Syria - Probably not what you are expecting

Not knowing what to expect I crossed Jordan into Syria (according to some an axis of evil) but what I found was an incredibly friendly country jammed packed full of ancient history. My first stop was the city of Damascus, reportedly the oldest continually inhabited city in the world. It was on the road to Damascus that Saul was converted to Paul and I visited the church that stands on the site of the baptism. I also visited the Ummyyad Mosque in the centre of the city. This place is huge and so ornately decorated. 3 out of the 4 walls of the courtyard are covered in a fine mosaic - it is so beautiful. The Mosque is also home to the tomb of Saladine and the tomb of John the Baptist (although it doesn't have his complete body) My knowledge of the Bible has certainly improved during this trip!
After Damascus I moved northwards to the town of Palmyra. This is one massive site of what looks like Roman ruins - only they are not Roman. When the Palmyrans built the city it was a vital trading city on the Silk Route - I saw the remains of the trading areas including the hitching posts to tie your camels up whilst you engage in a bit of haggling. I visited the temple of Baal (Dad, I'm sure you'll recognise the name) and the pits where animals were sacrificed to appease Baal. It was a fascinating site not least because I got to climb to the top of a funery tower (it even contained bones).
I was really looking forward to the next stop. The crusader castle Crac des Chevaliers, This was one of 7 in the vacinity but due to a restoration in the 1960's by the French - it is in a great condition. It has been labelled as one of the best examples of a castle in the world and it lives up to its reputation. You get to explore right into the heart of the castle and that includes the secret passageways leading through the moat, the tunnels that run underneath the kitchens and the maze of alleyways under the baths. Even saw the dungeons and the vats in which they kept the boiling oil in times of seige and attack. The castle came complete with its own round table. In short it was a proper castle - almost complete - not just a pile of foundation stones. It was great.
My final stop in Syria was the country's second largest city - Aleppo. As well as being a maze of Souks selling everything you could imagine under the sun including so many sweets and pastries, the city also has a citadel above it protecting it from any would be attackers. This country really does medeavial castles well. This citadel came complete with its own palace inside. It was stunning. For those of us for whom the souks and the many hours of haggling does not appeal, Syria is great because you can go climb and explore instead. Something for everyone. Have overdosed slightly on the hummous and baba ganooush (aubergine dip) you get out here so I am looking forward to pressing northwards into Turkey and perhaps some different food specialities. But for anyone who thinks Syria is not a holiday destination - get out here - its great.