told us that for tax customs’ inspection and the safety of course, he had to abandon his factory in the suburbs and came to this free zone which was near to the president office. He would like to show us his warehouses and factories tomorrow in case we had time. The great enthusiasm and friendliness of his office staff gave us the most wonderful welcome. One very beautiful bunch of flowers mainly in blue(my favorite color) , hand-made cakes with different flavors and fresh fruit juice really touched us and made us feel like we were not fresh visitors, but very old friends. At that moment, my emotion got upgraded again and again, from tense to relaxed and then now very touched and happy. So many years traveling all over the world, I do feel that people in each country are playing the key roll in the impression for our side traveler. That is why loving the people, loving the city. Small details can make huge difference and making others feel comfortable naturally is a kind of capacity and also big merit which was rooted in their country and family culture. They are different from some Arabic and Muslim countries I visited before. 

Back to our main task, our business meeting and negotiation. Almost 20 years business experience told me that what we behaved and followed in the way of business, exactly reflected our life style and our way of thinking. I always try to develop and keep the long term business relationship with the clients who shared and agreed with the same policy. I could deeply feel that AK office also share the similar type of working style and matched very well my team. I regretted to come here later. Even though our negotiation and discussion was not easy but finally we had a very good deal confirmed by both of us. At the same time I saw AK’s 12-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter, especially his son, who acted and talked really like an adult. He was very gentle and got involved in our negotiations. I asked him to visit us in China. The young gentleman said that because Dad often travelled out, so he could not leave his mother and sisters alone at home. The way and his facial expression told me that he really meaned what he said. By chance my son is also 12years old and I feel the big difference due to the two kinds of way of educating our kids under the different culture and envirement. The responsibility and hard working idea were deeply rooted in these boys mind since they were very young. Of course this image also got more emphasized by their father’s diligence day and night. 

used to be very flourishing and prosperious. A.K told us these shops were still very expensive and even at today, it was valued still about million of usd each. Comparatively speaking, the shops decorated were much better and nicer than I saw in most of other developing countries, like Egypt, Mexico, Vietnam. At the time when we reached the market, it was already evening around 8:00pm. But all the shops were still open and everyone working like in the daytime. I do admire the local People's professionalism, and diligence. Ak told me that it was very normal and he also worked at the office in the whole day time and then left for the shops around 7:00-8:00 in the evening every day. Because he needed to see and hear what the market feedback. He liked to sit and talk with his partners and employees about the market reaction and other feedback. For most of the people in the market they were off the work around 23:00. Really impress me a lot and I always feel proud of our Chinese diligence but in other world people were working even harder than us and in more difficult condition. Due to the jet leg, we could not help to stop yarning continuously.

Around 19:30 we finished our meeting with full of accomplishment happily. AK proposed us to go to his stores in the textile market. We gladly accepted and went there. They were at a quite old neighborhood, from the road, buildings and decorations, etc, we could tell this market 

A.k suggested to go some restrantant nearby but famous for meat. But the better way was to go by walking, so I accepted it happily. Before I came here I never thought that I would walk in the street specially at night. I knew the best way to understand one strange place was to walk and observe with our own eyes. About 15minutes walking while we needed to go up and downs due to the car and we also saw a lot of venders’hawk and tried to get us entered their shops. But they were quite polite and in good manner. We went to a restaurant of a long history. It was already 9:30 pm in the evening, but it was local normal dinner time. Although the roasted lamb looked very delicious, I almost fell in to sleep just on the table. There was 5-hours time difference plus long-distance flight, the biological clock stopped our tongue and digestive system to work. We failed AK’s great hospitality. We packed the foods which were untouched for the shop people. They knew a lot of people were starving due to the war, and there was no any reason to waste any food. During the food time I raised the topic of the Syrian war. We could find a lot of related article online. But I was more anxious to know from AK. 

AK told us that mainly because Syria had good natural gas resources.  Both Russia and USA wanted to have good control about this fat meat with their own purpose.  Russia wants to control the rights of gas supplying to Europe which is Russian profitable project and very much important for them.  But USA wants to control this gas resources by setting up some gas transmission pipeline through some other Mideast countries next to Syria.  So unluckily Syria became a victim of the struggle between two super powers.  He said emotionally the Americans were already very wealthy, and in order to become more.  They manipulated this civil war. He also mentioned his Iraqi friends, before the Iraqi war, because of oil resources, many people were very rich even with millions of dollars cash were very common.  But now they were as poor as a beggar or homeless.  I can't help but think that God gave these countries treasures of oil, natural gas, etc., but at the same time also brought the disaster to them. Thousands of ordinary people died because of war, became homeless, refugee and displaced......  

 AK also said China also wanted to become stronger, but China did not rely on military aggression or provoke the war.  Instead, China implement the trade, commerce policy.  Day by day he came to know many Chinese people who play a pivotal role in economic and trade in the world.  Many famous brands and clubs are now owned by Chinese.  However, Chinese did not bring disasters, but integrated more resources and helped people to generate more benefit.  What else high praise I need to expect more!  I deeply feel the more we travel the more we love 

our own mother land——China!  

   Next day, AK drove us to see some of their warehouses in the suburbs.  His company had a really big and fascinating business scope.  On the way we also kept facing the armed soldiers’ checking points.  I was also feeling very strange why there were so many checkpoints on the same road for a few kilometers.  He said that because each checkpoint was affiliated to a different department,  different bosses.  The war caused the chaos, privation and also serious corruption.  The folk suffered and paid for all this side effect.  I also asked if the soldiers here were obliged to perform military service or professional soldiers. He said they were compulsory soldiers, and he used to be coned about 20 years ago.  But because of corruption and poverty, he could pay for a lot of things, such as not going to a faraway place, and getting others for duty, etc.  One question puzzled me and I asked him why he couldn’t use the card for bill.  He said because of the US economic sanctions, the credit card could not be used at all, and the currency depreciated, 1 Syrian pound = 0.013 RMB, no wonder he gave us a large stack of 500 yuan for us to pay a tip.  

The short but interesting and meaningful trip ended after AK drove us around the whole Damascus City. Because of the terrain, many houses were built on the mountain.  Then we remembered when we looked out from the of our hotel,  we thought it was a slum on the mountain.  On the contrary, those houses were in very good condition and also not cheap.  I could imagine that how cozy and nice these people used to live.  We also drove through the Chinese Embassy, which was opposite to the US Embassy just across one road.  When our five-star red flag and the Great Wall painted outside the wall appeared in front of us, we became very passionate and thankful to our motherland and appreciate that we can enjoy the fast development and lead a peaceful life.  While we talked about the motherland, AK also became very affectionate.  He said: “ I love Syria!  She is my mother.  I do not mind whether she is beautiful or ugly but I still love her.  Because she is my mother!”  Yes, children will never mind if their mothers are beautiful or ugly!  I think his mother should be very proud to have such a good son, AK.

    With the encouragement of my classmates, I wrote this short trip story about Damascus in Syria.  I am looking forward to having a chance to travel with all my friends and we will have much deeper findings and feelings!