Sacred Destinations

Many who have not been to Syria think that this is some kind dangerous country, an enemy of the mighty superpower USA. It is sad that this country has been ignored for so many years, its people living in ignorance and deprived of the development seen by many other nations. Nevertheless, in a sense it is good that the country is still quite untainted with modern development and you can pretty much see many sights in its original condition (ruins). It is a matter of time before the country will eventually open up and sanctions by the US stops. Meanwhile, you can enjoy the many untainted views of this country.

Although predominantly Muslim, the country is home to many Christian, Roman, Byzantine etc. monuments. The list is endless:

• Bride of the Desert - Palmyra (mentioned in the Old Testament)
• The Roman city of Apamea
• The mighty amphitheater in Bosra
• The only surviving Aramaic-speaking community of Maalula
• The "greatest crusader castle" of Krak Des Chaveliers
• The Dead Cities of Sherjilla, Al Bara, Ebla etc. which were once cities of the Byzantine era
• Qalat Sala'a'din which is said to be one of the most beautiful overlooking the Mediterranean Sea
• One of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world - Aleppo
• Endless scenery of beautiful mountains and farms in the "green" north-west part of Syria (looks as if you're in Switzerland!)

The many sights make a tour of Syria truly a heritage tour and makes the visit sacred. So if anyone of you would like a crash course of world history and religion, visit Syria. You may visit the website of Sacred Destinations for more insights into what Syria has to offer - http://www.sacred-destinations.com/syria/.

On the way to Baghdad, Iraq!

The road to Iraq:And now on the way to Baghdad!!!

Bride of the Desert

Last Friday, I visited the Bride of the Desert - the ancient city of Palmyra. It is about 3+ hours drive from Jisr Al-Shogour but it was worth all the time and effort. Palmyra was said to be fortified by Solomon and was mentioned in the Old Testament. It used to be a major trading hub for the old east-west trade route. Ancient ruins of this site still stands as testament to the glory of the good old days!

For some tips on travelling to Palmyra, visit my Virtual Tourist web page.

Another Day in Syria

Another day in Syria. Life in Syria, especially in Jisr-Al-Shoghour is pretty routine. Time is definitely on my side - I have more than enough time to do my daily tasks, ponder about life, think about nonsense etc.

I wake up every morning around 6.30 AM. Initially, this was the toughest part of the day coz it was freaking cold in winter. But now in spring, it's much warmer. After a short bath, I will take some breakfast while watching the Al Jazeera news which would be broadcast from the Kuala Lumpur center. Good chance to update myself with world news, especially from Asia. You see, unlike Abu Dhabi, I can't find any English newspapers in Syria. It is ironic, I'm abreast with news from all over the world, but have no idea of what's happening in Syria. At around 7.45 AM, the driver will arrive to pick me and other colleagues to work. The plant is about 15 minutes away.

In the office, the friendly tea-lady Maria will start offering coffee while I prepare for the morning meeting. Thereafter, it's off to work. In between, I have enough time to check my emails, pay my bills, check out the latest happenings in Malaysia and chat with whoever has time to spare. Lunch time is actually home-cooked shared with a Filipino colleague.

At around 5pm, we start to leave the office. On the way, we may stop by at the Bukit Bintang, Chow Kit or Petaling Street of Jisr-Al-Shogour to buy some groceries or even do some marketing. Chickens are aplenty but fish hard to come by. Vegetables are fresh this time of the year. And at the local "supermarket" (we foreigners call it the micromarket), the storekeeper gives us complimentary nescafe packs each time, so that is one thing less to buy.

After that it is off back to home. Cook a bit of dinner, watch the TV. Only thing good is, there are thousands of satellite channels to watch. I have on my favorite list movie and series channel, some with good re-runs of old series like Frasier and Friends to keep me occupy. Hopefully by around 10pm, I will feel sleepy and go to bed. That is for me, another day in Syria!

2 Bukit, 1 Batang

It's really ridiculous that Malaysian politics have finally come to the stage of 2 bukit and 1 batang. Many people are saying this tri-elections would become a referendum for Najib's administration. But I think it's rather unfair to give Najib such a heavy baggage. After all, he can't change the sentiment of the Rakyat overnight.

Although I am thousands of kilometers away, I'm following the results of the elections closely via Malaysiakini. Unfortunately, the main stream medias are better than useless when it comes to getting updated information.

Regardless, it's practically known from start that Pakatan will catch hold of the 2 bukits while BN will retain the sole Batang. The fact we have bukits and batang is a joke. Basically, the status quo remains and nothing has changed. The balance of power in the parliament and state assemblies remain the same. But a strong win by Pakatan indicates that time is running out for BN. If they are still not geared for some real work (which I've yet to see any real sincerity and commitment), then Najib must start preparing to sit on the opposite side of the parliament 4 years from now. It's not that I like Anwar, but I guess with the state of things going on, I think Barisan is headed for certain destruction.

Malaysians, prepare for the change soon.... looks like we are in for it real soon... I can't imagine Malaysia without BN in power. But then again, we must accept that the only thing constant is change.