tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112272462024-03-23T21:12:31.643+03:00CocktailA cocktail of images and thoughts from Damascus,SyriaGhaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.comBlogger100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-65381674632212653682008-11-24T14:07:00.004+02:002008-11-24T14:57:42.619+02:00Nostalgia<p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yV2bWWYAV5PsZoIfnMwsh1LsHrdsIhn_zocKwBsx_6QzqxrvAjDHnbcgF6zsA9CqStOv8cU9xnpf2U7zwAn9KTR_HngcxdkEwJk1T3X_O9euSbcDw0fqmDlLikJOq4olL65l2Q/s1600-h/DSC00192.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5272205239224979506" style="WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 300px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_yV2bWWYAV5PsZoIfnMwsh1LsHrdsIhn_zocKwBsx_6QzqxrvAjDHnbcgF6zsA9CqStOv8cU9xnpf2U7zwAn9KTR_HngcxdkEwJk1T3X_O9euSbcDw0fqmDlLikJOq4olL65l2Q/s400/DSC00192.JPG" border="0" /></a></p>It has been 2 years since I stopped writing! I never had it in my mind to stop blogging. On the contrary, there were always things, thoughts and ideas I wanted to share, but I was always busy and there was always the common excuse “no time”. When friends used to ask me ‘why did u stop blogging’ I found it easy to say ‘the Syrian government has banned blogger.com’. After all, we are all human beings, i.e. inclined to blame others!<br />Now, being away from Syria, having left my parents, my family, my friends, my home, my street, my work, and my memories behind… I come back to my blog, feeling the urge to read some of my previous posts, anything to remind me of my old days and bring back those beautiful memories…<br />Although I am very happy in my new life which I willingly chose, I always miss everything back home. I miss looking from my window at cars outside, at pedestrians, at children pedaling their bicycles watched over by their Indonesian maids, at students studying German language at Goethe institute, thinking maybe of also leaving Syria to continue their studies abroad and most probably of not coming back again!<br />I miss Shaa’lan Street and all its mess, traffic and the crowd out there. I miss Salhiya Street and Abu Abdo, the cocktail shop and his famous fruit salad, I miss Aljahez Park and its surroundings, I miss restaurants, coffee shops and Shawrma, I miss old Damascus, and every single stone right there, I miss the strange faces I used to see there, faces of sellers, of beggars and of people that it never happened to see them twice!<br />I miss the smell of pollution back home, the dirt on streets, the dusty buildings, the big ugly green trash bins full of stray cats and its bad smell. I miss mad taxi drivers and that hidden anger and the question of why I didn’t fight with them?!<br />I miss all of Syria and its weird, difficult and incomprehensible texture, the mixture of old and new, rich and poor, beautiful and ugly, familiar faces I never saluted at all, but used to give me some sense of security, the feeling of being home…<br />In Short, I miss the unique spirit of Damascus.<br />Am I going to return to Syria? No one could tell how soon that will be.Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-4396411682640452492007-01-29T11:11:00.000+02:002007-01-29T17:49:15.303+02:00The Only Way is ForwardAs I was invited by a noted Syrian political writer Dr. <a href="www.mideastviews.com" target="_blank">Sami Moubayed </a>to contribute to edition number one of "FW:" magazine, I was confident that this magazine will be something different coming from true lover of Syria like Sami himself and the publisher Abdulsalam Haykal!<br /><br />The "<strong>FW:</strong>" deals with Syria’s business related issues, its domestic affairs, as well as its relations with the outside world. As its name implies, the magazine will focus on reform, carrying an optimistic and constructive tone. The general emphasis is economy and business, and the implications and interrelation with social, political, and international affairs.<br /><div><br />I had many ideas and topics to write about, but I couldn't chose a better start than to write about my beloved "old Damascus".<br /><br />Click to Enlarge </div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1ohjJO5BWO27308RseowdaFzWaPa_xc4lbgqjfFh37IMuHkZGRyfrG-HpCjJj9idw2uk6fPQ24mvQ4CEuWvXuHj734nRYQCalArnwFJKX3F2nFDJJuglD6Ezdwd8J0XDDJZWnw/s1600-h/Article1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025371314448435298" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq1ohjJO5BWO27308RseowdaFzWaPa_xc4lbgqjfFh37IMuHkZGRyfrG-HpCjJj9idw2uk6fPQ24mvQ4CEuWvXuHj734nRYQCalArnwFJKX3F2nFDJJuglD6Ezdwd8J0XDDJZWnw/s200/Article1.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw6G8rAFPAyQ9__IEKXgkRzV3Gcgfchh4LIVCOS2FVodk7z54fRNa1Rh3eNhGyz_u-mYPvL7a93u3s5YlGm6JamaLsrw0XYJeT-UVVOYQE_nP1YppNIEbzEvP7ZgAo38NTj0tpQ/s1600-h/article2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5025372572873853042" style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilw6G8rAFPAyQ9__IEKXgkRzV3Gcgfchh4LIVCOS2FVodk7z54fRNa1Rh3eNhGyz_u-mYPvL7a93u3s5YlGm6JamaLsrw0XYJeT-UVVOYQE_nP1YppNIEbzEvP7ZgAo38NTj0tpQ/s200/article2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div>Here I quote some paragraphs from other articles I liked:<br /><br />"…Unfortunately, the media business in our part of the world has to fall in one of two categories: pro or against government. While Forward will resist such categorization, we anticipate that some of our audience will be judging the magazine based on how "outspoken" it is to criticising the government. To be described as "outspoken" has so far been the credit for Syrian writers and publishers. For many long years, outspokenness was deficient (unless otherwise instructed) in state-controlled media. Looking today at newsstands any given day, one can see abundance of harsh headlines and confrontational content, in relative terms of course. However, what the Syrian media suffers from at present is the lack of objectivity, originality, and insight. That is what Forward will attempt to offer English speaking readers; often foreigners in Syria and abroad, including investors wanting to know how it is going back home. We are excited to start with another journey, where the only way is forward…"<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Even with hazards, Syria 's only way is forward" by <strong>Abdulsalam Haykal</strong> the publisher and editor of "FW:" magazine.<br /></span></em><br />"… When I imagine the Syrian future, I see people debating the future in a hundreds cafes from Damascus to Aleppo to Latakia. I imagine a country that is networked so that to the internet – and the-life changing knowledge it provides – enters into every village, classroom and home. …"<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Imagining a new Syria" by <strong>David Ignatius</strong> an associate editor for the Washington Post.</span></em><br /><br />"…For example, the website called "<a onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)" href="http://www.syriapol.com/" target="_blank"> Syriapol – A Syrian Democracy Project</a>", a public opinion portal designed to measure Syrian political attitudes toward governance, economic progress, democratic reforms, and the peace process, was blocked from view in Syria. Contrary to intuition, though, it was not the Syrian government that had censored the site, but rather the American company, a very popular webhosting service called GoDaddy.com, from whom the domain name had been purchased, which blocks anyone inside Syria from accessing any website that they register..."<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"<a href="http://www.ajjan.com/2007/01/silly-side-of-sanctions.html" target="_blank">The silly side of sanctions</a>" by <strong>George Ajjan</strong> an activist and member of the Arab American Institute's National Policy Council. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /></span></em>"… In the US, every commentator on every talk show tells us, "there are no good option for the US in Iraq . The best we can do is to pick the least and bad option. Any choice will harm us and will bring carnage to Iraq ." Again, these commentators are correct as far as they go. But they are looking in the wrong place for a solution. The source of the American problem in Iraq isn't in Iraq or even in the Middle East. The source of the American problem is American pride. The pride that insists that military power rather than human justice is the solution to every problem…"<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Pride, prejudice, and talking to Syria" by <strong>Scott C.Davis</strong> the author of The Road from Damascus: a journey through Syria. He is co-founder of <a href="www.cunepress.net" target="_blank">Cune Press</a>, a book publisher devoted to creating dialogue between Syrian and the US.<br /></span></em><br />"… Shortly afterwards, I met many expatriate Syrian who had returned to spend Christmas in Damascus. They and us who decided to live in Syria by choice had endless debates about nation-building. More than ever, the expatriates were seriously thinking of returning home. More than ever, we were thinking of leaving. Strangely enough, the expatriate and Abdullah al-Khani were seeing something that many of those living in Syria could not see. It was: hope. Having said that, it is now time to move forward, as the name of the magazine implies. There is no way for Syria but forward…"<br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">"Never give in" by <strong>Sami Moubayed</strong></span></em></div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1159534118240115272006-09-30T19:01:00.000+02:002006-09-30T19:48:36.820+02:00A Snapshot of Ramadan<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00685.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00685.jpg" border="0" /></a></div>Busy markets (Old town) in Ramadan.Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1158918489756270602006-09-23T23:01:00.000+02:002006-09-23T20:58:19.986+02:00Blessed Ramadan<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01674d.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC01674d.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left"><em>"Ramadan is the (month) in which was sent down the Qur-an, as a guide to mankind, also Clear (Signs) for guidance and judgment (between right and wrong)..."</em> The Quran [2 : 185]<br /><br />May you be blessed with peace and happiness on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramadan" target="_blank">Ramadan</a>.<br /><br /><strong><a href="http://cocktail4.blogspot.com/2005/10/ramadan-kareem.html" target="_blank">Ramadan Kareem</a></strong></div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1157536571255705192006-09-06T12:42:00.000+03:002006-09-06T13:30:48.600+03:00Should Visit Place<div align="left"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01356.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01356.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>Bosra, Situated in the vast Hawran plain, some 145 kilometres south of Damascus. It is an extremely ancient city mentioned in the lists of Tutmose III and Akhenaten in the fourteenth century B.C.The first Nabatean city in the second century B.C., <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01396.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01396.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>it bore the name Buhora, but during the Hellenistic period, it was known by the name of Bustra.Later the Romans took an active interest in the city, and at the time of the Emperor Trajan it was made the capital of the Province of Arabia (in 106 B.C.) and was called Neatrajana Bustra. The city saw its greatest period of prosperity and expansion then, became a crossroads on the caravan routes and the official seat and residence of the Imperial Legate. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01399.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01399.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>After the decline of the Roman Empire, Bosra played a significant role in the history of early Christianity. It was also Iinked to the rise of Islam, when a Nestorian monk called Bahira, who lived in<br />the city, met the young Muhammad when his caravan stopped at Bosra, and predicted his prophetic vocation and the faith he was going to initiate. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01362.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01362.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a><br />The oldest Islamic square minarets (still standing) are found in Bosra, whose prosperous role as an important halt for pilgrims on the way to Mecca lasted until the 17th century. The most interesting part of the city today is the famous Roman theatre built in the second century A.D., which seats 15 thousand spectators, and is considered one of the most beautiful and well-preserved of Roman amphitheatres in the <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01377.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01377.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>world. The stage is 45 meters long and 8 meters deep. Every summer, it hosts Arab and international performers who entertain audiences during the Bosra Art Festival against a majestic background of Roman columns and arches. The city itself contains a great number of Roman ruins, a part of the Byzantine Bahira Church, as well as the al-Mabrak Mosque, which is said to have been erected on the site where the Prophet's camel stopped to <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01380.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01380.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>rest. There is also the Omar Mosque(also called the al-Arouss Mosque), which is the only one of its type remaining from the early days of Islam, and it retains its 7th century primitive form. An important Muslim citadel, dating back to the Ayoubite and Mamluk period still stands, and one of its towers now houses a museum of Antiquities and Traditional Arts. </div><div align="right"><br /><em><span style="font-size:78%;">Source: Ministry Of Tourism</span></em></div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1156175276419610422006-08-21T18:10:00.000+03:002006-08-21T18:51:11.110+03:00August Rain!<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01231-1.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC01231-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="left">To rain in Damascus at this time of the year is a very strange thing to happen, especially during the hot weather we are having now, it is really unexpected rain, and a very weird weather and day!<br />Check Flickr for more pic <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sham_sharief/"><em>here</em></a>.</div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1155637673555457682006-08-15T13:22:00.001+03:002008-09-06T20:10:25.817+03:00Crest<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/ottoman2.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/ottoman2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="left"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Engraved</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">this</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">statue</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">emblem</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Ottoman</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Empire</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">appears</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">its</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">southern</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">part</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">and</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">signature</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">Sultan</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20">Abdul</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21">Hamid</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22">II</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23">appears</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_25">its</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_26">northern</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_27">part</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_28">which</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_29">can be seen</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_30">clearly</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_31">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_32">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_33">picture</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_34">above</span>. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_35">The</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_36">monument</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_37">is</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_38">located</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_39">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_40">front</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_41">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_42">Ministry</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_43">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_44">Interior</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_45">which</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_46">was</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_47">built</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_48">in</span> 1900 <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_49">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_50">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_51">bank</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_52">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_53">Barda</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_54">river</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_55">close</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_56">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_57">Al</span>-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_58">Marjeh</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_59">Square</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_60">according</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_61">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_62">modern</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_63">building</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_64">standards</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_65">which</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_66">was</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_67">distinct</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_68">in</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_69">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_70">latest</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_71">years</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_72">of</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_73">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_74">Ottoman</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_75">era</span>.<br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_76">If</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_77">interested</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_78">to</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_79">know</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_80">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_81">words</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_82">engraved</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_83">on</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_84">it</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_85">check</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_86">the</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_87">first</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_88">comment</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_89">below</span>. </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1153646500175597922006-07-24T10:14:00.000+03:002006-09-09T22:38:15.860+03:00Two countries, one heart<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01079.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC01079.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">I’m posting this post, not to brag nor to show off the Syrian government, but simply I am greatly touched by the human side and all the support, aid and assistance Syrians are showing.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01083.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01083.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>I heard a lot of calls asking for more volunteers to help the Lebanese refugees, but I never really imagined the situation until I saw it myself... About 100,000 Lebanese have fled across the border into Syria with nothing in their pocket, no money, no clothes, no food and no nothing! Syria has welcomed them all providing shelters for them, many schools were emptied and turned into shelters too, <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01088.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01088.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>I don’t want to turn this post into politics here, but I just want to shed light on the great job people are doing here, charity associations, normal people mostly housewives, collage students, and doctors all volunteered to help them, and to provide them with food, clothes, healthcare and even giving toys for their kids, a huge network of volunteering has really surprised me! All that cooperative great work gave me nothing but a real HOPE, I left the place feeling deeply happy inside, and like yeah we are here for each others. </div><div align="left">==============================<br />PS. The Arabic sign says “We welcome our Lebanese sisters and brothers, your family in Syria”.</div><div align="left">============================== </div><div align="left"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01077.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01077.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a></div><div align="left">Su’ad, was pregnant in her forth month, she already has lost her baby because, she was deadly afraid of the Israeli attacks on her village.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">.</div><div align="left">.</div><div align="left">.</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">.</div><div align="left">==============================</div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left"></div><div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01082.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 121px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 97px" height="115" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01082.jpg" width="171" border="0" /></a><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01073.1.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 121px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 97px" height="115" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01073.1.jpg" width="171" border="0" /></a><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01071.jpg"><img style="WIDTH: 121px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 97px" height="115" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01071.jpg" width="171" border="0" /></a></div></div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1152527232452167832006-07-10T13:16:00.000+03:002006-07-12T23:21:17.046+03:00al-Maha<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00212.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00212.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">The Arabian Oryx (al-Maha) were brought from Saudi Arabia in an effort to increase their numbers in the Syrian desert.<br />al-Maha are known by their beautiful eyes, that in some old Arabic poems the beauty of women’s eyes were compared to theirs.</div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1151356345685936242006-06-27T12:08:00.000+03:002006-06-27T00:12:25.736+03:00W.C<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00806.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00806.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1150483163894581542006-06-17T01:33:00.000+03:002006-06-17T00:19:28.346+03:00Do You Know?<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00668.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00668.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Do you know that large old gates which have small door inside, like in the picture above are called <em>“Bab Khokha”?</em> The funny thing is; the word <em>“Khokha”</em> has a different meaning in Arabic which has nothing to do with doors, it is (plum)! Weird, isn’t it?Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1150045832443537432006-06-11T19:37:00.000+03:002006-06-11T20:28:44.690+03:00The Museum Of Dair Atiah<div align="left"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00067.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00067.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a> “ Deir Atiah, which is known for its beautiful environment, fresh water, fertile fields, and soft air, is also known for its loyal, mindful, and active inhabitants. The Museum of Deir Atiah is in fact a live symbol of the generosity and sacrifices that it takes to preserve the national heritage and customs. <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00060.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00060.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>It has been gathered in its distinguished five buildings and a garden that is designed as an open-air museum that kept from decay true and valuable evidence from local memory that serves as witness to the pedigree and notability of the inhabitants of the region. Their creativeness is well displayed in the field of <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00061.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00061.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>agriculture, industry, trade, handicrafts, different types of arts like arms, coins, trinkets, stamps, painting, and some other articles from the quotidian life that are also proofs of this creativeness. Moreover, the museum contains finds that were uncovered during excavations in Damascus Countryside Governorate, especially Yabroud, with material dating back to the prehistoric, bronze, Classic, <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00063.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00063.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>and Arab-Islamic periods. In addition, it contains many important archaeological object that were saved from illegal excavators and smugglers. Furthermore, the museum of Deir Atiah is but one link in a long chain of work that the inhabitants of the town have achieved with their own efforts, to protect their local heritage, it is meant to be source of cultural and knowledge, and inspiration symbol to be followed.”<br /></div><div align="right"><br />Source:The Musuem of Deir Atiah </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1149169516648134982006-06-01T16:27:00.000+03:002006-06-02T21:51:43.946+03:00Omar al-Farra<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00653.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00653.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="left">A great and a very popular Syrian poet, he was born in 1949 in Palmyra, then he moved to live in Homs, he started writing poetry at the age of thirteen. He now has five divans, four of them are written in colloquial Arabic which is best to read in the Bedouin accent. Desert has a big influence on his poetry, added to it a very nice sense of humor flooding from his soul. He always says that the environment he lived in has contributed in shaping his poetry and that all his poems are based on a real stories to the extent that most of his friends and surroundings might know the heroes he writes about even by their names too, so he usually starts his poems by telling the story behind them which is very entertaining and interesting to hear.<br />One of his most famous poem is <em>”Hamda”,</em> where he speaks about a rebellious Bedouin female who refuses to marry her cousin according to her tribe customs and so she was killed for her refusal, after her death people claimed that they still could hear her voice yelling “I don’t want to marry you”.<br /><br />To hear one of my favorite poem by him <a href="http://www.mshaheer.com/dewan/25omar/25omarr21.ram"><em>Click Here</em></a>. It is called Al-Watan (Homeland), before he starts reciting it, he always asserts that one’s soul can’t rest at peace after death unless it’s buried at homeland.<br /><br />Wish you enjoy it. </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1148678703167859652006-05-27T00:10:00.000+03:002006-06-16T21:48:03.576+03:00Super Star Rocks At Schools<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00601.0.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00601.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00607.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00607.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left"><em>“The Super Star Student’s Show that Rocked the school months ago is NOW Back!”<br />“Be sure not to miss it”</em> that’s what I’ve been told by one of the teenagers that is participating in the Super Star performance.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00603.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00603.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>I remembered two famous quotes I've recently read; <em>“The power to control the flow of information is the power to control the way people think”.</em> Oliver Stone<br /><em>“Sometime during the next decade, we may all think alike and act alike and not even know that we had a choice.”</em> Nola Bowie<br /><br />Most people think that TV Shows have a negative impact on the society, they may also contribute to social problems like violence, aggressiveness and decline of manners and family values.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00604.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00604.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>Super Star, and some other live TV Shows like Star Academy had a big impact on our Society, like for exampl; their logos and names were printed on T-shirts, bags, shoes, trousers, and even on underwear, they also became the most popular topic among teenagers and older people too.<br /><br />New artists are being born everyday with the new trend which depends only on cheapness, nothingness, indecency and impudicity. However, watch out your kids, they are the main targeted perfect receivers, and thus unfortunately we have to expect hundreds of Haifa Wahbi, Dana, Maria, Rouby and others and others. </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1148035805032990292006-05-19T13:39:00.000+03:002006-05-19T17:35:39.340+03:00Bride Khan<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00009.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00009.jpg" border="0" /></a> <a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00014.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="left">The Arabic name is Khan al-Arous and it has also another name; Khan al-Sultan, it was built in the 12th century as Sultan Salah Eddin al-Ayubi ordered to construct it on the way between Damascus and Homs, about 50 km to the north of Damascus to help pilgrimages and travelers passing there to rest in it.<br />Recently, it has been restored by the goverment. </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1146932406903199112006-05-06T19:15:00.000+03:002006-05-07T01:31:50.696+03:00Martyrdom Day<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00601.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00601.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">Two verses from the Holy Quran are engraved On the Unknown Soldier Monument located on Qassiun mount say; </div><div align="left">“<em>Think not of those who are slain in Allah's Way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the Presence of their Lord; They rejoice in the Bounty provided by Allah: and with regard to those left behind, who have not yet joined them (in their bliss), the (Martyrs) glory in the fact that on them is no fear, nor have they (cause to) grieve.</em>" [3:169-170]. </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1146664462048521392006-05-03T16:33:00.000+03:002006-05-03T17:25:57.206+03:00Murdered<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00431.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC00431.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">Ugly concrete dirty buildings, built-up narrow streets, randomness, chaos, nothing is symmetrical even in the same one building, order does not exist, gardens and parks are seldom to spot, Damascus from Qassioun Mountain looks like a jungle made of concrete. Alas, it is not beautiful.<br />I suggest sentences like “ Damascus is located in the middle of an oasis called el-Ghouta” or “Damascus is surrounded by a green bracelet called el-Ghouta (which was once defined as a small paradise on earth)”, should be omitted, edited and replaced by sentences such as “ Damascus is surrounded by ugliness, by unsightly outskirts, by desert, by pollution… <strong>Damascus should be saved</strong>"</div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1145636441863829982006-04-21T19:17:00.000+03:002006-04-22T11:03:19.143+03:00Could It Be True?<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01619.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC01619.jpg" border="0" /></a></div><p align="left">A woman has the right to be born, to live as free and equall as a man, to be well educated, to be successful, to love, to be loved, to be a mother, a sister and a friend.<br /><br />“ A new study showed that Syrian women are still suffering from domestic violence as one forth married women are physically or verbally abused either by their husbands, their fathers or their bothers.” Click here on both <a href="http://www.syria-news.com/edu/readnews.php?sy_seq=19881">1</a> / <a href="http://www.champress.net/?page=show_det&id=9142&select_page=6">2</a> .<a href="http://www.champress.net/?page=show_det&id=9142&select_page=6"><br /></a><br />This bit of news has dropped my jaws, I’ve been living in Syria for almost all my life and I never witness such a thing, not in my family, my relatives, my friends, nor in my neighborhood, isn’t that enough for me on personal level to question this study!<br /><br />Women are becoming nowadays more free and liberated than any other time in Syria;<br /><br />- Adult female literacy rose from 33 percent in 1980 to 60.4 percent by 1998.<br />- Women comprise 57 percent of the nation’s teachers.<br />- Females hold 39 percent of seats in the national university system.<br />- Women comprised 27 percent of the labour force in 2000.<br />- 12 percent seat in parliament is held by women which is considered second highest rate compared with other Arabic countries.<br />- On 23 March 2006 President Bashar Al-Assad appointed Najah Al-Attar as a second vice-president that makes her the first Arab female to hold the position of vice president.<br /><br />I cannot believe this study, it is totally absurd to me, but again it might be true, so dear Syrian reader, what do you think of it? Are we having a big problem here? Is that really the women’s condition in my country and I am totally ignorant about it? Please enlighten me ! </p>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1144534632807040632006-04-09T13:02:00.000+03:002006-04-09T16:14:55.706+03:00Coming Soon<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00169.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00169.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a> After about more than 20 years of restoration works, Citadel of Damascus is about to be opened to the public in June 2006. Until the 1980's the Citadel was almost inaccessible, as it was an old prison from the late 12th century and was occupied largely by the military.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00143.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00143.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>Needless to say, the citadel was built inside the old wall of Damascus. A lot of historians claimed that the citadel was built at the Roman era however, studies carried by several specialized scholars, historians and archaeologists showed that the castle was founded by Saljukis in 1076 A.D. and was completely rebuilt between1203–1214 by al-Malik al-Ādil to protect the city against the Crusaders and Mongols invasion.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00158.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00158.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>The citadel is rectangular in shape and with rounded corners in its northwest, inside it, they built houses, baths, schools, wells, prisons and a mosque (Abu al-Dardaa), and it was also used as a residence for some Ayubid Sultans like Saladin.<br />Each corner of the castle has a tower , two towers on the eastern side, and three towers on the northern and southern sides. The citadel has four gates and whole of it was surrounded by a deep trench which was filled with water during wars.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC00141.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC00141.jpg" align="right" border="0" /></a>My thoughts about the citadel is that, how it was always a prison that hosted revolutionary people and militant, great figures such as Ibin Taimyyah, and a lot of political detainees, and now it will turn into museum and a centre for cultural activates.<br /><br />For more pictures <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sham_sharief/110485209/in/photostream/" target="_blank">click here</a>.Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1141252474261487402006-03-02T00:31:00.000+02:002006-03-27T11:00:07.640+02:00Dear readers of this blog, I’m sorry, but there wont be any posting for couples of weeks ahead.<br />Thank you.Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1140687402326974022006-02-23T11:29:00.000+02:002006-04-03T14:04:04.283+03:00YOU & ME<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01654-1.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC01654-1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div align="center"></div><div align="left">My friend Reem wrote this poem and asked me to post it on my blog for better understanding, and I wouldn’t say no.<br /><br /><em>Muslim is Me,<br />Christian is He, BUT <br />Brothers are We,<br />Equal should Be, WHY?!<br /><br />In the name of Humanity we live,<br />Under the Sky, on Earth, and behind the Cliffs,<br />The Birth of us Adam & Eve gave,<br />From Water & Clay are just Ourselves,<br />Modest, Calm, Down-to-Earth is our Level,<br /><br />Mark & Muhammad CAN Coexist,<br />In Both Civilizations that Persist,<br />On integration & Unity so this is our Benefit,<br />Dialogue, Cooperation, progress are an asset,<br />In a Society where Success & patience are our Habit,<br />"Peace, Happiness, Mercy & Love try to Spread",<br /><br />"Oh No ! Don't kill any Creature,<br />Never Destroy a Church or Harm any Preacher,<br />Women, Babies, and Old Take Care,<br />Plants & Roses, You Don't Dare",<br /><br />"Oh here is an Ant Don't Step"!<br />"A Thirsty Dog, Please give a Sip"!<br /><br />That is OUR Prophet's Say,<br />This is OUR Islam Way,<br />Proud of them till Doomsday!!<br /><br />Freedom & Respect are OUR Feature,<br />So How Come Mocking OUR TEACHER!! (Prophet Muhammad Peace Be Upon Him).</em><br /></div><div align="right">REEM TAYAN</div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1139956101911215432006-02-15T00:17:00.000+02:002006-04-27T17:04:32.266+03:00To Be Or Not To BeIt came to my mind to ask many Syrian kids from different social classes about their hopes, dreams and what do they like to be in future…<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01522.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01522.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>When I asked Samir, 8-year-old, “What do you want to be in future?” with full confidence he said “ I ‘m sure I’ll be a plastic surgeon, all people want to look better, I’ll make a great profit from it, I’ll gain a lot of money and I’ll be rich, I also wish to reach the age of 17 because my father promised me to buy me a BMW motorcycle, I’ll not let anyone race me because I’ll be the winner!”<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01590.0.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01590.0.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>Joudy 10-year-old, she already speaks two languages perfectly in addition to Arabic, she answered me without hesitation; “interior designer, I also love fashion, and yeah I can’t wait till I grow up to do a plastic surgery to my nose, there is something wrong with it, I don’t like it. I also will drive my mother’s car or buy a new one and let little kids sit in the back so I’ll take them to nice places to play.”<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/dalia.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/dalia.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>Dalia, 8-year-old, I asked her in Arabic but she answered me in English “I want to be a scientist, but for a now I’ve big dream, I would like to fly in the sky where the clouds are all full of sweats and candies, so I can eat them all without having any teeth pain or caries”. A minute of silence… then “Ghalia, can I be more than one thing?” I told her that yes she can, then she added “ I also want to be an artist (I love painting), a school director, an accountant and bar-code specialist, a swim teacher, a traveler, a cook ( I would like to cook a delicious food)”, a shopkeeper… actually her list goes so long… but she ended telling me “ I hope to make them all real”.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01601.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01601.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a> Hameed, 9-year-old, I met him in Old Damascus at Souq al-Hamidiyeh, he was supposed to be at school while he was actually working as a goods porter, “What do you want to be in the future?” I asked. He looked at me quizzically, he needs not to say anything, from his reaction I knew that he had never thought of that. “I don’t know, I have to ask my father, he will decide for me, I really don’t know!”<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01602.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01602.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>Same as Hameed, Tamer also doesn’t know what to be in the future, he said “Whatever, I’ll be anything, I really don’t know, I do have some wishes, but I’m sure none will come true” he flashed me a smile, then he felt shy, while I felt foolish because I understood what he meant. He has many things to worry about today, tomorrow can certainly wait!.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01622.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01622.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a> Abdo, 12-year-old was afraid of me, he answered me cautiously “ I want to be an employee”, “do you go to school?” I asked, “yes, I do, I’m at the sixth grade” you should not leave your school if you want to be an employee” I commented. “I know, I will not” he said. But ironically it was a school time when I asked him while he was selling kind of whistles and balloon for kids.<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01621.0.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/200/DSC01621.0.jpg" align="left" border="0" /></a>At last, Fawzi and Khaled seem to be close friends, they both are 11-year-old, I met them coming back from school, they both want to study Islam and be specialist of Islamic law and jurisprudence, “We will be Muslim clerics and we are already studying in an Islamic school that we love it.”<br /><br />P.S. Those children do not represent the society, each one of them is a unique child with his dreams, hopes, wishes and life to live.Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com35tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1139136216052730202006-02-05T12:40:00.000+02:002006-02-06T23:50:49.413+02:00What A Shame!First of all I would like to clarify that my Blog is not about political issues nor Islamic ones.<br /><br />Concerning the so-appeared to be peaceful and civilized protests against offensive cartoons of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) that were published in a Danish newspaper a few months ago that turned into a shameful violent act, my friends, <a href="http://www.damasceneblog.com/the_damascene_blog/2006/02/shame_shame_sha.html#comments" target="_blank">Ayman</a> and <a href="http://ihsaniat.blogspot.com/2006/02/ashamed-of-being-syrian.html" target="_blank">Ihsan</a> said it all, I wouldn’t have said it better than they did.Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1138794903078844492006-02-01T13:42:00.000+02:002006-02-01T15:41:07.230+02:00Voices from America<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/statcounter.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/statcounter.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">As I got a lot of American visitors yesterday, I have received more than fifty E-mails asking me about my life and my country. A lot of applausments and a little of critisim.<br />I want to highlight some voices I’ve recived from U.S, and I would like to thank everyone who sent me an E-mail, showed a respect, admiration and appreciation, even critisism, and most of all, thanks for those who commented here thank you very much.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">“I am an American and alittle worried about reading and writing on your blog”<br /><em>Anonymous<br /></em><br />“I am really impressed from the pictures of your Country. I just hope that Syria doesn’t get too westernized. Every nation needs to hold on to some of its past and teach the young its history…I do hope that the children hold on to the ways of their country. Not saying imitating the Americans is bad, but I am not happy with some of our attitude today. I am an older American who I guess is set in his ways and at times do not like what I see of today’s world.”<br /><em>Sonny<br /></em><br />“I just read a story about you on the net and had a look at your blog. I must say it's very interesting. Being from America, in the Midwest actually, I have no idea of what life in Syria is like…I am a little disturbed by some of the replies of your countrymen, but we I understand we have our share of close-minded fools also. Keep up the good work, and tell whoever you can that most of us are just ordinary people like them..”<br /><em>dustin </em></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em><br /></em>“…We only get a lot of negative news about Syria. I am glad you are speaking out about the good in your country. I'm not sure that a Kentucky Fried Chicken is great diplomacy, but if it works, then great. I'm just afraid you folks will blame us for stomach aches...”<br /><em>Lynn</em><br /><br />“Your blog reads like a boring tourism guide to Syria with occasional flashes of brilliance (KFC and the Supermarket piece). There is obvious passion in you about the great past history of Syria. What of the here and now? Please skip the "interesting places of Syria" tour and blog about the sadness, the joy, the passion of the Syrian people.<br />I understand you can't say certain things in your country, that politics, your government, your president close the door on certain directions you may what your blog to go (free thought possibly). But what you are showing me now tells me nothing of you and the people of Syria. Please make a difference to those of us outside the "Syrian Wall".”<br /><em>Edward</em><br /><br />“…Fatima also said she worries that many Americans have a bad impression of Syria, which is probably true. You must understand that we have a large population and many people in the US have never left the country and do not understand other cultures, so they are unnecessarily suspicious.”<br /><em>Michael</em><br /><br />...As for some of the comments that were left on your site, they seem like close minded people. I believe that these people are everywhere even in the US. In the US we try to be open minded, I just want to add that as a country we are fairly new compare to Syria, which has thousands of years of history. However, we only have about 200+ years. I guess what I'm trying to say is that we all want things we don't have.<br />The things that scare us the most is intolerance. Such as your January 27 blog about Mirrored Umayyad. That kind of action scare us because we view it as intolerance and we fear intolerance. My guess is that you're old and we are new. It's like the generation gap. We see things from different point of views and if we (as in the US and Syria) aren't willing to accept each other point of view, but want or have the need to destroy that different view than we have a problem. Who will get destroy? Just like a comment in your KFC blog, someone said that they want to destroy KFC because it's a symbol of America. That scare us.<br />Thank you for open your world up to us.<br /><em>Allen<br /></em><br />“…Your country has let Saddam's arsenal be shipped to and hidden in your country. The truth will come out eventually and there will be military action in your country. The only way to be treated fairly in this world is to renounce violence and corruption and do what you can to promote peace. Syrian citizens are judged by the actions of their governments because the citizens let the government rule over them. I am my own person and would fight to the death to save that right. Your people need the same passion for freedom and equal rights if you ever want to be considered a respectable people in the eyes of the world.”<br /><em>Kevin</em><br /><br />“…It was very nice to see Syria through the eyes of a person who is detached from the political spin of the world. I can tell you that here in the US, it is much the same. Many of our generation are discontent with the government, but unfortunately, we can do nothing about it. If you were to come to the US, you would find that there are great people that accept people of all origins, like myself…I hope you keep your message strong, and show the world that we can all have great friends all over the world if we just put aside trivial things. Perhaps some day I will be able to travel to Damascus and see what great things are there, but for now, my country will not create the favorable conditions for me to do so.”<br /><em>Ernest<br /></em><br />“…am an older woman. I am very curious about women's lives in other cultures. Do you know any women in your country of 40-60 years who blog?... but I believe to understand another culture, I want to understand the lives of the women. I am sure my struggles are the same as theirs. I would like to know what they think and why…I will also read your blog and learn about the thoughts of a young woman. I promise to never INTEND to insult so perhaps you will have to teach me what is not permissible. Someday I hope to visit your culture.”<br /><em>Sharon</em><br /><br />“…I must say that you bring out some very good points of discussion and very good things about your country, as did Majd and Elie. Hopefully one day, sooner than later, everyone wouldn't have to worry about things such as Terrorism, or who's going to attack who, or people being killed...things of that nature…Thank you for the insight...and Ghalia, thank you for being who you are. You're awesome..”<br /><em>Chris<br /></em><br />“it is good to see women in your part of the world being able to express their thoughts and feelings openly”<br /><em>Anonymous</em><br /><br />“Congrats on getting your blog featured on Yahoo. Syria is so often discussed as chess piece in the game of Mid-east politics it is hard to realize it is also a home for people that want KFC dinners and the peaceful pictures of Aleppo. Good luck.”<br /><em>Frank</em><br /><br />“…Hopefully in the coming years peace can settle in the Middle East. It will be your generation that will be responsible for making these changes and that is why I encourage you to remain open minded. Again keep up the good work and do not lose your optimistic attitude. It is up to you and your peers to make this world a better place.”<br /><em>A former American soldier</em><br /><br />“…I've learned so much about Syria in just the 20 minutes I spent looking at your blog today…”<br /></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Tamara</em><br /><br />“…A country like Syria, so rich in culture and human history, is appreciated by most people although some do dismiss it as a breeding ground for terrorists. I think it is awesome that you have so much pride in your country. Thank you for giving others a glimpse of your unique and beautiful city.”<br /></div><em></em></span><div align="left"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em>Chris<br /></div></em></span>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com34tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11227246.post-1138307656839535232006-01-27T22:21:00.000+02:002006-01-27T11:35:12.786+02:00Mirrored Umayyad<div align="center"><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/1600/DSC01277.jpg"><img style="CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/514/884/400/DSC01277.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><div align="left">At al-Uqaybah at the end of Souq Saroujah there was a Khan (caravansary) well known for vice, called Khan al-Zanjari. The debaucheries and depravities were intolerable. <em>Al-Malik al-Ashraf</em>, Musa Ibn al-Malik al-Adel (Ayyubid era), was told that such thing should not be tolerable in a Muslim land, so he ordered it to be demolished and to build a mosque in its place. The people named it “ Jamie al- Tawbah” Mosque of Repentance, as though it had turned in a repentance to God and repented of what was in it. The mosque was built in 632/1234 with a great resemblance to Umayyad Mosque, somehow suggesting that repentance involve copying or imitating the most important and holiest local building in the country. </div>Ghaliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11289621062618562971noreply@blogger.com16